Trouble in the Brasses

 In  this blog post, I reviewed Charlotte MacLeod’s (aka Alisa Craig) Trouble in the Brasses, the 4th installment in the Madoc Rhys mystery series, this Canadian caper has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. It all started for Inspector Madoc Rhys when he was requested by his father, Tad, to see him conduct the Wagstaffe Symphony play their concert. But some things went awfully wrong, when one of the lead trombonists had gotten sick and then later died on the site. Though undercover, he had to blend in with the other musicians to find out what happened to Wilhem Ochs and who wanted him dead. When he made his presence known with his title, he investigated all the players and discovered Ochs’s background along with learning about his sordid past. When there was an attempted strangulation on another musician, things turned dicey as they were stranded on Lodestone Flat with a busted airplane to make things get awfully wrong and later awry.  The more he later learned the truth, another brutal death had befallen them. Now before they were rescued, he would later learn whodunit and why in this locked-door mystery before it would be too late.

This intriguing mystery novel is captivating and full of suspense. I cared for Madoc because though he visited his parents in Wagstaffe, he had a job to do and did it well to discover the culprit when things might’ve gotten tense. I liked the dual locations of Wagstaffe and Lodestone Flat, Canada. It had good visualization for the scenic settings. The theme of the story is looks might be deceiving when murder is afoot. 

This fascinating mystery is compelling to keep you reading to the end in a quick read.  I rated this book, three out of five stars for no reason.  If you love fast-paced mystery capers with  plenty of dramatic action, heart-stopping suspense, and shocking gasps, Trouble in the Brasses  is a great read.. This book is recommended for those who love locked-room mystery capers set in Canada or in the USA, and those who love police procedurals and cozy mysteries.

The Secrets of the Nile

   In  this blog post, I reviewed Tasha Alexander’s The Secrets of the Nile, the 16th installment in the Lady Emily historical suspense series, this captivating tale would keep you at the edge of your seat.  For Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, they’re in Egypt and traveling along the River Nile. At the bequest of Lord Deeley, they were invited to his party with her mother-in-law and step-daughter Kat, when they met the other guests. When they ventured along the cavern where ancient Egyptian canopic jars and vases were discovered, we’re flashed back to the story of Meryt, a young Egyptian married woman, who’s a sculpture, and the mystery of who tormented her. In the 1900s, back at the party, when Lord Deeley mysteriously dies from cyanide poisoning, it’s up to Emily and Colin to figure out who’d done it and why in this locked-room mystery by interviewing all the guests and finding out Deeley’s sordid hidden past. In the end, the shocking truth would come out, once and for all.

This compelling historical suspense novel  is captivating and gripping on each page. I cared for Emily and how close she was getting to the truth without being in harm’s way. She cares for her twin sons and for her step-daughter Kat. I also cared for Meryt in her own historical story.  The location of Luxor, Egypt in the 1900s was perfect to tell this tale.  The theme of the story is revenge is best served cold to right the wrongs in the past.

This historical suspense is thrilling and intriguing. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason.  If you love heart-stopping suspense novels with dramatic action, plenty of heart-stopping suspense, and twisted turns, the Secrets of the Nile is for you. This book is recommended for those who love historical fiction and suspense novels, fans of Rebecca Cantrell, Ken Follett, and those who love Egyptology.

Heart on a Leash

    In  this blog post, I reviewed Alana Martin’s Heart on A Leash, the first installment in the Hearts of Alaska contemporary romance series. This delightful debut is perfect for dog and cat lovers alike, who would love this captivating and amazing storyline. When Taylor Lipin lost her marketing job in Los Angeles, her sister Lydia called her to ask for help with the family inn. The timing could’ve been more perfect to escape to her hometown of Helen, Alaska, and get closer to her sister. But when she ran into Dr. Josh Krane and his three lovable huskies on the streets, they didn’t know that their families have been feuding for years, like a contemporary version of the Hatfields and the McCoys. And though they started to fall for each other and tried to keep their relationship a secret, pranks, bad reviews, and vandalism had happened at both properties. Word had gotten out and complicated things for them. When Taylor went to LA for a job interview, she had thought it would smooth things over, things escalated and gotten worse. Instead of rebelling, she decides to fight for Josh, for love, and to stay in her hometown for good in peace. 

This sweet contemporary romance is endearing and heart-warming. I cared for Taylor and Josh. Both wanted to find each other in spite of their feuding families. They wanted to be their own person in a small town.  I adored Jay, Bella, and Pepper–those huskies were adorably cute.  The location of Helen, Alaska, was magnificent and picturesque during the winter season. The theme of the story is fight for what you love and believe in to go against the odds.

This lovely contemporary romance is fascinating and lovely to read.. I rated this book, five out of five stars for no reason.  If you love compelling  contemporary romances that feature cats and dogs with heart-stopping action, plenty of romantic drama, and lots of suspense, you’ll love Heart on a Leash. . This book is recommended for contemporary romance novels like Jill Shalvis, Casey Griffin, and Hallmark movies.

The Lying Club

    In this blog post, I reviewed Annie Ward’s The Lying Club. This compelling thriller will scintillate you and keep you enthralled on every page. It all started for Natalie Bellman, who worked as an administrative assistant in a prestigious private school called Falcon Academy near Denver Colorado, when she discovered a bloody dead body on the ground, and later interviewed by the local police.  There, she fell for the charms of the much-loved athletic Nicholas Maguire, who had her under his twisted spell of deceitful lies. For Brooke Elliman and Asha Wilson, these two soccer mom would do anything for their sophomoric daughters to get into the college of their dreams. But at what price, when they were all spellbound by Nicholas’s deceit, when he attempted to ruin their lives and tear them apart? They weren’t the only ones who had a bone to pick with them. Together, they joined forces and swapped stories about how they hated Nicholas Maguire by lying to the police and bonded as newfound friends in a secret conspirationship. 

This intriguing thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat. I cared for Asha, who was suspicious of her husband having an affair, and having her third child. I also cared for Natalie, who was duped by a cold-hearted snake, and Brooke Elliman, who wanted to do right for her ex-husband and her daughter.  I also liked how diverse it was, when Asha was an Indian-American character. I also liked how it talked about teen athleticism  and dealing with a bit of addiction abuse. The location of Falcon Valley, Colorado was perfect and cold for this chilling thriller with epic scenic settings. The theme of the story is looks could be deceiving when you should trust your gut. 

This captivating thriller is twisted and top-notch to keep you hooked from the first page. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason.  If you love compelling dark thrillers with heart-stopping twists and turns and plenty of dramatic suspense, grab a copy of the Lying Club today. his book is recommended for thriller fans who love Liane Moriarty’s One of Us is Lying and Jamie Lynn Hendrick’s It Could be Anyone.

The Village of Happy Ever Afters

    In this blog post, I reviewed Alison Sherlock’s The Village of Happy Ever Afters, the 4th installment in the Riverside Lane romcom series. This endearing contemporary romance is heart-warming and a tear-jerking. Molly Hopkins works for her community hub and wished she had what her friends had: finding their soul mate and happily ever after. But she hasn't found the right one yet. When her best friend Amber encouraged her to make a wedding cake for her wedding, she wasn’t too sure and confident she could do it, though everybody loved her cake. That’s when she dreamed of having her own tea garden. She also wanted her mother to find happiness again since she lost her job. But when she encouraged her mother to garden at the community garden, she had gotten her happiness and her groove back. When Logan Armstrong arrived in Cranbridge, he wasn’t looking for romance since he had been burned by a failed marriage that made sensational news in London. All he wanted to do was to be alone and work on his furniture pieces, including honoring his grandfather’s dream to restore the watermill like in the olden days. But when he met Molly, they complimented each other to go for their dreams and to be confident to make it right in a small town village like Cranbridge. With a couple of hilarious bumps along the way, they’ve found out they were made for each other and became successful in their dreams with help from a couple of friends. 

This heart-warming romcom was moving and inspirational, when it dealt a tiny bit with mental health. I cared for Molly and her mother Rachel, on how they dealt with some harrowing hardships and rough patches in their lives.  I also adored Logan, who was lost and later found happiness where he was needed and belonged. Keith the Dog was a hoot too. The location of Cranbridge was mesmerizing and wonderful for the scenic settings. The dual  themes of the story are it’s never too late to ask for help, and nature heals all wounds. 

This sweet romcom is the perfect book to cheer you up if you’re blue.  I rated this book, four out of five stars, because for no reason.  If you love heart-stopping and heart-warming romcoms with plenty of romantic and dramatic action,  and a bundle of feel-good-nature laughs, check out The Village of Happy Ever Afters. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies and Hallmark Channel movies, and Lilac Mills’ The Tanglewood Tea Shoppe and Holly Martin’s Sunrise Over Sapphire Bay.

You Have a Match

    In this blog post, I reviewed Emma Lord’s You Have a Match. This YA romcom is warm-hearted and a tear-jerker with a couple of good laughs. For Abby Day, it all started when she did a DNA project with her two best friends, Connie and Leo. And then it snowballed from there when she discovered a shocking secret: she had a sister somewhere named Savannah and connected to her to have a hook-up. While she withheld this nugget of truth from Leo, who had no luck discovering his ancestral secrets, she met Savvy, who looked like her, and has a huge Instagram following for health and fitness. Though she’s been having a hard time at school with her grades, she hid the truth from her parents and decided not to go to summer school, though she loved taking photos of nature around her. Though she had a huge crush on her best friend Leo, she didn’t know if he felt the same way about her, and followed him to Camp Reynolds. While she was there, she’d gotten closer to know more about Savvy and the hidden truth on how their parents knew about each other. She had made new friends, had made a few laughs, and done well in her classes there while she avoided getting into trouble. But when her parents discovered their little secret, it was up to Savvy and herself to find out what caused the rift between them. Before she left camp, would she discover how Leo had truly felt about her too?

This delightful YA romcom was compelling and heartfelt about friendship, love, and family. I cared for Abby and Savvy, two different split peas in the pod, while Abby had felt her true talent in photography and become her own person. . I loved the diversity of Savvy being gay and Leo being Filipino. The location of Camp Reynolds in the SeaTac area from the cabins to the Make Out Rock and beyond. It was picturesque and magnificent for the scenic settings. The theme of the story is being true to yourself, and family comes from different places.

This funny YA romcom is perfect for everyone to read. I rated this book, five out of five stars, because it was terrific hands-down. . If you love heart-stopping and heart-warming YA romcoms with plenty of romantic action, lots of suspenseful drama, and a bundle of goose-pimpling laughs, You Have a Match is right up your alley. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies for YA and Adult, Hallmark Channel, and Auriane Desombre’s I Think I Love You.

Lockdown on London Lane

    In this blog post, I reviewed Beth Reekles’s Lockdown on London Lane. this stand-alone romantic comedy is timely and would keep you in suspense and have you laughing in stitches. It all started for the residents of London Lane, when their apartment building complex was in lockdown for a week, during the Covid-19 pandemic. For Ethan, he was separated from his girlfriend Charlotte and couldn’t live without her. For Serena and Zach, they’ve been together for so long, but they haven’t defined what they want in the future as a couple in their relationship. For Imogen and Nate, they had a one-night stand, but could they be something more. As of Isla and Danny, Liv and Addison, would they find new love and give it a chance? For these residents, love was on their line along with some laughs and romantic challenges along the way, while they were locked inside the apartment for one whole week.

This romcom was compelling and uber-funny with laughs. I cared for the five couples, who were trying to find true love in the most unusual circumstances. The forced proximity trope worked well for being sheltered for one week in London, England. The location of being inside an apartment in London had real good scenic settings.  The theme of the story is love can sneak up on you in the most unfortunate time.

This funny romcom will keep you laughing. I rated this book, four of five stars, because for a romance, you’re supposed to focus on one couple and their growing relationship. Not five couples. It’s so much going on, plus less tropes is better than a bunch thrown in for good measure. If you love heart-stopping and hilarious romcoms with plenty of romantic action, lots of suspenseful drama, and a bundle of laughs, Lockdown on London Lane is for you. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies and on Hallmark Channel, and Heidi Stephens’s Never Gonna Happen.