Too Hot to Handle

In Tessa Bailey's Too Hot to Handle, the first installment in the Romancing the Clarksons contemporary romance series, get ready to fan yourself and cool yourself with a hot glass of water. After Rita Clarkson had accidentally burned down her late mother's restaurant, she found an entry in her journal with her last wishes for Rita and her three siblings. To complete that final wish, they would have to take a road trip from Los Angeles to New York City. On the way there, their car breaks down in the middle of New Mexico, when help arrived on a motorcycle. The Good Samaritan who rescued them is named Jasper Ellis, who tried to live up to his grandfather's expectations. While the car's in the shop, both Rita and Jasper get to know each other better, while she tried to settle the peace between her brothers and sisters, who haven't seen each other in years.  But the chemistry between Jasper and Rita was steamy hot, ever since he kissed her and when they made love with each other. He helped her find peace and faith to cook again in the kitchen since the fiasco, while she also found a new home where she belonged with him and in his kitchen of his restaurant. While her sisters continued to road trip without her to NYC, she had found what she was looking for in a fresh new start.

This was a fantastic contemporary romance debut.  I adored Rita and her siblings, as they've tried to get along and make peace in the end with encouragement. I found Jasper hot and sexy altogether with his flannel shirt. I also cared for Rita, Aaron, and Belmont, as they've tried to make amends and help Rita out with her toughest decision to stay in Hurley, New Mexico.I found Hurley very picturesque for a small town in the middle of nowhere with all the right fixings for an idealistic location and settings. The chemistry between Rita and Jasper was hot all over. This would take you on a thrill ride with your emotions and senses as you would cry, sigh, and cheer on Rita in the end. This has plenty of romance and love with great drama, non-stop action, and a hint of humor.



Will you be too hot to handle to grab a copy today?

We'll Always Have Parrots

In Donna Andrews's We'll Always Have Parrots, the 5th installment of the Meg Langslow mystery series, this fast-paced mystery had brought a Hollywood flair to this novel with a dose of humor. When the Porfiria, Queen of the Jungle convention arrived in Los Angeles, it had drawn a huge following of fandom from that cult fantasy TV show. As Meg and Michael landed there, things had gotten awry. Parrots and monkeys invaded the hotel, and the main actress was a force to be reckoned with, even behind the scenes to run the show. With her bad temper, it had scared Meg's nephew Eric away for her autograph, when Meg had a choice word or two for her. But when she discovered her dead body in her hotel room, it became suspicious as she later learns that everyone had a bad word or two. With the police on the scene, Meg sleuths around to her history and the creator of the graphic novel before his untimely death, thirty years ago or so. As she pieces the puzzle together, she becomes suspicious of one person or another, when the truth leads to her to believe it was someone right under her nose in disguise. As she corners him with her suspicions, he pulls the fast moves on him until he's captured by the police to find out why before the weekend's over.

This was a great mystery from the fabulous Donna Andrews. I cared so much and a lot for Meg and Michael, while they tried to work out the next step of the relationship. I thought Salome the tiger, the monkeys and the parrots were a hoot. I loved the crazy Porfiria cast of characters, behind and in front of the camera. I loved the Hollywood flair of taking it to a new level of learning about fan fiction, Hollywood, and graphic novels. This would reel you into a great quick read with oodles of humor and will get you absorbed into the novel, like you were transported there from outerspace. Plenty of drama, non-stop action, intrigue and some dollops of humor along the way from start to finish.

Will you check out We'll Always Have Parrots today?

Immaculate Reception

In Jerrilyn Farmer's Immaculate Reception, the second installment in the Madeline Bean culinary cozy series, things get heated and a bit controversial with past historical topics. Months after the debacle from the previous incident, Madeline and her two associates started a new catering company together. When they received an invitation to cater the pope's arrival in Los Angeles, things get a bit dicey, when she discovered a hidden confession from a Jesuit priest in a folder of recipes for making bread. She became intrigued and asked her ex-fiancé's help, when they talked about the discovery and started investigating into the matter. While preparations are in full swing, during the viewing of a sitcom, a friend of Brother Xavier's had gotten murdered. While the cops believed a gang banger did it, she thought so otherwise. And then she's been harassed after speaking to the monsignor about the letter, and a day later, he turned up died. Later on, she unearthed something in his English journals and dug around by asking Victor Zoda, who had a hidden past. During the pontiff's visit, things turn awry, when Xavier gets handcuffed to a crate, and Zoda escapes the clutches of the cops, when Maddie corners him and fends for himself to find out why he had done it in the end.

This was another great catering culinary cozy in the series. I really like Madeline and haow she made a fresh start with her catering company to make their first big event a success in th end. I found Holly and Wes a hoot. I didn't like Dottie much and Arlo was a bit much. But I could see her hooked up with Chuck if things pan out well. I loved the California backdrop of Los Angeles for the scenic settings and locations. This would give you a great read to learn about the Jesuit order of priesthood and a great caper to get a feel for things, even with such history from World War Two. This has great drama, non-stop action, intrigue, good recipes, and plenty of mystery to go around.

Will you be invited to the Immaculate Reception?

Peachtree Road

In Anne Rivers Siddon's Peachtree Road, a long saga and coming-of-age historical woman's fiction novel that takes place from the 1950s to the 1970s in Atlanta, Georgia. Told from the narrator, Shephard Bondurant, he told the story about the arrival of his cousin Lucy and the life they lived on Peachtree Road with his aunt and two other cousins all in one roof. Throughout the years, these two cousins were inseparable as siblings, he told how Lucy came into their lives and how she became a hellion in such a young life.  While it mainly focused on Shep "Gibby" Bondurant through his lives, it showcased how they grew up in a rich family through the changing years. While Lucy hadn't known her father, Shep was close to his folks as an only child, until they've grown apart. In three parts, this reflected on their adolescent youth to how Shep found true love with his neighbor Sarah Cameron, while Lucy had a rough childhood and a turbulent marriage at a young age. Later on, they grew up to deal with such heartache from loss in family and friends, broken hearts, domestic violence and abuse, and for Lucy, motherhood. After Lucy gave birth to Malory, her only daughter, Shep told how he had dealt with Lucy's manic depression and alcoholic days and the many treatments she went through to clean up her act. After when she had a clean slate with some happiness as Malory grew up and found love of her own, Shep told how Lucy snapped until he couldn't deal with her anymore, until her own death happened to bring it full circle to how the story started.

Although long, this was a heart-wrenching historical Southern woman's fiction novel. I did care for Gibby, who had been dealt with a lot in the span of the story. And every chance he wanted to get with Sarah, his cousin called, until it tore them apart. I did feel sorry for Lucy, when she had harbored a lot of abuse and mental issues throughout the years, until she took matters in her own hands at the end. I did love the backdrop of Atlanta and NYC for the dual locations of the novel's settings, and how it changed and shifted throughout three decades or so along with the times. Though we might now know the mystery if Gibby really had fathered Malory or not. This would make you want to cry, yell, and sigh for the long haul. This has plenty of non-stop drama, action, romance, and plenty of intrigue on how they grew up and dealt with it all from start to finish.

Will you visit Peachtree Road?

Fatal Fiction

In Kym Roberts's Fatal Fiction, the first installment in the Book Barn Mystery cozy series, this startling debut has plenty of humor and lots of intrigue. When Charlie Rae Warren came home to help her father out by selling the bookstore in Hazel Rock, Texas, she had stumbled into a murder at the same store. From there, she became a suspect, while her father was missing and have been presumed to be missing from the law, she took matters into her own hands to clear his name. She came across her high school boyfriend and the new sheriff, while she looked for new suspects and new clues. While she tried to save the store by revamping it, she learned rumors and idle gossip into the small town. Someone tried to sabotage her and cause her a scare. After her father turned up, she faced the hard core truth of who really was the killer and why, when she finally had figured it out in the end.

This was a fantastic cozy mystery debut. I really cared about Charli Warren, a biracial girl living in the small town. That's really diverse and something more we would love to see more often in any genre novel. I found Cade and Mateo and Scarlet, all charming in their own way. I loved how they came together to save the small town store to raise money and make a good profit. And you've got to love Princess, the pink armadillo! That cracked me up! This would take you into a great new world of cozy mysteries. This would make you laugh and groan and root for Charli Rae. This has drama, a hint of romance and good humor, non-stop action and plenty of intrigue.

Will you check out Fatal Fiction today?

A Kiss of Shadows

In Laurell Hamilton's A Kiss of Shadows, the first installment in the Merry Gentry urban fantasy series, welcome to the world of feys cohabiting with humans in the 21st century. It all started for Merry Gentry, when she came into a most unusual case for the detective agency she worked for.  While she went undercover, she learned about the mystical powers of Brownyn's Tears, a magic potion that had controlling powers to have people worship at your feet and could become lethal. After the spider shower that killed the object of her clients' obsession, things got a bit weird for Merry. That's when she learned that she's requested back home to her aunt, the queen of sidhe fairies in St. Louis. And she could be after something, other than wanting her dead and from being in hiding for three years. For Merry, the sidhe princess, her aunt had given her a hard bargain to later control the throne. Later on, she would have to deal with her cousin's evil antics and do what her aunt wishes for her in her human world to complete the deal.

This was a sexy and a bit erotic urban fantasy debut on the wild side. I did care for Merry Gentry and her half-sidhe world she lived in with the humans. I thought her sidhe guards like Doyle, Galen and Rhys were peculiar and quite charming as well. I despised Cel and became suspicious of her aunt along with her interior motives. I loved the dual locations of St. Louis and Los Angeles with the fey and human worlds for the settings. This showed a bit of eroticism by a tinge, due to the nature of the potion and how sexy Merry was. This would take you on a wild adventure ride with drama, suspense, plenty of romance and lots of non-stop action and intrigue.

Will you be tempted to try the kiss of shadows?

Ark of Fire

In C.M. Palov's Ark of Fire, the first installment in the Caedmon Aisquith thriller series, this esoteric thriller is packed with non-stop action in every turned page. It all started, when Edie Miller, a photographer for the national art museum witnessed the murder of her boss's death. From there, everything's been covered up and swept under the rug. On the run for her life, she contacted Caedmon Aisquith, an associate from her boss, who could help her solve the puzzle on the Ark of the Covenant, a prized possession that withheld the hands of time and could start a war. From Washington D.C. to London, danger followed them by the hot of the heels from a war-crazed zealot named Stan MacFarlane along with his goons. As they began to untangle the twisted cryptic messages in the poem and later from a stained glass window, the more trouble followed them at their every doorstep. And it lead them to Malta, when they might start a world war. It's up to Edie and Caedmon to stop them in their tracks and to uncover the greatest mystery of them all, when this adventure would never end to find this lost and buried treasure.

This was an explosive thriller with a lot of non-stop action for this adventure and esoteric adventure thriller series. I cared about Edie and Caedmon as a force to be reckoned with, alone and with a potential couple. I do find Caedmon a bit annoying sometimes with this wealth of knowledge, but I do adore his red hair. I liked how they join forces to go across the country and to stop a new world war. I loved the trio of locations of D.C., London and Malta for the picturesque settings. This would take you on a whirlwind adventure wind with non-stop action, drama, romance, intrigue and a boat-load of mystery.

Will you be on the hunt for the ark of fire today?

The Vicious Vet

In MC Beaton's The Vicious Vet, the 2nd installment in the Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series, get ready for a light reading tale of lies and deceit of the worst kind. After Agatha Raisin returned from her vacation, she decided to take her cat to the newest vet. Low and behold, he became popular with the ladies. But when he was found dead, the police claimed it was an accident, while Agatha didn't think so otherwise. She searched for answers on who wanted him dead and why. When Mrs. Josephs claimed she had information on him, when Agatha paid her a visit, she turned up dead. Now with her death, she believes it was a suspicious death. As she started snooping around for shocking clues, someone threatened her and later kidnapped her cats to hush her. The closer she had gotten closer to the truth, the killer cornered her to make her next. After he confessed, it shocked her what he had done next in a climaxing end.

This was another great cozy mystery caper to read in a sitting or two. I still adored Agatha and her love for her two cats. I absolutely believe James Lacey could be the perfect man for her and just be himself. I've found the town of Carseley is charming along with the other English towns for the picturesque settings and locations. This is superb for a great read with drama, suspense, intrigue and plenty of mystery to go around.

Will you be wary of the Vicious Vet?

Sparking the Fire

In Kate Meader's Sparking the Fire, the third installment in the Hot in Chicago contemporary romance series, get ready to be doused by the hose to cool yourself down. Seven years ago, Molly Cade was an upcoming actress who met Wyatt Fox, a Marine and had a passionate love affair for a week. Fast forward to the present, when Molly arrives in Chicago to shoot a film for her movie and base it on Wyatt's sister. But in order to get through a yes, she needed to get through to him and to his big family. For Wyatt, since he injured his shoulder on the job, while it needed it to heal, he acted as a consultant for a movie set. Lo and behold, it was Molly's and the sparks began to fly. While he had a job to protect his niece from the family drama, he stayed away from Molly, but he couldn't help himself. Molly had to do with some ugly baggage from her ex-husband and the public scandal he caused to wreck havoc on her image. During the shoot, she made new friends and stood up to herself, while the chemistry between her and Wyatt was smoking hot to a steamy ending.


This was a sexy, steamy and hot contemporary romance all rolled up into one hot package. I loved the Chicago settings for this backdrop for this novel--inside and outside the firehouse. I loved how Molly stood up to take back her freedom and grabbed the reign about her own image. I loved how this showed a diverse case of foster siblings living in one family and how Gage cared about his man Brady. The chemistry between Wyatt and Molly were palpable and smoldering like a candle flame. You would fall in love with these two crazy lovebirds from page one. This has plenty of sexy romance, non-stop action, a hint of intrigue and plenty of drama with a capital D.

Will you be sparking the fire today?

The Queen's Accomplice

In Susan Elia MacNeal's The Queen's Accomplice, the 6th installment in the Maggie Hope Historical Mystery series, this would leave you breathless and shocking in this twisted tale. In England 1942, while the war waged on against German with the Blitz, a dead body have been located during the hectic panic of the war. For Maggie Hope, an SOE secretary and a code-breaking agent with MI-5, she was on the case and assisted them in the search for answers. While she worried about her half-sister's safety and an agent who had gone missing in Paris, she had a lot to contend with. A decade before, Jack the Ripper had made startling history by killing prostitutes. Now there's a new killer known as the Blackout East who's copycatting after him and targeting SOE agents. Maggie, a mathematical whiz, tries to put the pieces together with every dead body found, including one of their own and puts herself in harm's way during the war.  And when she realized who it is and why he's done it, she fights for her life and takes care of business with a shocking twist.

This was a fantastic historical mystery that dealt with war, spies, and a great chilling storyline. I really cared for Maggie and her fight for women's payment in the SOE agent. I also loved the twists and turns of the Jack and Ripper copycat-like murders that hit too close to home and a decade after the first murders. I loved the war-time storyline set in war-torn England and how it took center stage throughout this installment of the series. I liked how Durgin became her closest friend and ally and potential love interest. This gripping historical mystery would take you there with drama, non-stop action, intrigue and suspense to give you chills.

Will you be the queen's accomplice today? 

Neighing with Fire

In Katherine O'Sullivan's Neighing with Fire, the third installment in the Colleen McCabe mystery series, if you can't stand the heat, step away from the fire. For Colleen McCabe, a small town fire chief in Corona, North Carolina, it all started with finding a dead body being washed up by the shore. Then there was a series of arsons in the area that her small team had to help put out. Besides her budding romance with Bill Dorman, a police detective, and preparing for one of her fire fighter's wedding, she started snooping around to discover who wanted to set up her former teacher, Myrtle Crepe, and who had murdered Denny Custis in cold blood. The closer she asked around for answers, the fires became more frequent to scare the horses on the beach and with the piping plovers. If it wasn't for her Border Collie Sparky, she would've have figured out who was the arsonist and why, before he had a chance to escape from her dog's scent to catch the killer.

This was a beautiful mystery that's set in an idyllic small town. The location was so lovely in North Carolina and the beach scenes for the settings were wonderful. I love Colleen as a small town fire chief and how she had a budding romance with Bill. I loved how Myrtle cared for the environment and for the horses. This is similar to the Assateauque Island horses off the Maryland coast, who might lose their island home from the shore.  This is a a compelling mystery with plenty of intrigue and drama, suspense and non-stop action to keep you guessing.

Will you be neighing with fire today?

If Looks Could Kill

In Kate White's If Looks Could Kill, the first installment in the Bailey Weggins mystery series, she told us a compelling and intriguing mystery about what lies beneath the surface. When Bailey Weggins, a true crime writer for a magazine, receives a call from her fellow friend and co-worker Cat, about her nanny Heidi being unconscious in her bedroom, Bailey helps her find out and discovers that Heidi had died. Later on, they talk to the police about the discovery and learn she was poisoned by truffles at the party.  Bailey starts her own investigation to learn more about Heidi's life and more on Cat's marriage issues. The closer she had dug her own heels into the truth, the more someone wants her silent. As she had taken a closer look at her fellow colleagues at the magazine, she figured it out before she was next on the list with a shocking twist.

This was an intriguing mystery debut that takes us behind the scenes of the magazine industry. I cared for Bailey and became concerned about Cat. Some of the characters I didn't like, but I did found Jack a potential love interest for Bailey okay. I loved the NYC backdrop for the locations and the settings for the storyline. This would take you on a wild ride with a gripping storyline from start to finish with non-stop drama, action, suspense and plenty of mystery.

Will you be daring to read If Looks Could Kill?