COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT—Romance After Hitting Bottom

COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT

Jeff Zentner

Summary

“A story of love, healing, and second chances ” (Emily Henry) following a down on his luck country musician who, in the throes of grief after a shocking loss, moves back home and rekindles a relationship with his high school sweetheart, from award-winning author Jeff Zentner.

Colton Gentry is riding high. His first hit in nearly a decade has caught fire, he’s opening for country megastar Brant Lucas, and he’s married to one of the hottest acts in the country. But he’s hurting. Only a few weeks earlier, his best friend, Duane, was murdered onstage by a mass shooter at a country music festival. One night, with his trauma festering and Jim Beam flowing through his veins, Colton stands before a sold-out arena crowd of country music fans and offers his unfiltered opinion on guns. It goes over poorly.
 
Immediately, his career and marriage implode. Left with few choices or funds, he retreats to his rural Kentucky hometown. He’s resigned himself to has-been-dom, until a chance encounter at his town’s new farm-to-table restaurant gives him a second shot at a job working in the kitchen with Luann, his first love, who has undergone her own reinvention. Told through perspectives alternating between his senior year of high school, his time coming up with Duane as hungry musicians in Nashville, and the present, COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT is a story of coming home, undoing past heartbreaks, and navigating grief, and is a reminder that there are next acts in life, no matter how unlikely they may seem. 

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Spice Level: Slow burn, sex on the page
Language: Smattering of f-bombs and more
Format: Dual timeline. Present and past of Colton.

This book is mostly about Colton’s journey—and I don’t feel like you see as many romances with the guy front and center. The first chapter was rough for me with the f-bombs. I get it though. We had to see Colton blow up his life. And he did, landing in rehab and more.

I thought Colton’s journey to stay sober was pretty realistic. I was rooting for him not to fall and drink again. This was also a bit rough to read. (I had a sibling who became an alcoholic and died young.) But his journey was also cathartic.

The girl he loved from high school was interesting. I was surprised how she was so supportive of him when she’d had so many people bow out of her life or utterly fail her. But it was also sweet that she was prickly on the outside and a marshmallow inside.

I did end up enjoying this book, and I think the majority of romance readers will love it. (The spice was not to my taste. It’s pretty fast and done.)

Happy reading!
– Michelle

EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES

EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES

Catherine Mack

Summary

Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies . . . one trip to die for.

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series―is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life―the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life―Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker―and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly―theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the irresistible and hilarious series debut from Catherine Mack, introducing bestselling fictional author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate the world in her books.

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Travel Mystery, Mystery, Books about books
Spice Level: Med-High (Fade to black but some details . . . )
Language: Some swearing, including f-bombs

I loved the premise of EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES. This book was so much fun in many ways.

The main character Eleanor has major flaws, and sometimes is really kind of a jerk. But I actually kind of liked her because some of the things that happened to her were worse than what she’d done to others. (Levels of how terrible the people were.) Connor is such a villain with his behavior, everyone looked great compared to him.

So many people had reasons to be angry with Eleanor—and you’ll have to decide if they were good enough for murder. But hey, you’ve got lust, money, position all on the table. Sometimes, the author breaks the fourth wall—as in she actually says this—and invites the reader to figure it out. Since I’m always trying to figure things out, I felt pretty seen. In this story, I thought it worked as a device.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Happy reading!
– Michelle

MURDER IN ROSE HILL

MURDER IN ROSE HILL
Gaslight Mystery #27

Victoria Thompson

Summary

Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private detective husband Frank discover that the cure is worse than the disease when they investigate the death of a promising young woman in this atmospheric, riveting mystery from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Murder on Bedford Street.
 
Sarah Malloy has just helped with the delivery of a bouncing baby girl at her women’s clinic, when she receives a visit from an engaging and determined young woman writing an article for New Century Magazine. Louisa Rodgers explains that she is researching the dangers of patent remedies. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines whose ingredients include heavy doses of alcohol and other addictive drugs, and hurt much more than they help.

A few days later, Sarah receives a visit from a bereft Bernard Rodgers, who explains that his daughter, Louisa, has been found strangled in the lobby of the building where New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Sarah wants justice for the bright young woman but as she and Frank delve deeper into Louisa’s life, they find that nothing is quite as it seemed and Louisa is not who she claimed to be. The Malloys must first solve the mystery of Louisa’s life before they can figure out who wanted to see her dead…

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Mystery
Gore Level: Low
Swearing: I wasn’t aware of any.
Readability: Highly! This is #27 in the series, but I found it easy to read without having read the previous books

I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by Victoria Thompson—this is a solid cozy mystery, the historical details are interesting, and I was hooked! NOW I must read more!

The dynamic between the characters is great—there are three main couples on the investigative side, but one set are the parents of our main investigative team, and the other set are employed. I enjoyed how each person had a distinct personality and reflected different aspects of society. There’s the high society, the change in society, and the growing relationships between different migrant populations.

For the murder. As soon as we met the young wannabe reporter, I knew she was in extreme danger. Can you imagine going against the patent medicine industry at that time as a woman? Wow! She was gutsy. And she pays for that with her life. But whodunnit? You’ve got the lover, the newspaper, the patent medicine companies, and the homeless man who hung around that building. Heck, you’ve even got women from her rooming house who are jealous. The police have wrapped up the case, but it’s not solved. There are so many viable suspects which made this a delicious cozy mystery.

I liked how the investigators were fallible and muddling through. It felt more realistic in that way. I also enjoyed the historical touches of Roosevelt that were thrown into the mix. It was truly a rich world.

I highly recommend this mystery.

Happy (sleuthing) reading!
– Michelle

FLAT DECEPTION—We’re Off to the Races With Murder (and Romance)

FLAT DECEPTION
Roxbury Heirs #2

Paige Edwards

Summary

Lady Sophie Henderson has worked tirelessly to establish a breeding stable for racehorses on her family’s Scottish estate. But when her father cuts her funding, she’s desperate to find a way to achieve her life’s ambition. Selling precious heirloom jewels enables Sophie to care for her thoroughbreds, though it’s a temporary solution—and one that does not go unnoticed.

Zander Matthews is painfully aware of the role he played in Sophie’s loss of sponsorship. Now, he’s determined to use his hard-earned wealth to help her achieve her dreams. When Zander shocks Sophie with the offer of a business investment, it seems her aspirations are finally within reach. But the new partners discover that finding success will not be simple.

There is a dark side to the posh British racing community, and Sophie and Zander have captured the attention of an enemy whose greed knows no bounds. Even as their partnership develops into something more, their happy ending is just beyond reach. Because in a world where people are willing to do anything to win, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to the team at Covenant Communications. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sweet Romance, Christian Romance, Romantic Suspense
Spice Level: Kissing

I love the cover, but when I haven’t read the first book in the series, I thought it was going to be Victorian. It’s contemporary—and since it centers around horse racing, the hat is appropriate for the setting.

Do I actually know much about horse racing and breeding? Nope! But the book felt like it included authentic details, and I really enjoyed cantering into this world.

The characters are interesting. Sophie doesn’t like the spotlight but loves her horses and breeding. She’s a country girl at heart. Zander is an “upstart” or as we might say in America, “new money.” And Ahern (also known as Bruce) is horrified that Zander would dare to intrude into Sophie’s life. There are cameo appearances from Sophie’s sisters and parents as well as a cast of characters surrounding the stables and horses.

Christian fiction elements come into the story about three times—I personally thought these moments wove into the narrative and made sense.

Here’s the tiny things that confused me:

• I was a tad confused that Bruce was Ahern. Why you ask? Because I didn’t notice the name “Bruce” early in the story when the gentleman was continually referred to as Ahern. Did I miss it? That’s possible.
• At the end (as in the last chapter), Sophie suddenly has a new fear. Something that never came out before. It was so unexpected, that it threw me off.

Those are ticky details, but they bugged me a little.

Overall, I loved the story and thought it was a splendid ride. I would highly recommend this book!

Happy (racing) reading!
– Michelle

A LETTER TO THE LUMINOUS DEEP—Where Letters Lead to a Mystery (and love)

A LETTER TO THE LUMINOUS DEEP

Sylvie Cathrall

Summary

Dive into the curious correspondence of Sylvie Cathrall’s delightful debut novel, A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

Perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and TJ Klune, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a whimsical epistolary fantasy set in a mystical underwater world with mystery and heart-warming romance.

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Orbit Books. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: SFF, Adult Fantasy
Time Period: I have NO idea…
Format: Epistolary

I happen to love books filled with letters. And that’s what A LETTER TO THE LUMINOUS DEEP is, though it took be a bit to get into, and here’s why:
Sometimes, I cheat and have my phone read my Kindle to me while I’m cooking or doing another task. This one doesn’t work that way because it would need different voices for the different letters. You really need to read it or get an official recording with good voice actors.

The number of people writing made it a bit hard for me to follow—this might be a “me” problem since I was interrupted with life. If I focused and just read this and nothing else, I think that would significantly help. It will be interesting to see if other readers felt the same way.

The setting felt both futuristic and historic at the same time. I’m okay with ambiguous, but I’d like to have a feeling for myself. I chose future for the setting…what would you choose?

I was curious to find out what happened to a couple of different characters as the novel progressed. It took a long, long, long time for me to really feel any romance vibes. Maybe I just expected it sooner instead of having the letter writers tell me outright.

The ending isn’t quite what I expected. Were you surprised?

This is definitely worth reading. If you dive in (the pun comes to you at no extra cost), then I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!

• Michelle

THE LIBRARY OF BORROWED HEARTS—Where Books Hold the Backdrop of an Old Romance

THE LIBRARY OF BORROWED HEARTS

Lucy Gilmore

Summary

A.J. Fikry meets The Bookish Life of Nina Hill in this charming, hilarious, and moving novel about the way books bring lonely souls together.

Two young lovers. Sixty long years. One bookish mystery worth solving.

Librarian Chloe Sampson has been struggling: to take care of her three younger siblings, to find herself, to make ends meet. She’s just about at the end of her rope when she stumbles across a rare edition of a book from the 1960s at the local flea market. Deciding it’s a sign of her luck turning, she takes it home with her—only to be shocked when her cranky hermit of a neighbor swoops in and offers to buy it for an exorbitant price. Intrigued, Chloe takes a closer look at the book only to find notes scribbled in the margins between two young lovers back when the book was new…one of whom is almost definitely Jasper Holmes, the curmudgeon next door.

When she begins following the clues left behind, she discovers this isn’t the only old book in town filled with romantic marginalia. This kickstarts a literary scavenger hunt that Chloe is determined to see through to the end. What happened to the two tragic lovers who corresponded in the margins of so many different library books? And what does it have to do with the old, sad man next door—who only now has begun to open his home and heart to Chloe and her siblings?

In a romantic tale that spans the decades, Chloe discovers that there’s much more to her grouchy old neighbor than meets the eye. And in allowing herself to accept the unexpected friendship he offers, she learns that some love stories begin in the unlikeliest of places.

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: General Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Spice Level: Med (sex on page but not detailed)
Language: A few f-bombs

I wasn’t sure going into THE LIBRARY OF BORROWED HEARTS if this was actually a romance. There is a strong romantic theme, but I’m going to call it as being on the wide of women’s fiction.

There was so much I enjoyed about this book:

• Literary references
• The unfolding of the past
• The characters

There was one thing I didn’t enjoy:

• The reference to The Tropic of Capricorn along with the quote threw me off because it was graphic. To me, this set up the book to be very salacious (and it’s not). I was on edge wondering if this book was going to turn pornographic. This shows how important it is to think through the applications of adding something in the beginning. Without it, this would have been a five star read.

Happy reading!

• Michelle

EVEN THE DARKEST STARS—Where Witches and Mages Clash

EVEN THE DARKEST STARS

Heather Fawcett

Summary

Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the emperor’s royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.

But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer ever known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzin—not her older sister, Lusha, as everyone had expected—for his next expedition. This is Kamzin’s chance to prove herself—even though River’s mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means climbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then, Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer, and Kamzin must decide what’s most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit.

The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expected—or prepared for—with avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and other dangers at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth about their mission and her companions—while surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced.

Goodreads.com

Review

Genre: Fantasy
Age: Young Adult

What an interesting concept.

I’d never have thought of writing a fantasy surrounding climbing a mountain (sort of like Everest).

The conflict is between two main groups of people, but the elements play a role that hampers survival. There’s a love interest going on, but I felt like it was secondary to the rest of the story—though still pivotal.

I’m anxious to read the second book, which is a good sign that I enjoyed this book. The one downer is that it ends a bit on a cliff-hanger. But it’s already out, so you can jump right into the next book.

Happy reading!

• Michelle

A MURDER MOST FRENCH—Who Would Desecrate Wine in France?

A MURDER MOST FRENCH
An American in Paris Mystery

Collen Cambridge

Summary

Postwar Paris is surging back to life, and its citizens are seizing every opportunity to raise a glass or share a delicious meal. But as American ex-pat Tabitha Knight and chef-in-training Julia Child discover, celebrations can quickly go awry when someone has murder in mind . . .

The graceful domes of Sacré Coeur, the imposing cathedral of Notre Dame, the breathtaking Tour
Eiffel . . . Paris is overflowing with stunning architecture. Yet for Tabitha Knight, the humble building that houses the Cordon Bleu cooking school, where her friend Julia studies, is just as notable. Tabitha is always happy to sample Julia’s latest creation and try to recreate dishes for her Grand-père and Oncle Rafe.

The legendary school also holds open demonstrations, where the public can see its master chefs at work. It’s a treat for any aspiring cook—until one of the chefs pours himself a glass of wine from a rare vintage bottle—and promptly drops dead in front of Julia, Tabitha, and other assembled guests. It’s the first in a frightening string of poisonings that turns grimly personal when cyanide-laced wine is sent to someone very close to Tabitha.

What kind of killer chooses such a means of murder, and why? Tabitha and Julia hope to find answers in order to save innocent lives—not to mention a few exquisite vintages—even as their investigation takes them through some of the darkest corners of France’s wartime past . . .

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Kensington Books. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Culinary Mystery
Gore Factor: Low (sure there are dead bodies but their deaths are not described in gruesome detail)
Representation: Gay side characters, Historical icons

A MURDER MOST FRENCH is my first book by Colleen Cambridge, and it reads as a stand-alone if you haven’t picked up the first in the series. However, after reading this one, I want to go back and read MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER.

Julia Child is amazing as a fictionalized character—I love how she describes cooking and her joie de vivre! Give me all the food and shopping in the local Parisian market!

But she isn’t the main sleuth—Tabitha is an American in Paris, taking care of her grandfather and “uncle”—meaning his partner. Tabitha breaks the mold for the time-period in many ways, but is logically formed as a woman during the post-WWII era. I also loved the cop and his grumpy attitude.

There is a bit of sexual innuendo, but the language was pretty clean. (I’m thinking there was one f-bomb and a few other swears—I noticed a reader commented about the language in the first book in the series, but I can’t tell you from personal experience how much swearing is in that one.) This book doesn’t have sex on the page or have fade-to-black scenes; it’s truly a mystery.

I would recommend this book—I wasn’t really sure who the killer was. Maybe you’ll figure out whodunit.

Happy reading!

• Michelle

THE FINDERS KEEPERS LIBRARY—Giving Books and Love a Second Chance

THE FINDERS KEEPERS LIBRARY

Annie Rains

Summary

This heart-warming second chance love story about hope and healing from USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains is perfect for fans of Raeanne Thayne and Jenny Hale!

For a gardener blessed with a green thumb, Savannah Collins’s life sure seems like it’s all thorns, zero roses. She has no job, no relationship, and no place to live. With nothing but a car full of plants and her new rescue kitten, Savannah heads to Bloom, North Carolina, to spend the summer with her beloved Aunt Eleanor, a retired librarian.

Her aunt shares her love of literature with the Finders Keepers Library, located in her beautiful garden, where anyone can stop by to pick a book or leave a book. When a sudden summer storm destroys the library and many of the roses, it will take a village to get everything ready for the garden wedding that is planned there in just three weeks.

As the entire town joins in to make the necessary repairs, Savannah bonds with their neighbor Evan Sanders over the books that Eleanor has handpicked for each of them, helping them both find healing and self-discovery. Savannah only intends to stay through the summer, but when an unexpected job offer, a sudden health crisis, and a wayward pre-teen push her future in new directions, she has to wonder whether this is the place that she is meant to be—and the family she’s meant to be with.

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing). I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Sweet Romance
Spice Level: Kissing
Tropes: Second-chance romance
Format: 3 POV

Three-word review: heartwarming, bookish, second-chances

I was quite surprised when the older aunt had a pov in the story (that’s point-of-view if you’ve forgotten). This is the second story I’ve read with a dual romance going on with the young couple and the “mature” couple. I’m wondering if this is a new trend to try to appeal to more readers. I’m okay with it—just surprised. Maybe authors realized that romance readers can be young and “mature.” In this case, I thought the aunt was fun and acting age appropriate (sometimes young authors write “mature” characters as if they’re 90 years old and miss the mark).

THE FINDERS KEEPERS LIBRARY is a fun read. Our three main characters are each going through life-altering events, but the book remains light. The teen with rolling eyes made me laugh—but at the same time when people were mean to her, I knew what that felt like.

The love of books is apparent in this story. I loved all the quotes at the beginnings of chapters as well as the ones doled out by characters as a way to cope with their circumstances. Books really do offer insight on living.

I like second-chance romances and Evan and Savannah are fun together. They had good couple energy without being too perfect.

Romance readers will love this book.

Happy reading!

• Michelle

SHEINE LENDE—Enter the World of Summoning Dead Animals and Hunting for Missing Persons

SHEINE LENDE

Darcie Little Badger

Illustrated by Rovina Cai

Summary

Darcie Little Badger’s Elatsoe launched her career and in the years since has become a beloved favorite. This prequel to Elatsoe, centered on Ellie’s grandmother, deepens and expands Darcie’s one-of-a-kind world and introduces us to another cast of characters that will wend their way around readers’ hearts.

Shane works with her mother and their ghost dogs, tracking down missing persons even when their families can’t afford to pay. Their own family was displaced from their traditional home years ago following a devastating flood – and the loss of Shane’s father and her grandparents. They don’t think they’ll ever get their home back.

Then Shane’s mother and a local boy go missing, after a strange interaction with a fairy ring. Shane, her brother, her friends, and her lone, surviving grandparent – who isn’t to be trusted – set off on the road to find them. But they may not be anywhere in this world – or this place in time.

Nevertheless, Shane is going to find them.

Goodreads.com

Review

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Levine Querido. I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Fantasy Thriller, Fantasy Mystery, Indigenous Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult (okay for a middle grade audience too)
Readability: The first novel is ELATSOE. I think you can read this one without having read the first because it’s a prequel.
Representation: Indigenous people and alludes to gay love but nothing is on the page

I loved ELATSOE and couldn’t wait to read SHEINE LENDE, and I enjoyed this one too.

Things I loved:

• Magic system
• Intersection of multiple types of magic
• Indigenous people
• Ghost dog
• Mystery
• Prehistoric animals
• Mystery
• Inclusion of how languages are dying

This novel flows really well and connects most of the loose ends. The one thing that came a bit out of the blue was when the friends express their love to each other and it becomes a conversation about the types of love. I think it could have been summed up faster because it interrupted the flow of the narrative. Some of the girls’ names confused me because I’m accustomed to “Shane” and “Donnie” being associated with boys—these were nicknames.

I truly loved this novel. It’s worth your time no matter your age.

Happy reading!

• Michelle