Throwback Thrusday: Three Down the Aisle by Sherryl Woods

Author: Sherryl Woods
First published in 2005 by Silhouette

When Melanie D'Angelo arrived at Rose Cottage, she was only looking to mend her shattered heart and restore the beautiful house her grandmother once called home. The last thing she wanted was to become involved with her landscape designer!

Mike Mikelewski couldn't deny his instant connection with the gorgeous Melanie, but the single dad already had a woman in his life--his adorable, but troubled, young daughter, Jessie. Even though Melanie made his heart pound--and Jessie smile--he wouldn't allow himself to take a chance on a love that was blossoming like the Rose Cottage garden. Or could the trio become the family that Jessie had always dreamed about?

Three Down the Aisle is the first in the Rosewood Cottage Sisters series.  Melanie finds out her boyfriend has a wife and two kids and is devastated by the betrayal.  her sisters convince her to take some time off and restore their grandmother's cottage.  Mike is the local landscaper and cringes at the ruin of a garden every time he passes Rosewood Cottage.  When he offers help to Melanie to get the garden back in shape, he didn't count on falling for her.

I thought that this was a super cute and sweet romance.  I loved how Mike and Melanie became friends before lovers.  They were really sweet together.  I also love how Melanie was with Mike's daughter Jessie.  It's a pretty short read, so the romance is quick.  But I didn't mind, I actually found it quite believable.  I definitely recommend this one. I look forward to the rest of the series.

Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt of Ride Rough by Laura Kaye

Author: Laura Kaye

Publisher: Avon

Date of publication: April 25, 2017

Maverick Rylan won’t apologize for who he is—the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club Vice-President, a sought-after custom bike builder, and a man dedicated to protecting those he loves. So when he learns that the only woman who has ever held his heart is in trouble, he’ll move heaven and earth to save her.

Alexa Harmon thought she had it all—the security of a good job, a beautiful home, and a powerful, charming fiancé who offered the life she never had growing up. But when her dream quickly turns into a nightmare, Alexa realizes she’s fallen for a façade she can’t escape—until sexy, dangerous Maverick offers her a way out.

Forced together to keep Alexa safe, their powerful attraction reignites and Maverick determines to do whatever it takes to earn a second chance—one Alexa is tempted to give. But her ex-fiancé isn’t going to let her go without a fight, one that will threaten everything they both hold dear.

So after not having read anything really exciting lately, I was so excited when I started Ride Rough. I flew through this book and loved every second of it.  It is the second book in the Raven Riders series. I will say that while it can work as a stand alone, you might want to read the first book, Ride Hard to understand what happened before this one.  It picks up pretty much right after the events of Ride Hard.  Which brings me to that funeral scene..I definitely was a bit choked up at the Last Rev.  

I loved Maverick.  His love for Alexa never went away and he would do anything to protect her from harm. I also loved his fierce loyalty to his club and his family.  I also grew to really love Alexa. I was a bit wary of her at first because she came off as kind of weak.  I rooting for her the whole time to find her strong self again.  

Along with the romance, we get to visit with the other wonderful characters from the first book. I for one can't wait for Slider and Cora's book! There is also action and a very unlikable bad guy interwoven into the book.  This is one second chance romance that you need to read.  Make sure to read the excerpt below for a sneak peek!

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EXCERPT 

“Ride with me.” The words flew out of Maverick’s mouth, and he didn’t want to take them back even though, fuck, it put him out there to be smacked down again. But damn if it wouldn’t be worth it to feel her holding him, pressed up tight against him, laughing in his ear.

Alexa hesitated and maybe even looked a little nervous, but Maverick could see the interest in the liveliness of her eyes.

“Don’t think. Just say yes,” he said.

Alexa tilted her head and narrowed her gaze at him, and then she smiled. “Okay. Yes.”

That’s my girl. He kept the sentiment to himself, but he felt it down deep. His Alexa was in there. The one who could throw caution to the wind and have fun doing absolutely nothing. The one who laughed freely and bantered relentlessly. Maverick gave a single nod.

“Let me tell Mom. Be right back,” she said.

“I’ll bring the bike around.” Maverick took a step backward, but then paused when Alexa turned and hurried toward the house. His gaze traced her curves and lingered on the bare skin of her thighs. Thighs that were going to be wrapped around him in just a few short minutes. Thighs that had been wrapped around him in all kinds of ways many times. Many times. Fuck.

A few houses down, Maverick straddled his Harley Night Rod Special and brought the engine to life on a low rumble. He pulled the bike to the curb in front of the Harmon house and waited. He didn’t have to wait long.

Alexa came flying out through the garage. She made eye contact with him and it fucking seared his blood. For some reason this ride felt weighted with a significance he couldn’t put into words. And he wasn’t trying. He was just going to enjoy the hell out of it. Because Maverick knew her agreeing this one time didn’t change anything. Not anything important.

By the time she reached him, Alexa was smiling even though he could tell she was trying to hold that shit back. But she couldn’t, and that got to him, too. For a moment, she hesitated, like she wasn’t sure what to do. No way that was it, though, because even though it had been years, she’d been in his saddle as many times as his bed. He suspected the real issue was giving herself permission to do what she was gonna have to do—get close and hold tight. To him.

Something she hadn’t done in years.

But then she did it.

And don’t miss all the books in the Raven Riders Series!

HARD AS STEEL now available
RIDE HARD now available
RIDE ROUGH coming April 25^th, 2017
RIDE WILD coming October 31^st, 2017

About the author: 

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and monster puppy, Schuyler, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Pre-order Tour of Loving Riley by Liz Durano

Author: Liz Durano

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Cover Model: Stuart Reardon

Photographer: Franggy Yanez

Cover Designer: Cover Couture | Book Covers & Designs

Some secrets can't stay hidden forever...

To his fans, Ashe Hunter is the perfect man, the classically trained British actor taking Hollywood and Broadway by storm. To his American girlfriend, Riley Eames, he is a man in love and he'll do anything to keep her safe from the prying eyes of paparazzi suddenly digging into her life.

But to someone from his past, Ashe is her ticket to Hollywood fame and she'll do anything to get it even if it means tearing down the image he's built for himself ever since he left her.

“What did she mean when she said I was so vanilla?” asked Riley.

Ashe had known this was coming, that Riley would ask questions. Well, why shouldn't he just answer her truthfully?

“It has nothing to do with your hair, petal,” he said. “Unfortunately, Catriona Marks is not known for her subtlety.”

“What does it mean, then, ‘She's so vanilla’?” Riley asked, her voice mimicking Catriona's words as she pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Catriona's tastes are what might be called ‘alternative’,” explained Ashe. “In some circles, she's better known as ‘Mistress Cat’.”

“Like a Dominatrix? How would you know that?” Riley paused, raising her hand. “No, don't answer that, Ashe. I’m not sure I want to know.”

For a few moments, she didn't speak. He watched her bring her hand to her mouth, her expression distraught as if a vision of Ashe and Catriona together had come to her mind unbidden. Then she turned her face toward the window, watching the snow outside as the car made its way through the streets.

"You used to date her, didn't you?"

"Yes," he replied.

“It would have been better if you'd just said she's your ex-girlfriend,” Riley said. “She is, isn’t she? Is she the actress who discovered you?”

“Yes, she is.”

They spent the rest of the ride in silence. Ashe had much to say, but this was not the ideal place to tell Riley the things he wanted her to know about his past and the people who belonged there.

Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ GooglePlay ✯ Goodreads

Loving Ashe

A booty call. A stuck elevator. A chance to move on.

Three years after her ex-boyfriend left her to pursue his Hollywood dream, barista Riley Eames’ life is still on hold, hindered by questions only he can answer. So when he asks to meet her for a booty call while he’s in town, she reluctantly agrees, only to find herself stuck in the hotel elevator with rising British star, Ashe Hunter.

He's gorgeous, charming, and before the night is over, smitten.

But a celebrity romance may not be enough to get Riley's love life moving again, not when the ex-boyfriend is back in town and with him, the secrets that will change her life forever.

Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ GooglePlay ✯ Goodreads

Though Liz majored in Journalism in college, she discovered that she preferred writing fictional stories over proofing news and ad copy. These days, Liz is the author of five full-length novels including Everything She Ever Wanted, Loving Ashe and A Loving Riley.

When she’s not arguing with her muses about their story arcs, she’s usually hanging out with her little prince, stepping on Legos and building train towns. She’s probably also guzzling down coffee and sneaking in the chocolate while learning about the world from other peoples’ writings. And she’s always asking questions. Always.

Facebook ✯ Website ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Amazon

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Blog Tour: WASP (Uncommon Enemies, Book 1) by Fiona Quinn

Author: Fiona Quinn

Publisher: Silver Heart Publishing

Date of publication:April 11, 2017

Why is Zoe hiding beneath her bed?

Zoe Kealoha is a military research scientist. Her work is aimed at saving lives. Then why are there intruders looking for her inside her very own home. Most friends yawn at Zoe's conversations about micro-robotics. It must have struck a nerve with someone, and they don't sound friendly at all. As she hears the heavy crunch of footfalls creep closer, she realizes her quiet, orderly world is about to be upended.

Unlike Zoe's orderly world of hypothesis and laboratory-controlled environments, Gage Harrison loves the rush of risk. A Marine Raider, Gage is a warrior in every sense of the word. His soft spot is Zoe.

When he hears desperate screams from inside her home, his instinct and training switch from lover to guardian. He'll stop at nothing to save her from whatever evil lurks behind her bedroom door. 

While Gage may have thwarted an attempt on Zoe's life, he recognizes the skill of the men sent to abduct her. They, like he, were trained killers. And Gage knows they'll be back.

Who is after Zoe and what does she know that's worth abducting her? Gage and his team are willing to risk everything to protect Zoe. If her research is that vital to saving lives, she and Gage will stop at nothing to untangle the sticky web of intrigue traps politicians, lovers, schemers, spies, and those willing to put money over loyalty.

WASP is the first in the Uncommon Enemies series.  I was looking forward to starting a new romantic suspense series.  Unfortunately in the end. this book wasn't for me. Despite that, there were some things that I did like about it. It definitely had some good action scenes and the pacing was, for the most part, pretty steady.  I also really liked Gage.  His take charge personality was attractive and made him a likable character. I just wouldn't have ever picked Zoe for him.

What I didn't love was Zoe. I had a really hard time understanding why Gage was falling for her.  I never got the sense that other than sex, he would really be attracted to her.  She was pretty passive and one dimensional for most of the book. While the pacing was OK for the most part, I did feel like it dragged in parts of the book.  For instance, it took way too long to get Zoe out of the hospital.  Her life was clearly in danger, yet a lot of time was wasted having Gage running around talking to people. Too many characters were introduced in the beginning of the book and I had a hard time keeping track of them all.  I also spent a large part of the book feeling like I was missing major backstory.  

I know others have loved this book. Check out what others are saying on Goodreads. In the end, it just wasn't for me.

Find it on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34385108-wasp

Buy links:

• Amazon (Kindle)
• B&N Nook
• Kobo
• iBooks
• Google Play 

About the Author: 

Canadian born, Fiona Quinn is now rooted in the Old Dominion outside of D.C. with her husband and four children. There, she homeschools, pops chocolates, devours books, and taps continuously on her laptop.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.fionaquinnbooks.com/
Newsletter: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/Q8Mgy
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9863605.Fiona_Quinn
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fiona-Quinn/e/B00OTQE926/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FionaQuinnBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FionaQuinnBooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fionaquinn52/

Avenged by Jay Crownover

Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher:
Date of publication:

New York Times bestselling author Jay Crownover brings heat and heart to Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie family with AVENGED… 

Girl meets boy… 

On the worst night of her life when she’s decided to take a drastic step that there is no going back from. 

Girl is used to sitting by, letting fate deal cruel hand after cruel hand to good people with soft hearts and she’s had enough. 

Girl thinks it’s time to fight back against fate and against men who aren’t careful with all the precious things a woman in love has to give him. 

Fate shows girl who’s boss and turns her world and plans upside down without breaking a sweat. 

Avenged is a short novella that brings together a couple of characters from The Point and The Saints of Denver series. This also takes place in the town of Surrender that features in the Mackenzie world from author Liliana Hart.  It's a lot of connections and I'm not sure it works that well as a stand alone. I haven't read any of the series from Ms. Hart, but that really didn't make a difference in this book. But I did feel as if a new reader might be a bit lost as to who Echo and Benny are in relation to Ms. Crownover's series. 

I have read everything by this author, so it was a treat for me to see Echo and Benny get a story.  It's quick and  insta-love.  Both of them have major pasts and I could see how that drew them together.  But in the end, I really wanted more.  I really think that these two deserved a longer story. But, in the end I did enjoy it.  They were hot together and maybe that will pop up in later books, so we can see how they are doing.

Wikedpedia by Chris Van Etten

Author: Chris Van Etten
Publisher: Scholastic
Date of publication: June 2014

It's the return of Point Horror for the Internet generation! Don't open the door. Don't answer your phone. And whatever you do, DON'T turn on your computer. . . .

Cole and Gavin love playing practical jokes through Wikipedia. They edit key articles and watch their classmates crash and burn giving oral reports on historical figures like Genghis Khan, the first female astronaut on Jupiter. So after the star soccer player steals Cole's girlfriend, the boys take their revenge by creating a Wikipedia page for him, an entry full of outlandish information including details about his bizarre death on the soccer field.

It's all in good fun, until the soccer player is killed in a freak accident . . . just as Cole and Gavin predicted. The uneasy boys vow to leave Wikipedia alone but someone continues to edit articles about classmates dying in gruesome ways . . . and those entries start to come true as well.

To his horror, Cole soon discovers that someone has created a Wikipedia page for him, and included a date of death. He has one week to figure out who's behind the murders, or else he's set to meet a pretty grisly end.

Wickedpedia is kind of a mess.  Cole is a jealous ex-boyfriend who wants revenge on Winnie and her new boyfriend.  So, he and his best friend start making fake Wikipedia pages about them.  Only someone takes the fake pages to heart and starts killing off teenagers. 


I'm not even sure what to really say about this book.  It wasn't the worst YA horror, I have read.  But is wasn't the best either.  It kind of reminded me of one of those independent horror films where the teens make dumb decisions and not a lot makes sense.  You know the ones that show up on Netflix and only have 1 star ratings?  The characters were kind of dull and one-dimensional.  I'm not sure I was really rooting for any of them.  The ending was awful and abrupt.  I would have liked an epilogue.  Even a cheesy one would have been better than what I got.  

The only thing that did surprise me was the killer.  I didn't call that one right away..  The kill scenes were pretty gruesome too.  So, if you don't mind that ( and I don't) than this will be right up your alley.  I'm not sure this will be relevant in the future. The pop culture references and technology will be forgotten in 20 years.  I know this is marketed to teens, but they aren't dumb and I can't really imagine most of them thinking this was good solid writing.  

The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

Author: Samantha Young
Publisher: Berkley
Date of publication: September 2016

While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for…. 

Have you ever gone on vacation and wondered what it would be like to leave your job and just stay there forever?  That is what Jessica does in The One Real Thing.  She falls in love with the boardwalk of Hartwell as well as the people who own businesses there.  Is she crazy or does she have a chance at happiness? I did end up enjoying this book, but I will admit that parts of it dragged and seemed unnecessary to the overall story. The other thing that drove me nuts was switch between forst person (Jessica) and third person (Cooper).  I didn't understand the reason for that at all and it was a little distracting.

 Jessica's decision to abruptly stay in Hartwell and start over didn't seem so crazy to me.  She was miserable, unhappy and unattached.  Why not move somewhere that she feels accepted and comfortable?  Cooper and Jessica were great together.  I did like that it took a while for them to get together because it gave them a chance to get to know each other more.  My only complaint was the secret that Jessica had took way too long to come out.  The reader doesn't even find out what it was until she told Cooper very late in the book.  That was a bit frustrating because I couldn't understand Jessica's hesitation to tell him.  

This is definitely a book that sets up scenarios for future books. We are introduced to a lot of different characters who seem to have secret backstories that I am looking forward to finding out. I liked the small town feel of the book and how the small community of businesses on the boardwalk came together to help each other out.  I am looking forward to reading Bailey and Vaughn's story next in Every Little Thing.

Throwback Thrusday: Coming Home by Mariah Stewart

Author: Mariah Stewart
First published in 2010 by Ballantine Books

In the wake of his wife’s murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI—and everything else—to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love, and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister’s wedding draws him to St. Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn’t interested in finding love again, Grady can’t ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton.

Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St. Dennis is the best decision she’s ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She’s made friends, has a home she loves, and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she left behind. The last thing she’s looking for is romance, but the hot new man in town is hard to resist. And when Vanessa’s past catches up with her, Grady finds that he’s unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn’t always have to hurt.

Coming Home is the first in The Chesapeake Diaries series.  I have read a couple of the latest books, but never had a chance to go back to the beginning.  This one was enjoyable and definitely was a first in a series book, setting up the town and characters.  It has a lot of great characters who add a lot of flavor and color to the town. Along with the romance between Vanessa and Grady, there is a little bit if a mystery.  I kind of guessed what was going on, but I didn't mind because I loved the atmosphere and the story.

My only complaint is that I kept having the feeling that I was missing some major backstory among some of the characters.  Mainly Beck, Mia and Grady.  I found out that this story connects to the book, Last Words, which is the second book in this author's "Last" series.  That really annoyed me.  I really dislike reading a book and feeling like I walked into the middle of a movie.   There just wasn't enough explanation of a back story to make this a true stand alone.

Despite thtat, I did enjoy the book.  I'll definitely be checking out the next book, Home Again, real soon!

Blog Tour: Finding Our Forever by Brenda Novak

Author: Brenda Novak
Publisher: Harlequin
Date of publication: March 2017

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes readers to the town of Silver Springs, where surprises wait around every corner!

The search for her birth mother brought Cora Kelly to the New Horizons Boys Ranch. Getting a job there was easy enough, but confiding in Aiyana, the ranch’s owner, that she’s really her daughter? Cora’s not sure she can do that, not unless she’s confident the news will be welcomed. And once she gets to know Elijah Turner—Aiyana’s adopted son and ranch manager—that decision becomes even more difficult.

Although Elijah can’t deny his deep attraction to Cora, he’s always struggled with trust. Anyone with his past would, and there’s something about the ranch’s newest employee that isn’t exactly as it seems. But if the feelings she awakes in his guarded heart are any indication, she might be just what he’s long been waiting for.

I really wanted to love Finding Our Forever.  I loved the idea of the ranch and the school for wayward boys.  I was also wanted to love the romance.  There is always something about 2 broken people finding love that melts my heart.  I was interested enough in the romance between Cora and Elijah to finish out the story. But in the end, I was a bit disappointed.I did like Cora and Elijah together.  I loved how she helped him open himself up to love again.  But I didn't feel like I got enough of Elijah to really understand his closed off personality.  His backstory is mentioned, but how it affected him isn't fully explored.

There were a few other threads that seemed to be just dropped and weren't explored enough. The story takes place on a ranch that is also a school for boys and despite it being talked about several times, the reader is never shown any interaction with Cora or Elijah and the students.  I would have liked to see that since such a big deal is made about the school setting.  Otherwise, this story could have taken place anywhere.  Elijah's interactions (of non-interactions) with his birth mother looked like it could have been a like of conflict, but it never went anywhere.

The main reason for my disappointed really stems from the secret that Cora kept hidden from her birth mother.  I was not adopted so I don't want to assume how I would feel, but I ended up having a hard time with how long Cora kept it from Aiyanah.  I didn't really buy the reveal.  It was just accepted too easily and was kind of anticlimactic and rushed. I think I would have expected more conflict or sense of betrayal.  The only honest reaction to her finding her birth mother came from her adoptive parents.  That is what I would have expected to happen.

Ultimately, the romance is sweet and I did like their HEA. It's not a bad book, it just didn't have everything I was looking for in it.  I'm hoping  that in future books we get to see Cal and Aiyanah's relationship blossom further.  I also do want to see Elijah's brothers find their HEAs.

About Brenda Novak

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has penned over 45 novels. A two-time Rita nominee, she’s won The National Reader’s Choice, The Bookseller’s Best, The Bookbuyer’s Best and many other awards. She runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $2 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.

Connect with Brenda

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Brenda Novak’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, March 21st: Books and Bindings

Wednesday, March 22nd: Reading Reality

Thursday, March 23rd: West Metro Mommy Reads

Friday, March 24th: Read Love Blog

Monday, March 27th: Books a la Mode – guest post

Tuesday, March 28th: Reading is my SuperPower

Wednesday, March 29th: Luxury Reading

Thursday, March 30th: The Sassy Bookster

Friday, March 31st: A Fortress of Books

Tuesday, April 4th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Tuesday, April 4th: Books and Spoons

Wednesday, April 5th: Romantic Reads and Such

Friday, April 7th: The Romance Dish

Monday, April 10th: Just Commonly

Wednesday, April 12th: From the TBR Pile

Friday, April 14th: Moonlight Rendezvous

Monday, April 17th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, April 19th: Becca the Bibliophile

Blog Tour: The Widow's House by Carol Goodman

Author; Carol Goodman
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: March 2017

When Jess and Clare Martin move from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to their former college town in the Hudson River valley, they are hoping for rejuvenation—of their marriage, their savings, and Jess’s writing career.

They take a caretaker’s job at Riven House, a crumbling estate and the home of their old college writing professor. While Clare once had dreams of being a writer, those plans fell by the wayside when Jess made a big, splashy literary debut in their twenties. It’s been years, now, since his first novel. The advance has long been spent. Clare’s hope is that the pastoral beauty and nostalgia of the Hudson Valley will offer some inspiration.

But their new life isn’t all quaint town libraries and fragrant apple orchards. There is a haunting pall that hangs over Riven House like a funeral veil. Something is just not right. Soon, Clare begins to hear babies crying at night, see strange figures in fog at the edge of their property. Diving into the history of the area, she realizes that Riven House has a dark and anguished past. And whatever this thing is—this menacing force that destroys the inhabitants of the estate—it seems to be after Clare next…

I was really looking forward to reading The Widow's House.  I have been in the mood for a good ghost story.  I ended up with mixed feelings about the book.  I liked it, I just didn't love it. In the story, Clare and her writer husband Jess, move to her hometown to make a fresh start. Clare begins to see ghosts and wonders if she is going crazy.

There were definitely parts of the story that I liked.  The writing was really good.  The author has a way of setting up the dark Gothic atmosphere of the house and estate that makes the reader feel as if they are a part of the story.  I also liked that the story was from Clare's point of view; allowing the reader to experience everything along with Clare. It definitely made me wonder at times if Clare ws crazy.

Having said all of that, the book really dragged for me until about the last 1/3 of the book. I thought the overall story was kind of  predicable, so I was a little disappointed in the end. I was interested enough to keep reading to the end.   I was just really hoping for something unique and I just didn't get it.

I think fans of this author would love this book.  I recommend it to anyone who likes psychological Gothic stories involving creepy houses.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Carol Goodman

Carol Goodman is the critically acclaimed author of fourteen novels, including The Lake of Dead Languages and The Seduction of Water, which won the 2003 Hammett Prize. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her family, and teaches writing and literature at the New School and SUNY New Paltz.

Connect with Carol on Facebook.

Tour Stops

Tuesday, March 21st: Caryn, The Book Whisperer

Wednesday, March 22nd: Staircase Wit

Thursday, March 23rd: Tina Says…

Monday, March 27th: Booksie’s Blog

Tuesday, March 28th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, April 5th: Why Girls Are Weird

Tuesday, April 11th: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, April 12th: Bibliotica

Thursday, April 13th: Book by Book

Wednesday, April 19th: Unabridged Chick

Thursday, April 20th: Jathan & Heather

The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date of publication: January 2017

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter-break reprieve after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But Charlotte isn’t the only Holmes with secrets, and the mood at her family’s Sussex estate is palpably tense. On top of everything else, Holmes and Watson could be becoming more than friends—but still, the darkness in Charlotte’s past is a wall between them.

A distraction arises soon enough, because Charlotte’s beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring. The game is afoot once again, and Charlotte is single-minded in her pursuit.

Their first stop? Berlin. Their first contact? August Moriarty (formerly Charlotte’s obsession, currently believed by most to be dead), whose powerful family has been ripping off famous paintings for the last hundred years. But as they follow the gritty underground scene in Berlin to glittering art houses in Prague, Holmes and Watson begin to realize that this is a much more complicated case than a disappearance. Much more dangerous, too.

What they learn might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other

I read the first book, A Study in Charlotte and liked it enough to want to read more about Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson.  I snatched up The Last of August as soon as  it was available on audio.   The story takes place pretty much right after the events of the first book.  Charlotte and Jamie are on winter holiday with their families.  Charlotte's uncle goes missing and the duo teams up to figure out what happened. Sounds exciting, right?  Um..not especially.

I was so disappointed with this book.  First, I'm not sure  Taking them out of the high school environment was the way to go.  I felt like the duo lost something outside of the school setting.  They are 16, yet they are able to traipse all over Europe like they were adults. It just wasn't believable to me.  I also found that I didn't like either main character anymore.  Jamie was angsty and whiny and Charlotte was almost robot-like and kind of over dramatic at times. The mystery of the art fraud was pretty boring.  The reveal is pretty much in the middle of the book. 

The biggest issue I had with this story was the story-line of Charlotte's date rape from the first book.  Why is everyone ignoring this?  How does a 16 year old know that therapy won't help?  Trying little experiments with her best friend to see if she can not flinch really isn't the way to go.  I found her treatment of Jamie was so unfair.  The poor kid just wants to help her and she constantly pushed him away with no desire to help herself realistically.  I know that Charlotte is supposed to be a genius, but at the end of the day, she is still a lost 16 year old girl who needs therapy.  The "adult" problems put on these kids just didn't work for me.  This also makes me want to keep this to an over 16 crowd.  I wouldn't let my 13 year old read this

The ending was confusing and rushed.  I have no idea what even happened.  I kept thinking maybe I missed a disc or something, but no...that is how is ended.  I may peek at the next one to see if some of this can be resolved.  It might be nice if a "Holmes" character could have some peace and happiness at some point.  In the end, I'm not sure I can really recommend this sequel.  It definitely does not hold up as a stand alone.  If you decide you want to give it a try, I would recommend reading the first one before this one.  Otherwise, you will be lost.