I’m not trying to push your buttons– if I was, I’d be looking for mute...
I heard a horrible screeching noise coming from the hall. I tFavorite Quotes:
I’m not trying to push your buttons– if I was, I’d be looking for mute...
I heard a horrible screeching noise coming from the hall. I thought we had bats. Roddy, please can you tell this howling harpy to sling her hook. I’m trying to get some rest.
My Review:
Judy Leigh is a master storyteller and agile writer. She never fails to provide an entertaining, engaging, and heart-warming read. I have become a lifelong acolyte of this talented scribe and constantly haunt her listings for new amusing tales to peruse. Her characters are realistically flawed yet always endearing and worth knowing. I wouldn’t mind getting older if I could have as much fun as these spirited septuagenarians. ...more
...he’s having a go at being a ruthless drug lord. Maybe he’s watched Scarface one too many times.
My Review:
My interest in this well-pFavorite Quotes:
...he’s having a go at being a ruthless drug lord. Maybe he’s watched Scarface one too many times.
My Review:
My interest in this well-paced series hasn’t waned due to the wily author’s crafty writing style, one that keeps the little pea in my brain itchy, engaged, curious, and primed to gather the meager clues sprinkled throughout the several active and carefully constructed storylines. I am enjoying learning more about the primary and secondary characters as they become more comfortable with each other. I see trouble brewing in the next installment as the enigmatic serial killer appears to be prepping for another strike. ...more
Taylor’s affected rangy stride as he entered the room made Eleanor wonder if his ego was even more bloated than she’d feared. Or if heFavorite Quotes:
Taylor’s affected rangy stride as he entered the room made Eleanor wonder if his ego was even more bloated than she’d feared. Or if he’d sat on something akin to a cactus.
I dream of you and me. Of me keeping you safe. And making you happy. And watching you grow into whatever you want to be. Of me somehow being the best husband since husbands were invented. Which is still less than you deserve.
...open heart gives an open face, and yours is like a picture book.
‘He probably keeps a record of all my blunders to delight in chiding me over one day.’ ‘Regrettably not, my lady.’ Clifford’s eyes twinkled as he waggled his leather notebook. ‘Due to insufficient pages to record them all.’
My Review:
I have read every installment of this delightful series and deem this volume the best yet. Team Verity Bright has more than perfected their characters and excels at producing authentic, well-conjured, and smoothly-polished tales that are sumptuously detailed and brimming with clever wry wit, endearing and daring hijinks, humorous repartee, and amusing observations. I have come to adore every quirky character. ...more
Sarah had been terrified, when she’d first heard about the Men of Merstairs, imagining a cut-throat gang at the least. But, as she hadFavorite Quotes:
Sarah had been terrified, when she’d first heard about the Men of Merstairs, imagining a cut-throat gang at the least. But, as she had rapidly discovered, they were people who’d need satnav and a guidebook to fight their way out of a paper bag. And then require extensive counselling afterwards.
Seastore was Merstairs’ biggest and newest supermarket, and was built in a blocky, unchallenging style that suggested the architect had only just finished playing with Lego and didn’t really see why they should stop now.
At this point, they’d had more false starts than an under-fives egg and spoon race.
My Review:
This was a fun and entertaining cozy featuring some snoopy seniors who just can’t seem to leave a mystery unsolved or pass up a piece of cake with a cup of strong tea. Ms. Castle laces her stories together with lashings of clever wry humor and populates them with knowable, amusingly detailed, and authentically quirky characters. I am already looking forward to the next installment. ...more
Colby was gone. In all the ways that mattered, his light had stopped shining on a rainy highway early this morning.
Dot shook her head Favorite Quotes:
Colby was gone. In all the ways that mattered, his light had stopped shining on a rainy highway early this morning.
Dot shook her head and pulled a large white bra from the dryer. She held it high for me. 'You enjoy that body while you can missy. Someday you'll have to load your boulders into one of these.'
Her eyes searched mine, waiting for a reaction. It reached something inside me that brought a lump of emotion to my throat. I mattered to her. In this world we all needed a safe place where we could bring our wild ideas and expose our vulnerability, and I was hers.
My Review:
Blown Away was my first Brenda Rothert read and will be one of many. I found her work to be entertaining, engaging, and a pleasant surprise. The storyline was interesting, developed quickly, and was easy to follow. The writing was highly emotive and full of feels with welcome hits of humor and steamy sensuality. The characters were endearing, complex, well-drawn, and squeezed my heart. Ms. Rothert has a new fangirl.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
Colby was gone. In all the ways that mattered, his light had stopped shining on a rainy highway early this morning.
Dot shook her head and pulled a large white bra from the dryer. She held it high for me. 'You enjoy that body while you can missy. Someday you'll have to load your boulders into one of these.'
Her eyes searched mine, waiting for a reaction. It reached something inside me that brought a lump of emotion to my throat. I mattered to her. In this world we all needed a safe place where we could bring our wild ideas and expose our vulnerability, and I was hers.
My Review:
Blown Away was my first Brenda Rothert read and will be one of many. I found her work to be entertaining, engaging, and a pleasant surprise. The storyline was interesting, developed quickly, and was easy to follow. The writing was highly emotive and full of feels with welcome hits of humor and steamy sensuality. The characters were endearing, complex, well-drawn, and squeezed my heart. Ms. Rothert has a new fangirl....more
Jude goes full cartoon villain when he gets upset—clenched jaw, steely eyes, the whole bit.
For having three sisters, Brett is awfully Favorite Quotes:
Jude goes full cartoon villain when he gets upset—clenched jaw, steely eyes, the whole bit.
For having three sisters, Brett is awfully scared of women. Or maybe it’s because of his sisters. It couldn’t have helped that he looked like a spotted scarecrow in high school, his acne visible even from afar.
The strangest memory pops into my mind of Mom re-buttoning my shirts because she always missed a hole. It takes my breath away for a second. Grief often hits me at weird times in random moments—more so now than when I was young. Maybe because as I get older I understand the enormity of what I lost. When a parent dies, you keep losing them over and over throughout your life.
Our father became a mythical figure, his name never spoken but the idea of him always menacing—like Voldemort or the boogeyman.
My Review:
Although I did not read the first book in this series and didn’t need to, I’d like to go back and see the origins of this story. However, this book had strong legs and was quite capable of standing alone. The storyline was current, relevant, realistic, relatable, and written from my favorite dual POV. The angst was well balanced by welcome hits of humor and snappy banter. I adored the sweet and tender character of Ryan, he squeezed my heart and I was devastated for him each time his ego took a hit. Ms. De La O has an insightful and observant writing style that is easy to follow yet also emotive and engaging. I hope to soon be reading her work again.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
Jude goes full cartoon villain when he gets upset—clenched jaw, steely eyes, the whole bit.
For having three sisters, Brett is awfully scared of women. Or maybe it’s because of his sisters. It couldn’t have helped that he looked like a spotted scarecrow in high school, his acne visible even from afar.
The strangest memory pops into my mind of Mom re-buttoning my shirts because she always missed a hole. It takes my breath away for a second. Grief often hits me at weird times in random moments—more so now than when I was young. Maybe because as I get older I understand the enormity of what I lost. When a parent dies, you keep losing them over and over throughout your life.
Our father became a mythical figure, his name never spoken but the idea of him always menacing—like Voldemort or the boogeyman.
My Review:
Although I did not read the first book in this series and didn’t need to, I’d like to go back and see the origins of this story. However, this book had strong legs and was quite capable of standing alone. The storyline was current, relevant, realistic, relatable, and written from my favorite dual POV. The angst was well balanced by welcome hits of humor and snappy banter. I adored the sweet and tender character of Ryan, he squeezed my heart and I was devastated for him each time his ego took a hit. Ms. De La O has an insightful and observant writing style that is easy to follow yet also emotive and engaging. I hope to soon be reading her work again....more
While I enjoyed the premise and humor of this women's fiction story, I struggled some with most of the main characters and their immature behaviors. TWhile I enjoyed the premise and humor of this women's fiction story, I struggled some with most of the main characters and their immature behaviors. They were annoying me I didn’t find them all that likable, yet I was invested in their tale and was curious to see how their story would unwind. I'm glad I stuck it out as it was well worth the effort when it all came together with some clever sleight of hand. The set-ups were often humorous with the characters' duplicities snowballing and compounding, as lies tend to do. There were a few unexpected twists and curveballs I would never have seen coming that were quite ingeniously contrived. My favorite of all was the caped crusader stoner, he was brilliantly developed to be underestimated.
Merged review:
While I enjoyed the premise and humor of this women's fiction story, I struggled some with most of the main characters and their immature behaviors. They were annoying me I didn’t find them all that likable, yet I was invested in their tale and was curious to see how their story would unwind. I'm glad I stuck it out as it was well worth the effort when it all came together with some clever sleight of hand. The set-ups were often humorous with the characters' duplicities snowballing and compounding, as lies tend to do. There were a few unexpected twists and curveballs I would never have seen coming that were quite ingeniously contrived. My favorite of all was the caped crusader stoner, he was brilliantly developed to be underestimated....more
It was hard to believe now that she hadn’t recognized her fairy-tale life was too good to be true. The trouble was, she had needed it Favorite Quotes:
It was hard to believe now that she hadn’t recognized her fairy-tale life was too good to be true. The trouble was, she had needed it to be true. Sometimes a need was so powerful that it overrode good sense.
She’d expected to possibly end up in a funeral home before this was over. She just hadn’t expected to be alive.
My Review:
Despite her prolific body of work, I had not sampled Debra Webb’s storytelling skills until recently stumbling into several books in her highly engaging series of The Undertaker’s Daughter, and I was an instant fan. Lucky me, this installment had an all too brief drop-in visit with my beloved characters from the previously mentioned series, which brought a delighted smile to my face. Ignore the cheesy cover and unimaginative book title as this was a quick, intriguing, active, satisfying, and well-paced hybrid tale of romantic suspense and second chance romance for first loves with likable and admirable characters, a hauntingly realistic storyline, and a pervasive sense of tension and peril.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
It was hard to believe now that she hadn’t recognized her fairy-tale life was too good to be true. The trouble was, she had needed it to be true. Sometimes a need was so powerful that it overrode good sense.
She’d expected to possibly end up in a funeral home before this was over. She just hadn’t expected to be alive.
My Review:
Despite her prolific body of work, I had not sampled Debra Webb’s storytelling skills until recently stumbling into several books in her highly engaging series of The Undertaker’s Daughter, and I was an instant fan. Lucky me, this installment had an all too brief drop-in visit with my beloved characters from the previously mentioned series, which brought a delighted smile to my face. Ignore the cheesy cover and unimaginative book title as this was a quick, intriguing, active, satisfying, and well-paced hybrid tale of romantic suspense and second chance romance for first loves with likable and admirable characters, a hauntingly realistic storyline, and a pervasive sense of tension and peril....more
Disapproval. Zoe knew that look. She’d divorced the man she’d thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with— a man who’d clFavorite Quotes:
Disapproval. Zoe knew that look. She’d divorced the man she’d thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with— a man who’d claimed to love and cherish her— because of that look, so she wasn’t about to accept it from a total stranger. Arching one eyebrow, she gave him her best bitch face. And not the resting kind, either. Hers was a fully active bitch face.
“Just... be neighborly.” “Oh, should I run home and bake him a pie first?” “I’ve had your pie and I’m going to vote no.”
My Review:
This was my first experience reading Shannon Stacey and I’m not sure what took so long for her to ping my radar, as she seems to have been quite busy with a veritable library of books listed under her name. I plan to make amends to the talented Ms. Stacey for my slacking as I enjoyed her easy-breezy writing style, snarky humor, and wily wit. I picked a nice place to start with this light, small-town, holiday romance with opposite attraction. The characters were endearingly quirky and likable while the story held my interest, was easy to follow, and developed at a good pace with tasty bites of steam, levity, and a sweet HEA for all involved.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
Disapproval. Zoe knew that look. She’d divorced the man she’d thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with— a man who’d claimed to love and cherish her— because of that look, so she wasn’t about to accept it from a total stranger. Arching one eyebrow, she gave him her best bitch face. And not the resting kind, either. Hers was a fully active bitch face.
“Just... be neighborly.” “Oh, should I run home and bake him a pie first?” “I’ve had your pie and I’m going to vote no.”
My Review:
This was my first experience reading Shannon Stacey and I’m not sure what took so long for her to ping my radar, as she seems to have been quite busy with a veritable library of books listed under her name. I plan to make amends to the talented Ms. Stacey for my slacking as I enjoyed her easy-breezy writing style, snarky humor, and wily wit. I picked a nice place to start with this light, small-town, holiday romance with opposite attraction. The characters were endearingly quirky and likable while the story held my interest, was easy to follow, and developed at a good pace with tasty bites of steam, levity, and a sweet HEA for all involved....more
“He's either a terrible influence on you or a great one. And I think it should be a new rule in our relationship that I meet anyone whFavorite Quotes:
“He's either a terrible influence on you or a great one. And I think it should be a new rule in our relationship that I meet anyone who sees you in handcuffs.”
“The Tercel moaned, backfired twice, and rattled to a stop. The stench settled around us. 'Damn it, Ed. Your fart's killed the car.'”
“I'd never thought I'd appreciate my gift's side effect. Apparently I'd been leading the wrong lifestyle to make use of it. My curse was far more suited for the life of crime.”
“You don't walk into love, Eva, and you don't fall. You throw yourself into it. It's all or nothing.”
My Review:
Paranormal anything is not my typical genre but I found this hybrid paranormal/contemporary romance/cozy mystery to be a fun and entertaining read. Nestled in the mystery were delectable hits of steamy goodness, and miles and miles of clever humor. I frequently snorted and even laughed aloud at a scene involving gastric distress – don't judge – it was really funny. The paranormal aspect involved the main character having a strange relationship with electricity - she absorbed it - and this caused ill effects with electronics, meaning she ruined them. Imagine not having a computer, cell phone, television, car, not being able to fly or travel... no wonder she called it her “curse.”
Written in first person POV, our heroine, Eva, is blackmailed into helping a wayward scientist, Jenny, hide a kidnapped genetic experiment after tinkering with the creatures chromosomes. Jenny had figured out Eva's curse by observing her in high school, and threatened to expose her if she did not aid and abet. Over the course of the story, Eva is chased, shot at, attacked, and kidnapped several times - by bumbling bakers turned private eyes, as well as ninjas, and a “retrieval expert” who was after the experiment - hunted by the FBI, and finally taken by SWAT. My life suddenly seems so drab and boring.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
“He's either a terrible influence on you or a great one. And I think it should be a new rule in our relationship that I meet anyone who sees you in handcuffs.”
“The Tercel moaned, backfired twice, and rattled to a stop. The stench settled around us. 'Damn it, Ed. Your fart's killed the car.'”
“I'd never thought I'd appreciate my gift's side effect. Apparently I'd been leading the wrong lifestyle to make use of it. My curse was far more suited for the life of crime.”
“You don't walk into love, Eva, and you don't fall. You throw yourself into it. It's all or nothing.”
My Review:
Paranormal anything is not my typical genre but I found this hybrid paranormal/contemporary romance/cozy mystery to be a fun and entertaining read. Nestled in the mystery were delectable hits of steamy goodness, and miles and miles of clever humor. I frequently snorted and even laughed aloud at a scene involving gastric distress – don't judge – it was really funny. The paranormal aspect involved the main character having a strange relationship with electricity - she absorbed it - and this caused ill effects with electronics, meaning she ruined them. Imagine not having a computer, cell phone, television, car, not being able to fly or travel... no wonder she called it her “curse.”
Written in first person POV, our heroine, Eva, is blackmailed into helping a wayward scientist, Jenny, hide a kidnapped genetic experiment after tinkering with the creatures chromosomes. Jenny had figured out Eva's curse by observing her in high school, and threatened to expose her if she did not aid and abet. Over the course of the story, Eva is chased, shot at, attacked, and kidnapped several times - by bumbling bakers turned private eyes, as well as ninjas, and a “retrieval expert” who was after the experiment - hunted by the FBI, and finally taken by SWAT. My life suddenly seems so drab and boring....more
Being a screw-up is genetic, I think. It is as hereditary as any other trait. I come from a long line of screw-ups, and aMy Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Being a screw-up is genetic, I think. It is as hereditary as any other trait. I come from a long line of screw-ups, and although I was able to persevere, I had my missteps.
For a moment, Mom appears younger, like she is reverting to her prime, leaving behind the frail woman in her bed fighting to heal. Memories are an elixir in their own way, relieving the hardness of time, transporting a person back to a place, to see that familiar face, inhale that familiar smell.
My Review:
This was a tense one with a smartly conceived plot, family drama, and clever sleight of hand tricks woven into unpredictable storylines that easily lead me astray and tended to unfold ever so slowly with shrewd misdirections and red herrings. Miranda Smith is a wily and cunning trickster and I was totally hoodwinked and fell for her crafty deceptions. I feel like such a rube.
Merged review:
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Being a screw-up is genetic, I think. It is as hereditary as any other trait. I come from a long line of screw-ups, and although I was able to persevere, I had my missteps.
For a moment, Mom appears younger, like she is reverting to her prime, leaving behind the frail woman in her bed fighting to heal. Memories are an elixir in their own way, relieving the hardness of time, transporting a person back to a place, to see that familiar face, inhale that familiar smell.
My Review:
This was a tense one with a smartly conceived plot, family drama, and clever sleight of hand tricks woven into unpredictable storylines that easily lead me astray and tended to unfold ever so slowly with shrewd misdirections and red herrings. Miranda Smith is a wily and cunning trickster and I was totally hoodwinked and fell for her crafty deceptions. I feel like such a rube....more
These roots aren't my own, either. Prematurely gray even though I'm thirty-three. Tell anyone, I cut you.
But by the timeMy Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
These roots aren't my own, either. Prematurely gray even though I'm thirty-three. Tell anyone, I cut you.
But by the time she's made it back to her room after drinking her white wine too quickly, suddenly, she was feeling a whole lot less 'modern career woman' and a lot more 'lust-addled moron.'
And then I called and called, needing to hear your voice and explain, but when you didn't pick up - when you decided I wasn't worth picking up for - you broke me a little.
Let's start over. Start fresh, except this time we can cut straight to the good stuff.
My Review:
This broken pair had unresolved issues from their prior short-lived relationship, which stubbornly simmered in their psyches. Despite hard feelings, their mutual attraction remained just far enough under their skins to cause an itch that couldn't be scratched, relieved, or otherwise treated. Their chemistry was undeniable but their communication skills were greatly lacking. Their sensual sizzle always seems close at hand to lure and tease, yet remains tantalizingly just out of reach while they circle, avoid, and taunt each other. This amusing little novella was a quick and entertaining read with a satisfying conclusion and provided a lovely introduction to the Wedding Belles series, which I am eagerly diving into next.
Merged review:
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
These roots aren't my own, either. Prematurely gray even though I'm thirty-three. Tell anyone, I cut you.
But by the time she's made it back to her room after drinking her white wine too quickly, suddenly, she was feeling a whole lot less 'modern career woman' and a lot more 'lust-addled moron.'
And then I called and called, needing to hear your voice and explain, but when you didn't pick up - when you decided I wasn't worth picking up for - you broke me a little.
Let's start over. Start fresh, except this time we can cut straight to the good stuff.
My Review:
This broken pair had unresolved issues from their prior short-lived relationship, which stubbornly simmered in their psyches. Despite hard feelings, their mutual attraction remained just far enough under their skins to cause an itch that couldn't be scratched, relieved, or otherwise treated. Their chemistry was undeniable but their communication skills were greatly lacking. Their sensual sizzle always seems close at hand to lure and tease, yet remains tantalizingly just out of reach while they circle, avoid, and taunt each other. This amusing little novella was a quick and entertaining read with a satisfying conclusion and provided a lovely introduction to the Wedding Belles series, which I am eagerly diving into next....more
“She wouldn’t be hard on the eyes if she didn’t always look like she’d been sucking lemons.”
“Looking out of the expanse oMy Rating:
3.5
Favorite Quotes:
“She wouldn’t be hard on the eyes if she didn’t always look like she’d been sucking lemons.”
“Looking out of the expanse of the desert, she almost forgot to breathe. The first rays of dawn had begun to spread fingers of light toward the distant horizon, slowly dispersing the lingering shadows.”
My Review:
I find I am struggling to care for the main character of Monica – I find her annoying. The story is rife with conflict between the two main characters, which is not one of my favorite tropes, and the vast majority of the problem is Monica – hence my frustration with her. She has been rude, arrogant, condescending and demanding, so I am finding her more than a bit hard to swallow at this point. I know it is just the first installment but I was expecting a romance, and there really hasn’t been one so far, but I am ever hopeful as I ease into the second installment.
Merged review:
My Rating:
3.5
Favorite Quotes:
“She wouldn’t be hard on the eyes if she didn’t always look like she’d been sucking lemons.”
“Looking out of the expanse of the desert, she almost forgot to breathe. The first rays of dawn had begun to spread fingers of light toward the distant horizon, slowly dispersing the lingering shadows.”
My Review:
I find I am struggling to care for the main character of Monica – I find her annoying. The story is rife with conflict between the two main characters, which is not one of my favorite tropes, and the vast majority of the problem is Monica – hence my frustration with her. She has been rude, arrogant, condescending and demanding, so I am finding her more than a bit hard to swallow at this point. I know it is just the first installment but I was expecting a romance, and there really hasn’t been one so far, but I am ever hopeful as I ease into the second installment....more
“I’ve already been through the metal detector, searched, and patted down so thoroughly I’m questioning my sexuality.”
“She’s like one oFavorite Quotes:
“I’ve already been through the metal detector, searched, and patted down so thoroughly I’m questioning my sexuality.”
“She’s like one of those warrior women, going into battle. I imagine her with a shield and cape that flaps out behind her.”
“Someone else lives in the house I grew up in. Some new family, pressing new memories into the walls and pushing my family’s out.”
“Let me get this straight. You want to have committed non-commitment sex with me until the end of the summer.”
My Review:
Vindicate is enthralling, well-crafted, and mesmerizing. Beth Yarnall has mad skills. I was pulled into this riveting tale on page one, and due to her skilled writing style, I did not want to put my kindle down. The story was well-crafted from a dual POV and loaded with emotive descriptions, cleverly stated personal insights, humor, intrigue, and occasional teasing hits of steam. It was perfection. I am thrilled with the knowledge I already have the second book in this series -Atone - loaded on my kindle, as I don’t want to leave these fascinating characters.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
“I’ve already been through the metal detector, searched, and patted down so thoroughly I’m questioning my sexuality.”
“She’s like one of those warrior women, going into battle. I imagine her with a shield and cape that flaps out behind her.”
“Someone else lives in the house I grew up in. Some new family, pressing new memories into the walls and pushing my family’s out.”
“Let me get this straight. You want to have committed non-commitment sex with me until the end of the summer.”
My Review:
Vindicate is enthralling, well-crafted, and mesmerizing. Beth Yarnall has mad skills. I was pulled into this riveting tale on page one, and due to her skilled writing style, I did not want to put my kindle down. The story was well-crafted from a dual POV and loaded with emotive descriptions, cleverly stated personal insights, humor, intrigue, and occasional teasing hits of steam. It was perfection. I am thrilled with the knowledge I already have the second book in this series -Atone - loaded on my kindle, as I don’t want to leave these fascinating characters....more
“He'd had a long time to feed on his anger, and the cold block of ice that used to be his heart would take a solar flare My Rating:
3.5
Favorite Quotes:
“He'd had a long time to feed on his anger, and the cold block of ice that used to be his heart would take a solar flare to melt."
"The air seemed to light up and crackle as if cut by lightning, burning the oxygen out of the room."
My Review:
Constant angst is not my cup of tea and sadly, this story was 75% angst... but then I reaped a bit of a reward as the remaining 25% consisted of atomically hot and steamy love scenes that were somewhat interspersed. This couple was an indecisive and frustrating hot mess. The back and forth and up and down of their individual inner musings and contemplations of the possibility of reviving their decimated relationship became rather repetitive and tedious for me, but I know others find that entertaining. There was also an enjoyable subplot of intrigue and brief respites in the tension when they recalled their happier times, and thankfully the HEA ending was satisfactory and upbeat.
Merged review:
My Rating:
3.5
Favorite Quotes:
“He'd had a long time to feed on his anger, and the cold block of ice that used to be his heart would take a solar flare to melt."
"The air seemed to light up and crackle as if cut by lightning, burning the oxygen out of the room."
My Review:
Constant angst is not my cup of tea and sadly, this story was 75% angst... but then I reaped a bit of a reward as the remaining 25% consisted of atomically hot and steamy love scenes that were somewhat interspersed. This couple was an indecisive and frustrating hot mess. The back and forth and up and down of their individual inner musings and contemplations of the possibility of reviving their decimated relationship became rather repetitive and tedious for me, but I know others find that entertaining. There was also an enjoyable subplot of intrigue and brief respites in the tension when they recalled their happier times, and thankfully the HEA ending was satisfactory and upbeat....more
The last thing she needed was to display her weakness to a man even more senior and even less sympathetic than Jude, and My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
The last thing she needed was to display her weakness to a man even more senior and even less sympathetic than Jude, and Detective Superintendent Groves not only ticked those unwelcome boxes, but he also had a habit of running his eyes over her like a farmer deciding how much to bid for a prize heifer. Word in the office was that Groves was counting the days to his retirement, but he wasn’t counting them nearly as enthusiastically as his junior, female colleagues.
Violet Ross was a hundred years old and lived in a nursing home, so Klemmie really shouldn’t have been surprised. That said, the old woman had always given the impression of someone who would, if it were possible, live forever because she couldn’t bear to miss a tiny piece of someone else’s business by dying.
In her experience the dead so often looked peaceful, but Violet managed to look outraged, as if she’d fought death all the way and he’d only defeated her by foul means.
She shook her head, and the string of jet beads around her neck rattled beneath her accumulated chins.
She took a second, as she sometimes did, to think about the might-have-beens. Society needed people like Jude, high-minded seekers after justice. It was a pity they were so hard for ordinary people to live with.
My Review:
I have greatly enjoyed Ms. Allen’s deft writing style, her compelling storytelling unwinds slowly while she shrewdly sucks the reader in with lots of juicy and cunningly observant ancillary details about the various players whether they be primary, secondary, or briefly making an appearance. Being relatively new to the suspense genre, Ms. Allen has proven to be a rather clever minx with this curiously enticing series as the crimes themselves have been confounding and rather difficult to solve, leading me to devise and cast aside several theories while ultimately admitting defeat as I was unable to ferret out the correct combination or sequence of events. Jo Allen has made my list of favorite new talent to watch.
Merged review:
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
The last thing she needed was to display her weakness to a man even more senior and even less sympathetic than Jude, and Detective Superintendent Groves not only ticked those unwelcome boxes, but he also had a habit of running his eyes over her like a farmer deciding how much to bid for a prize heifer. Word in the office was that Groves was counting the days to his retirement, but he wasn’t counting them nearly as enthusiastically as his junior, female colleagues.
Violet Ross was a hundred years old and lived in a nursing home, so Klemmie really shouldn’t have been surprised. That said, the old woman had always given the impression of someone who would, if it were possible, live forever because she couldn’t bear to miss a tiny piece of someone else’s business by dying.
In her experience the dead so often looked peaceful, but Violet managed to look outraged, as if she’d fought death all the way and he’d only defeated her by foul means.
She shook her head, and the string of jet beads around her neck rattled beneath her accumulated chins.
She took a second, as she sometimes did, to think about the might-have-beens. Society needed people like Jude, high-minded seekers after justice. It was a pity they were so hard for ordinary people to live with.
My Review:
I have greatly enjoyed Ms. Allen’s deft writing style, her compelling storytelling unwinds slowly while she shrewdly sucks the reader in with lots of juicy and cunningly observant ancillary details about the various players whether they be primary, secondary, or briefly making an appearance. Being relatively new to the suspense genre, Ms. Allen has proven to be a rather clever minx with this curiously enticing series as the crimes themselves have been confounding and rather difficult to solve, leading me to devise and cast aside several theories while ultimately admitting defeat as I was unable to ferret out the correct combination or sequence of events. Jo Allen has made my list of favorite new talent to watch....more
I wanted something punny, something that would make people laugh, so I chose 'This.' That way I could enter chatrooms asking, 'Does anFavorite Quotes:
I wanted something punny, something that would make people laugh, so I chose 'This.' That way I could enter chatrooms asking, 'Does anyone want a piece of This?' and take credit when people typed, 'This is wonderful!' or 'This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.'
And let's face it - with the name Reid Wright, the man was pigeonholed into a career as either a teacher, writer, or a floppy disk.
My Review:
Expired Listings was not at all what I was expecting. I had no idea Realtors were among the least respected and most hated of professions, apparently their level of despicability ranks close to used car salesmen and politicians. The story seems to be a hybrid of genres - crossing women's fiction, family drama, suspense, and a serial killer murder mystery with an element of BDSM kink, and a dash of romance. Some of the characters were involved in the BDSM/sex club lifestyle - although the descriptions of their scenes were generally brief and limited to portions of their S&M play. Some of the descriptions had me flinching and cringing, as I am not a fan of sadism in any form. While there were no completed sex scenes depicted - sex was frequently mentioned and there were a few interrupted erotic scenes. I would classify the overriding genre as suspenseful women's fiction with an extremely clever mystery and a cavalcade of heinous, odious, and abhorrent characters. The story was craftily erected, complicated, intricately detailed, and completely unpredictable. I enjoyed the clever humor, witty puns, intrigue and slippery storyline. D.M. Barr has to be a bit of a twisted sister to have come up with such a devious and cunning tale.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
I wanted something punny, something that would make people laugh, so I chose 'This.' That way I could enter chatrooms asking, 'Does anyone want a piece of This?' and take credit when people typed, 'This is wonderful!' or 'This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.'
And let's face it - with the name Reid Wright, the man was pigeonholed into a career as either a teacher, writer, or a floppy disk.
My Review:
Expired Listings was not at all what I was expecting. I had no idea Realtors were among the least respected and most hated of professions, apparently their level of despicability ranks close to used car salesmen and politicians. The story seems to be a hybrid of genres - crossing women's fiction, family drama, suspense, and a serial killer murder mystery with an element of BDSM kink, and a dash of romance. Some of the characters were involved in the BDSM/sex club lifestyle - although the descriptions of their scenes were generally brief and limited to portions of their S&M play. Some of the descriptions had me flinching and cringing, as I am not a fan of sadism in any form. While there were no completed sex scenes depicted - sex was frequently mentioned and there were a few interrupted erotic scenes. I would classify the overriding genre as suspenseful women's fiction with an extremely clever mystery and a cavalcade of heinous, odious, and abhorrent characters. The story was craftily erected, complicated, intricately detailed, and completely unpredictable. I enjoyed the clever humor, witty puns, intrigue and slippery storyline. D.M. Barr has to be a bit of a twisted sister to have come up with such a devious and cunning tale....more
His conscience had the flexibility of an Olympic gymnast and he could be trusted only not to be trusted,
Sometimes Ashleigh thought DodFavorite Quotes:
His conscience had the flexibility of an Olympic gymnast and he could be trusted only not to be trusted,
Sometimes Ashleigh thought Doddsy was too good a man to be a policeman. You needed a core of steel, a heart of lead and a titanium soul, something to protect you. It was amazing he’d lasted as long in the force as he had.
My Review:
This is a twisty one that had me in knots, but I didn’t want to put my Kindle down until I riddled out this confounding case. I am quite taken with this police squad. They were an interesting mix of dedicated hard workers and unique personalities as they struggled with several complicated cases and prickly suspects. Ms. Allen’s writing is outstanding while fluid and easy to follow with evocative and highly descriptive passages that draw keen visuals and squeeze the heart. Lucky me, I have the next installment locked and loaded, which is the best way to read a series.
I found two new phrases to add to my Brit List with; go down a storm - something that has been enjoyable or successful, and I’m off out – no longer in. Both seem like fun combinations to trip off my tongue.
Merged review:
Favorite Quotes:
His conscience had the flexibility of an Olympic gymnast and he could be trusted only not to be trusted,
Sometimes Ashleigh thought Doddsy was too good a man to be a policeman. You needed a core of steel, a heart of lead and a titanium soul, something to protect you. It was amazing he’d lasted as long in the force as he had.
My Review:
This is a twisty one that had me in knots, but I didn’t want to put my Kindle down until I riddled out this confounding case. I am quite taken with this police squad. They were an interesting mix of dedicated hard workers and unique personalities as they struggled with several complicated cases and prickly suspects. Ms. Allen’s writing is outstanding while fluid and easy to follow with evocative and highly descriptive passages that draw keen visuals and squeeze the heart. Lucky me, I have the next installment locked and loaded, which is the best way to read a series.
I found two new phrases to add to my Brit List with; go down a storm - something that has been enjoyable or successful, and I’m off out – no longer in. Both seem like fun combinations to trip off my tongue....more