Books I DNF'd in July

Temple House Vanishing:  This one seemed really interesting, so I got the audiobook.  My DNF is definitely based on the audiobook.  The narrator for the book was so bad.  Her voice never changed.  There was no inflection or emotion. I was falling asleep because it was so monotone.  Maybe I will pick up the physical book at some point in the future.

Suburban Dicks:  I'm just not a fan of identity politics in my books.  I know this is supposed to be funny and satirical, but I could nothing funny about it.  The characters were annoying.  I only lasted about 15% in and had to give up.

Darling:  So, I had to suspend a huge amount of disbelief for this book. I gave up about 30% in.  I love when the parents are present in YA books. However, the parents in this one made no sense.  They kept contradicting themselves when it came to their daughter's safety.  She also made some really dumb choices.  I just couldn't read any more.

The Haunting of Alma Fielding:  Ghost stories, even those that are supposed to be "true" should be exciting and creepy.  This one is based on a case of Nandor Fodor, a paranormal investigator in 1930s London.  This book was so dry and boring.  I started is 3 times before I finally gave up. I even tried the audiobook.  The whole story probably could have been told in a short story format.  I might have enjoyed it more.

Spotlight: Excerpt of How to Win the Surgeon’s Heart by Tina Beckett

 

by Tina Beckett 

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication Date: June 29.
 
Things are heating up…
 
…in their Caribbean paradise!
 
For Dr. Nate, work is everything. Without him, his renowned hospital wouldn’t exist! Now he’s ready to step up to the plate—again!—as nearby St. Victoria Hospital faces a staff shortage. Surgeon Sasha is beyond grateful for the help, but she’s not so sure about Nate… Her heart’s been broken by wealthy and far-too-attractive men before! Can Nate prove to Sasha he’s different?
 
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How to Win the Surgeon’s Heart - Excerpt
Tina Beckett
Nate Edwards stood on the tarmac, a tiny cloth doll clutched in his hand, awaiting the Medicine Around the World plane that would whisk him away from Saint Victoria and the aftermath of the hurricane that had wreaked havoc on the small Caribbean island. His thumb rubbed across the doll’s rough cloth, trying not to picture the tearstained eyes of her parents as they presented the gift to him. But their faces were forever burned into his memory. As was the dark-haired child who had been so very sick. And yet she’d managed the tiniest of smiles for him. With the island’s hospital obliterated by the fury of the storm, there had been little hope of saving her.
But God, how he’d wanted to. How he’d fought for her.
The phone in his pocket pinged.
Hell. His team had had only the most rudimentary supplies to work with during their stay. How, then, could cell phone signals still get through?
He pulled the phone out of his pocket, glad he’d charged it before packing for the trip home.
His mom’s name appeared at the top of the screen.
Glad you’re coming home today. We have a big surprise waiting for you! Your father and I can’t wait for you to see it.
A sense of dread filled his gut. He’d hoped by coming to the island he could circumvent their plans and buy himself a little more time to explain things to them. And then there was Tara, who had been hinting about settling down once he finished specializing. Except so much had changed. He tucked the doll under his arm as a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. He typed back.
Please don’t do anything until I get there.
He had no idea how he was going to tell them that he had no intention of joining their practice. After his trip to Saint Victoria—which they hadn’t approved of—the last thing he wanted to do was practice plastic surgery on the rich and famous.
One of his colleagues came up beside him. “Nate, we just got the results back on your patient’s mystery illness.”
Too late. Marie had already passed away. Still he forced himself to ask. “What was it?”
“Schistosomiasis. It must have damaged her liver and intestines beyond repair. That’s why she was so jaundiced. She had to have had it for a while.”
A parasite found in water had killed her? He closed his eyes. That possibility had never even crossed his mind. They’d had to send samples via water courier to a neighboring island, but he’d known in his heart it was too late. It should make him feel better to know there was nothing he could have done. Instead he just felt…empty. And now he had to go home and face his parents and Tara.
He forced himself to meet the eyes of his colleague. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“You’re welcome.” Peter clapped him on the back. “Not your fault.”
“Thanks.”
What else could he say?
Just then his phone pinged again, the screen lighting up and drawing his attention to the words that were printed there. 
Too late. It’s already done.
Three smiley faces appeared at the end of the phrase.
She was right. It was already done. All of it.
 
About the Author 
A three-time Golden Heart® finalist, Tina Beckett is the product of a navy upbringing. Always on the move, her travels eventually took her outside of the United States, where English reading material was scarce. Her supply of books eventually ran out, and she started writing her own stories, fashioned after the romance novels she'd loved through the years. She finished that first book and moved on to the next. After the fourth manuscript, she realized there was no going back…she was officially a writer.
 
When not in the middle of her latest book, Tina enjoys crafting stained glass panels, riding horses and hiking with her family. Fluent in Portuguese, she divides her time between Brazil and the United States and loves to use exotic locales as the backdrop for many of her stories.
 
Connect with the Author
Website: https://www.tinabeckett.com/
 

Blog Tour: Excerpt of Missing in the Desert by Dana Mentink

 

by Dana Mentink 

Publisher:  Love Inspired

Publication Date: July 27.

 
Five years ago, her sister disappeared…
Now someone is coming for her.
 
Who would believe that Mara Castillo's sister—missing and presumed dead—suddenly sent a one-word text? Now Mara wants answers, even if it means stepping into a killer's sights with her brother's best friend, rancher Levi Duke, as her only protection. But with someone who has everything to lose after her, uncovering a long-buried secret could save her life…or claim it.
 
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Missing in the Desert - Excerpt
Dana Mentink

Levi Duke let the engine idle and rubbed his temple. Another headache, courtesy of the wreck. The headaches were probably temporary, the doctors said. He sighed. Yes, the car accident four months before had left him with a scar, but worse yet, his hospital time made him miss out on a perfect horse to add to his herd. That was the real pain of it.
“Not this time,” he said. “We’re gonna have ourselves a new mare, ’Jo.”
Banjo, the sizable mutt with a chunk missing from one ear, sprawled in his passenger seat and licked the knee of Levi’s jeans. The dog slithered his way under Levi’s palm until he got the ear rub he was looking for. Mission accomplished, he flopped over and presented his belly, long legs taking up more than his fair share of the room. His fleas and the mud were gone now, thanks to a bath that had been a struggle of epic proportions, his leg wound treated, too. His ribs were not quite as prominent as the day Levi had found him panting and half-dead in a dry creek bed. The dog had introduced himself with eyes desperate for help and the faintest of tail wags. Who could say no to that?
The cell phone chimed.
“We’re just driving past the Funeral Mountains.” Mara’s voice was cool, in spite of the faint Southern drawl. Never could hide her feelings. She was upset with him for inviting her brother, Seth, to partner with him in purchasing the Rocking Horse Ranch. Maybe she had a right to be. A busted-up old ranch just outside Death Valley National Park, a place so hot it was nearly uninhabitable four months of the year? Not exactly a surefire moneymaker. But it wasn’t really about the money—not for him, anyway. He was surprised Mara had even agreed to accompany Seth to meet the mare. Maybe Mara was softening to the idea? Not likely.
“Be careful,” he said. “Road’s steep. I’ll meet you at the farm and introduce you to Cookie. She’s a sweetheart.” Offered for sale by a local, the mare would be a perfect fit for their current herd of eleven if co-owner Seth approved. They needed more horses pronto to meet the tourist demands for the November Camp Town Days Festival the following week.
There was a pause. “All right.”
He forced cheer into his voice to counteract her lack of enthusiasm. “Laney and Beckett are having a barbecue at the Hotsprings. They asked me to invite you both.” His cousin Beckett’s hotel was making a slow recovery after the set of killings that had resulted in Beckett’s false imprisonment and a threat to Laney’s life. It was easier to forget those days now, as the couple prepared for the spring birth of their first child.
Mara queried her brother and returned her attention to the phone. “Seth says he’d love to go, but I have some business to work on.”
Business? Mara helped run her parents’ furniture store in Henderson, Nevada, some two hundred miles away. Odd that she’d have business here in podunk Furnace Falls. It wasn’t his nature to pry. Then again, she might just be making an excuse to stay far away from him. He blew out a silent breath. Horses were so much easier to read than people, especially women, most especially Mara Castillo.
 
About the Author 
Dana Mentink is a national bestselling author. She has been honored to win two Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion, and a Reviewer's Choice award. She's authored more than thirty novels to date for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her at www.danamentink.com
 
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Blog Tour: Review of Beneath the Sheets by L.M. Mountford

 

Author: L.M. Mountford
Release: July 16, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance - Friends to Lovers/Holiday Romance/ Second Chance Romance
Goodreads

They were the best of friends. Then they shared a night of passion and in the morning she was gone and Alex has spent years trying to move on.
 
But then an email arrives out of the blue and suddenly he finds himself boarding the first plane bound for Australia with nothing but his passport and an overnight bag. He's no idea what he'll do, or he's going to say, but one thing's for sure...
 
He's not going home without her.
 
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My thoughts:
Beneath the Sheets is a very very short story about a second chance at romance.  I'll be honest, the story felt like I tuned into the last 20 minutes of a TV show and was a bit lost.  It was almost like it was an outline for a longer story.  I would have liked a lot more meat to it in order to get to know the couple more.  The bedroom scene was definitely steamy and well written.  I just wanted more.  If you are just looking for a hot sex scene, then I would recommend this one.

Author Bio
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Sweet Temptations
 
A self-confessed tiger fanatic, L.M. Mountford was born and raised in England, first in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset, before later moving to the city of Gloucester where he currently resides. A fully qualified and experienced scuba diver, he has traveled across Europe and Africa diving wrecks and seeing the wonders of the world.
 
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Spotlight: Excerpt of Second Chance Love Song by Jessica Lemmon

 

by Jessica Lemmon 

Publisher: Harlequin Desire

Publication: May 2021

 

There’s no place like Nashville for discovering all the secrets your ex has been keeping—a Dynasties: Beaumont Bay novel by Jessica Lemmon.
 
He chose country music over the one who got away.  
 
Well, now she’s back…
 
Country music star Cash Sutherland is too successful for his own good. Seen as a bad boy in need of redeeming, he and his label are doing all they can to revamp his reputation. They’ve even hired eager journalist Presley Cole, who’s ready and willing to print the cover story that will make both their careers. The only problem? She’s the woman he left behind, and she’s not ready to forgive him for breaking her heart…
 
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Second Chance Love Song- Excerpt
Jessica Lemmon
Presley, dressed smartly in a fuchsia skirt and floral-print blouse and a pair of peep-toe kitten heels, wrapped her folded hands around her knee to keep her leg from bobbing up and down like a sewing machine needle. She was overcaffeinated, thanks to a virtually sleepless night, but when inspiration had struck, she hadn’t wanted to waste a single second sleeping.
The smile she’d glued into place was starting to shake at the edges, so she coughed into her hand to give her mouth a rest. When her boss, Delilah, looked up at her again, Presley grinned anew.
Say yes. All I need is a yes.
Presley had longed to escape Florida for as long as she could remember. She’d always wanted to travel the world, visit other countries, meet new and interesting people. But traveling cost money, which had been in short supply. Instead she’d been stuck in Tallahassee as if an invisible force field was keeping her here.
When her boss announced a “friendly” competition for their branch of Viral Pop a month ago, Presley’s ears had perked. All she had to do was write an article that would go viral and grab lots of new eyeballs. The winner earned a pay-and-title bump—hello, Senior Staff Writer!—and a transfer to any of Viral Pop’s offices in the world.
Pres had practically foamed at the mouth from excitement. She’d been trying to come up with a winning idea over the last week and a half but nothing came. Until her drive home from work last night, when her ex-boyfriend’s song had come on the radio.
Cash Sutherland had left Florida a football star, and was now a country music superstar. Upon hearing his most popular song, a fresh idea had hit her like the title, “Lightning.” Out of nowhere and with enough force to split her in two.
Admittedly, she was a tad torn. She didn’t relish the idea of revisiting the painful breakup she’d swept under the rug years ago, but on the other hand she really wanted to win. Like, really, really wanted to win.
So she’d sat up until 2:00 a.m. last night writing the proposal Delilah was reviewing this very second.
“This would require you to be out of the office,” her boss stated, her eyes traveling to Presley. Delilah’s usual brand of curiosity-slash-interrogation never failed to intimidate, but winning this promotion and the opportunity to escape Florida was Presley’s lifelong dream. She could handle a little intimidation.
“I’ve worked remotely before,” Presley replied. At home, but still. “I am very good at time management. Especially when it’s my own time. Or the time here at the office,” she was quick to add. “I value your time, as well. More than mine. More than anyone’s.” She pressed her lips together to keep from sounding desperate, the sticky gloss she’d swiped on this morning helping with that endeavor.
Delilah hummed, set her tablet aside and narrowed her eyelids. Then she dipped her chin. “What makes you so sure Cash Sutherland is going to tell you his biggest songwriting secret when he’s dodged that question from every reporter who’s spoken with him?”
Nervously, Presley licked her lips. She wasn’t at all sure Cash Sutherland was going to confess his biggest songwriting secret. Ever since “Lightning” hit the Billboard Top 100, scads of press had been trying to solve the mystery of whom the song was written about. Rumors were rampant. Article after article had named this starlet or that, this singer or the other, and really, given his copious dating history, it could be any or all of them.
“We’re old friends.”
 
About the Author 
A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. Learn more about her books at jessicalemmon.com.
 
Connect with the Author
Website: https://www.jessicalemmon.com/
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551749.Jessica_Lemmon 

Blog Tour: Review of The Matchmaker Bride by Ginny Baird

 

Today we have the blog tour for The Matchmaker Bride by Ginny Baird! Check it out and be sure to get  your copy of this sexy new romcom today!
 

Title: The Matchmaker Bride
Author: Ginny Baird
Genre: Romcom
  
Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man—a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.
 
Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…
 
Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once—and couldn’t stand—isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal—play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.
 
It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first...
 
Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride

 

Get your copy Today:

Amazon  | B&N | Apple | Kobo

  

Catch up on the Series:

Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo

 

My thoughts:

The Matchmaker Bride is a fairly clean fake engagement romance. In order to try to get syndication for her local show, Meredith tells her viewers that she is engaged to a boat-maker in Maine.  Derrick is stunned to find out he is engaged to the one person he can't stand.  Will the both get what they want in the end?  I wouldn't really say this was a stand alone book.  It's the second in the series and there are a lot of references to  things that happened the first book.  I felt a bit lost. I might have to go back and read the first book. The romance was OK.  I didn't feel much chemistry between the couple and it happened way too quickly for me.  I did like the secondary characters though.  They added a lot of humor to the story.  

About Ginny Baird:

 NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes sweet contemporary romance with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. She is the author of the Blue Hill Brides Series: The Duplicate Bride (2020) and The Matchmaker Bride (2021) from Entangled Publishing and current and upcoming works from Hallmark Publishing: An Unforgettable Christmas (2019) and On Christmas Avenue (2021), as well as several independent titles including her newest multi-author novella collection: Beach Brides Message in a Bottle Boxed Set (2021). Visit Ginny's website to learn more about her and her books: www.ginnybairdromance.com.
 
Connect with Ginny:
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Review & Excerpt of Trouble in Big Timber by B.J. Daniels

 

Author: B.J. Daniels 

Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue

Publication Date: May 25, 2021 

He's back at Cardwell Ranch to find a killer.
 
Ford Cardwell is shocked when his college crush calls him out of the blue—even more so when he hears a gunshot. But when he joins forces with medical examiner Henrietta "Hitch" Rogers, she makes him wonder if the random call was a setup—not a murder. Together, they'll need to discover the truth, but looking into the case will put them in the sights of a killer.
 
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My thoughts:

Trouble in Big Timber is a stand alone in the Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy series.  It's a quick read and ultimately I did enjoy it.   I enjoyed the suspense part the most.  While you pretty much have a sense of  happened,  it is fun watching Hitch figure it out.   What I didn't really like was the romance.  It came out of nowhere for me. The book would have been fine without it.  Maybe if that book had been a bit longer, there could have been more time spent on it.  I also feel like I didn't get know the characters as well as I would have liked.  If you go in for the suspense alone, then you will be satisfied.

Trouble in Big Timber – Excerpt
B.J. Daniels
Ford shifted into Park and, hands shaking, pulled out his still-ringing phone. As he did, he had a stray thought. How rare it used to be to get cell phone coverage here in the Gallatin Canyon, of all places. Only a few years ago the call wouldn’t have gone through.
Without checking to see who was calling, he answered it, his hand shaking as he did. He’d come so close to going over the cliff. Until the call had saved him.
“Hello?” He could hear noises in the background. “Hello?” He let out a bitter chuckle. A robocall had saved him at the last moment? he thought.
But his laughter died as he heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from his phone. “Hello?” he yelled. “Who is this?” The scream was followed by a woman’s desperate pleas.
“No, please, don’t hurt me anymore.” Another scream and the sound of breaking glass.
“Hello?” He was yelling, frantic, having no idea who was on the other end of the call—just that she was in trouble. Had the woman meant to call 9ll? Maybe it was a pocket dial and she hadn’t meant to call anyone—let alone a stranger.
“Tell me where you are!” he yelled into the phone, but his voice was drowned out by another scream, this one filled with pure terror—and pain. He knew both too well.
The sound of something hard hitting soft flesh was followed by a choking sound. Choking on blood? The woman was being attacked. By an intruder? Or someone she knew? He’d never felt more helpless as he listened to more breaking glass and the woman’s screams.
“No! Please, Humphrey, you’re going to kill me! Please. Stay back. Don’t make me…” The gunshot sounded deafening—even on the phone. Then there was no sound at all coming from his cell.
Ford stared down at the phone in his hand, shock shuddering through him. The woman on the other end of the line had called the man Humphrey. His already pounding heart thumped against his ribs, making his chest ache. It couldn’t be. He stared at the name that had come up on his phone. No. He tried to call the number back. It went straight to voice mail. Someone must have found the phone and shut it off. Or declined the call.
His heart was pounding. For a moment, he was too stunned to move, almost to breathe, at what he’d just heard, what he’d been unable to stop. Rachel. The call was from his former college roommate’s wife, Rachel Westlake—now Mrs. Humphrey Collinwood.
He’d only recently added her number to his contact list after she’d sent him a friend request on social media and they’d exchanged cell phone numbers.
His pulse pounded so loud that he couldn’t hear himself think. Fumbling in his fear and panic, he hit 911. 
It couldn’t be true. He knew Humphrey. They’d been roommates most of their time in college. His former friend wouldn’t hurt anyone. Humphrey idolized Rachel. But from what he’d heard on the call…
Outside the pickup, the wind howled in the pines. A gust blew dirt over the cliff and into the abyss, reminding him how close he’d come to making that same descent. The only thing that had stopped him was the phone call. Or would he have hit the brakes on his own? He would never know.
The 911 operator came on the line. “What is the nature of your emergency?”
“I think I just heard someone being attacked and possibly killed on what I suspect was a pocket dial.” His voice broke. “Her name is Rachel Westlake. Sorry, it’s Collinwood now.” He listened as the dispatcher asked him a question. “No, I don’t know where she lives exactly. A ranch north of Big Timber. That’s all I know. We only recently reconnected. That’s how she had my number. Please, you have to find her. She might still be…alive.”
  
About the Author 
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author B.J. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and three springer spaniels. When not writing, she quilts, boats and plays tennis. Contact her at www.bjdaniels.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BJ-Daniels/127936587217837 or on twitter at bjdanielsauthor.
 
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Website: https://www.bjdaniels.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/bjdanielsauthor 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/188611.B_J_Daniels

July Mini Musings

Icing on the Cake:  I didn't love this one.  I thought Brian was kind of a douche. She gave in way too easily when he tried to get her back.  His mother was a piece of work and he should have had the balls to walk away long before he did.  If I was Cassie, I wouldn't be sure he wouldn't go back to her again. 

Scream for Me:  This one picks up right after the events of Die for Me and features Special Agent Daniel Vartanian.  I wouldn't read this one without reading Die for Me.  This one does spoil that one.  I really liked this mystery.  It kept me on my toes.  The romance was a bit insta-love for me, but I still enjoyed it.  I highly recommend this one.

The Wedding:  I didn't love this one as much as the first book.  I did like the humor, but I didn't love the couple.  I didn't feel the chemistry between the couple.  I thought that Connor was annoying.  It wasn't bad, but it definitely dragged.  Read The Bride instead.  That one was better.

Smart Woman's Guide to Murder:  I felt like I was reading one of those older mysteries where the solution comes out of nowhere.  NO matter how you paid attention, you would never come up with the solution.  Agatha Christie, I'm looking at you!  This was a just OK mystery.  I normally love mysteries like this.  I didn't love the characters. They were all annoying. I'm not sure that I will read the next one.

The Bet:  I really didn't love this one at all.  The only thing these two had was sexual chemistry.  The lack of communication was the biggest issue they had.  How did Sophie fall for Jude?  He treated her like a hook-up throughout the entire book.  Then she gets pissed when she "thinks" they had a love connection.  Ugh, no.  I didn't find Jude's family dynamic amusing.  I'm sure that is what the author was going for, but it didn't work for me.  

Room Service:  I enjoyed this one much more than Escape Room.  The characters were engaging.  The mystery kept me guessing.  That ending was a surprise. I was expecting it to be something completely different.  It's a quick read and I would recommend it for YA mystery readers.

Review: Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: July 2021

Hollow’s Edge used to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together, and looked out for one another. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped, unable to sell their homes, confronted daily by the empty Truett house, and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.

With her conviction overturned, Ruby waltzes right back to Hollow’s Edge, and into the home she once shared with Harper Nash. Harper, five years older, has always treated Ruby like a wayward younger sister. But now she’s terrified. What possible good could come of Ruby returning to the scene of the crime? And how can she possibly turn her away, when she knows Ruby has nowhere to go?

Within days, suspicion spreads like a virus across Hollow’s Edge. It’s increasingly clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truett’s murders. And when Harper begins receiving threatening notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else becomes the killer’s next victim.

Such a Quiet Place is a domestic thriller that takes place in a small private community.  The neighbors all know each others business and use their porch cameras to spy.  A year ago Ruby was convicted of killing the couple next door.  After her conviction was overturned, she is back in the neighborhood.    Harper isn't so sure they know the truth of what happened that night. Everyone is on edge because everyone has secrets.

I wouldn't exactly call this a "thriller".  It was more like a sleepy murder mystery.  I was engaged and kept guessing.  I will admit that the solution was a surprise, so there is that.  I just didn't love the characters.  They were all very self-centered and horrible people.  It's neighbors like these that make you want to keep to yourself.  I had a hard time finding someone to root for.  The story is told through the perspective of Harper and even she was kind of awful.  I'd recommend this one if you don't' mind unlikable characters.  

Review: I'm Yours by Jennifer Van Wyk

Author: Jennifer Van Wyk
Publication Date: November 2019

I left Lakeside, Montana heartbroken and lost with no desire to ever return.
But life had other plans.
Moving back wasn't what I wanted to do, but I'd do anything for my daughter Emmy. Including put myself in the path of Sadie Jones.
My daughter's new dance teacher.
The reason my heart was never fully opened to another was because it's always belonged to her.
When I watched Reed Sanders drive away from Lakeside, I knew my heart would never recover.
He was meant for more than what this town could offer him.
Than what I could offer him.
I tried to warn him to stay away from me, but he refused to listen.
If only he would have, maybe I wouldn't feel so broken.
The heart is mysterious. It can be closed off and broken at the same time.
It can hold room for more than one person.
And unfortunately, sometimes it takes danger lurking around the corner to make it choose a side.
All I can say is that I hope one day I finally hear the words... I'm Yours.

I'm Yours was a random pick from Kindle Unlimited.   In the story, Reed and Sadie grew up together on different sides of the tracks.  It never bothered Reed, but Sadie never felt good enough.  Reed left town12 years before with a broken heart and moved on.  After the death of his wife, Reed is back in town with his daughter to move on.  He never bargained on Sadie being his daughter's dance teacher..

I thought this was a very sweet second chance romance.  I loved the chemistry between Reed and Sadie. Having a history together made it that much stronger.  There wasn't a lot of angst between the two which was nice to see.  I also loved how much both of them had grown and matured over the time apart.  I admired how Sadie turned her love of dance into a successful business.  I'm not sure anyone knows that right amount of time to move on after losing a spouse. It's such a personal thing.  So, while I understood Reed's guilt, I was rooting for them to get together.  Along with the romance, there is a great and funny cast of characters in the town.   I loved Reed's parents!  It's the first book I have read by this author. I'll be checking out her back list for sure.  I highly recommend this one.

Review: Girl in the Run by Abigail Johnson

Author: Abigail Johnson
Publisher: Underlined
Publication Date: October 2020

Katelyn wants the best for her widowed mom. Surprising her with an online dating profile seems like a good idea.

It isn't. Katelyn's mom hasn't just been acting overprotective all these years--she's been hiding something. And now that anyone can find them online, Katelyn is in a desperate race against time to uncover the secrets of the past--not only her mom's, but also her own.

As Katelyn's world unravels, she begins to trust the guy who brought this nightmare to her door and to doubt the one person she never thought she would. Because her mom has been hiding for a reason: she's been waiting.

Girl on the Run is a quick and fast paced YA thriller that kept me engaged until the end.  Katelyn's mother seems to have a nomadic spirit, always moving them from place to place.  Katelyn has spent her life learning how to be safe and has acquired certain street smarts from her mother.  Thinking her mother is just way too over protective, she soon finds out that her mother had a good reason for it.

I really enjoyed this one.  I was hooked from the start and loved the pacing of the story.  It started out fast and never let up.  Unlike some YA thrillers, I actually felt that Katelyn was in danger throughout and wasn't sure how she would get herself out of each situation. I guess you could call it a nail-biter.   The mystery kept me guessing with a few twists.  Katelyn was a great heroine who was tough and smart.  There is quite a bit of physical violence in the story, so I would probably keep it to upper middle school or HS age for that alone.  There is also a of a hint of a romance, but it wasn't integral to the story and didn't get annoying.   I would definitely recommend thus one to my HS age kids.