The Art of New Beginnings (Ragin' Moon Refuge, Book Three)

 

K.T. RAINE

Stats: Kindle edition, pub 9/28/25.

How acquired: Via BookSirens.

First line: The Greyhound was only a third full – Morgan’s first lucky break in years.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I think this third book is my favorite (so far) of the Ragin’ Moon Refuge series. Morgan is a bit of a departure from the typical romance story heroine. She’s just been released from prison after serving five years and needing somewhere to start over, she’s headed to Big Pine, Montana, a place she remembers from childhood visits with her grandparents. We don’t know why she was in prison until much later in the story, but the bits and pieces of her experiences behind bars that are shared with us along the way give us a little insight into her character, and I was rooting for her from the very beginning.

Gio, who we met in the previous books, befriends Morgan after she comes into his diner looking for a job. While he’s not in a position to hire her at the moment, he is able to give her some temporary work while one of his employees is out sick, which gives them the opportunity to begin getting to know one another. Morgan spends her first night in Big Pine camping in a small tent at one of the local parks, but when the second evening brings torrential rain Gio takes her to Ragin’ Moon, where she’s set up in one of the guest cabins.

Gio’s easy acceptance of Morgan’s secretiveness, and not saying anything initially and then not pushing her when he and his mother believe she’s given them a false name, stems partly from the fact that the refuge his family runs is used to being a haven for women in trouble, but I believe it was also partly just his character, his kindness and respectfulness. There’s no big plot twists, no imminent danger, no action scenes, and none of that was needed – I very much enjoyed just following along as Gio and Morgan’s friendship grew into feelings for each other. Not to mention the sweet little puppy Morgan rescued and smuggled aboard the bus that brought her to Big Pine!

While this is part of a series, each book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend starting with the first book, as they are all worth reading, and then move on to the Huckleberry Ridge series, which I like even more, and of course the author’s actual standalone book, Holding Out For Special, which was my introduction to her and which I just loved. Ms. Raine packs her books with wonderful characters, and the dialogues are well written, so the stories just flow across the pages. Can you tell I’m a fan?

*Received with thanks from the author/BookSirens and voluntarily reviwed*

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sometimes it's the shadows of our past that illuminate the path forward. 

After five years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, 30-year-old Morgan Mayfield is finally free—yet the life she once knew is gone. Once a celebrated artist, she's now branded a pariah in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. With nowhere else to turn, she heads for the one place where happy childhood memories Big Pine, Montana.

Armed with nothing but determination and a new alias, Morgan finds work at the Big Pine Bar and Grill and begins rebuilding her life. She never expects to cross paths with Gio Lascari, the charismatic owner whose steady kindness both unnerves and comforts her. Gio senses she's carrying secrets, but he also sees the courage behind her guarded smile—and he's drawn to it.

Just as Morgan begins to believe in second chances, the past she's been hiding from walks straight into her life. When a shocking encounter threatens to expose her identity and destroy everything she's rebuilt, Morgan must find the strength to face the truth ... and decide if she can trust Gio with the pieces of her heart.

A heartfelt, slow-burn clean romance about redemption, hope, and the healing power of love—set against the rugged beauty of small-town Montana.

Holding Out For Special

 

K.T. RAINE

Stats for my copy: Kindle Edition, 9/15/21.

How acquired: Via BookSirens for review.

First line: Emory Dockins navigated the busy onramp onto Interstate 270 outside of Baltimore, her eyes blurred with tears.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: This was an absolute delight. When you pick a random book from an author you’ve never heard of, you never know for sure what you’ll get. Sometimes you get a dud, and sometimes you get a gem.

It’s billed as a “Clean and sweet contemporary romance with a dollop of suspense”. It is sweet, and it is clean, with just some kissing between the hero and heroine, but there is also some heat and palpable chemistry. I love a law enforcement hero, and I think this is the first romance I’ve read where the hero was a Secret Service agent. Emory and Vince both have some baggage, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to get a lot of angst, but it was light in that department. What we do get a lot of is amusing banter. I smiled a lot, and I laughed out loud, and then suddenly I was crying, real tears running down my face. And I was only at the 50% mark!

The narrative alternates between Emory’s and Vince’s POV, and I loved both of them. Emory is a teacher, and I really liked how Vince was very respectful of her profession, describing her as “An underpaid, self-sacrificing teacher…”. When she asks how does he know she’s underpaid, he responds “All teachers are underpaid in my book”.

There’s also a cute little girl named Macy, whose mother, a politician, has been receiving threats. Vince’s current assignment is protection detail for the child, and the relationship that he develops with her was just adorable.

This is a breezy, fun and heartwarming story, with well written characters, including the child and her dog, that I probably would’ve finished in just a couple of days if I didn’t have a freakin job to go to. From what I read about the author, this is her first adult book, with her previous books being for young readers, but she has more coming, and now that she’s on my radar I’m eager for more from her!

Synopsis from Goodreads: After 32 years of no luck in the true love department, sweet, unassuming school teacher, Emory Dockins, has pretty much given up on ever finding the right guy. Never in a million years does she expect to catch the eye of the intimidating, but swoon-worthy Secret Service agent, Vince Murano, who comes to question her about death threats against an aunt she never knew existed. Yep, life's funny like that. And maybe Emory shouldn't give up on her happy ever after just yet.

Christmas Cow Bells (Buttermilk Creek Mystery, Book 1)

MOLLIE COX BRYAN

Stats for my copy: Paperback, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 9/24/19.

How acquired: Cozy Mystery Review Crew

First line: Sometimes a place reaches deep inside of you, flows through you with light and warmth, and fills you with a sense of belonging, a sense of home.

My thoughts: This was a slow read for me, though it shouldn't have been. I think I might have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been entirely told from Brynn's point of view. She's likable enough, but I never really connected with her, and didn't really get to know any of the other characters. I had trouble sometimes just keeping up with the other characters. Brynn's friends, Willow and Schuyler, seemed quite similar and I mixed them up several times, and I did the same with the police chief and the fire chief. Brynn's investigation into the fire that killed her neighbor was a bit perfunctory. She spent more time thinking and agonizing over it than actually doing anything. I was actually more interested in the cows and the cheese-making process, which I knew nothing about. And the dog of course! Although it was annoying that Freckles was alternately referred to as “he” and “she”. Overall, the story was a pleasant enough way to while away some time, if not especially memorable.

Goodreads synopsis: Christmas is a time for new beginnings, so after her big breakup, Brynn MacAlister takes the gouda with the bad. With her three Red Devon cows, she settles in bucolic Shenandoah Springs, eager for a new life as an organic micro-dairy farmer and cheese-maker. Then her dear cow Petunia's bellows set the whole town on edge. But it isn't until Brynn's neighbor, Nancy, dies in a mysterious fire that her feelings about small town life begin to curdle . . .

It seems some folks were not happy with Nancy's plan to renovate the Old Glebe Church. But is a fear of change a motivation for murder? As a newcomer, Brynn can't ignore the strange events happening just on the other side of her frosty pasture--and soon on her very own farm. Suddenly Christmas doesn't feel so festive as everyone demands she muzzle sweet Petunia, and Brynn is wondering if someone wants to silence her--for good . . . 

Versions of Her

ANDREA LOCHEN

Stats for my copy: ebook, Red Adept Publishing, LLC, 7/23/19.

How acquired: Gifted to me from the author.

First line: Kelsey was running late, of course.

My thoughts: What a lovely story! You know how you start reading a book, and it's enjoyable, and you're thinking it'll be at least three stars, probably four. And then somewhere, you're not sure exactly where, it becomes a five star book, and you're not even half finished. The writing started out solid and flowing rather effortlessly and then became enveloping as time passed unnoticed.

Sometimes she wanted to physically shake the hope out of him until he was as empty and barren as she was.

It's a wonderful character study. Two sisters, complete opposites, with distance, both physical and metaphorical, between them, who seem to have little in common yet are united in grief as they both still mourn the loss of their mother four years earlier. They have fond memories of summers spent at the family lake house, which their mother bequeathed to them. But the recent tenants have moved out and the house stands empty, and Melanie has decided it's time to sell, and while Kelsey doesn't really agree, she grudgingly goes along with the plan.

Their discovery of the hidden closet, and how it leads them to glimpses from their mother's past, came a little bit out of left field, and I absolutely loved it. While I realize other reviewers may have already given it away (I did not read any reviews before I picked up the book), I don't want to say anything more about that aspect of the story, as I'd like other readers to have that plot twist take them unawares the way it did me. Believe me, it's worth it.

And of course I have to mention Sprocket, Kelsey's dog, who is a supporting character in his own right. What would life be without a dog?

She watched Sprocket rolling in the grass on his back with joyful abandon. That was why people loved dogs. Dogs embraced life and savored every second of it, no matter if it meant looking like a total dork.

I cried a couple of times on this journey with Melanie and Kelsey, and when I finished the last page I sighed with happiness and contentment. I'm planning a trip to Barnes & Noble this weekend, and I'll be looking for Ms. Lochen's other books while I'm there.


Goodreads synopsis: On the surface, Melanie Kingstad-Keyes’s life is the picture of success. She’s a tenure track professor at a prestigious university and has a perfect husband. But a recent miscarriage has left her reeling and her marriage tenuous. Selling her family’s Lake Indigo summer home, which she hasn’t visited in fifteen years, feels like the perfect distraction from her problems. Now, she only needs to persuade her younger sister, Kelsey, to go along with her plan.

Stuck in a dead-end job, Kelsey Kingstad bounces from one doomed relationship to the next as she struggles to jumpstart her adult life. Carrying the guilt of her mother’s untimely death, Kelsey is reluctant to let go of the Victorian house filled with memories of her mom and their childhood.

When the sisters find a mysterious hidden door, Melanie and Kelsey discover that they can directly view their mother’s younger years and learn all the secrets she never shared with them. Delving into her memories is fun at first, but Melanie and Kelsey quickly uncover difficult truths, throwing their own life choices into question and making them wonder if they ever truly knew their mother. Visiting the past may help them find closure, but the cost could be steeper than they realize. 

The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs, Book 14)

EMILY MARCH

Synopsis from Goodreads: Spring has come to Eternity Springs in the newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series by Emily March. 

When Josh Tarkington gets stuck on a gondola with the lovely Caitlin Timberlake, he thinks his consistently bad luck might have changed. 

After their blossoming romance is interrupted, Caitlin realizes that her encounter with Josh was a sign that she needed to make a major life change. So she packs up her things and moves to Eternity Springs, opens a day care, and sets her cap for the town’s mechanic—Josh. 

But Josh is hiding a well of secrets that would ruin him, and his relationship with everyone in Eternity Springs—especially Caitlin. When tragedy strikes, Josh and Caitlin find themselves, and their relationship, tested beyond imagining. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, St. Martin's Paperbacks, expected publication date 2/27/18.

How acquired: NetGalley

My thoughts: I'm usually pretty anal about reading series books in order, but when I received an email from NetGalley that this book was available for forty-eight hours I immediately downloaded it. I've not previously read anything by this author, but I've heard good things about her, and one friend compared her to Robyn Carr, so I was excited to give her a try.

Each chapter is prefaced with a short “Journal Entry”. We don't know at first which character is journaling, but they threw me a little off kilter at first with hints of past child abuse. Once I got past that though, I enjoyed the story. And not having read the previous books in the series wasn't an issue at all. I suspect some of the supporting characters might have been the heroes/heroines of previous books, but this one can definitely stand on it's own.

Caitlin meets Josh, and his dog Penny, who is in a little doggy wheelchair, while in Telluride for a wedding, when they are trapped together in a gondola. Like Caitlin, that first meeting with Josh had me hooked on him immediately. He's good looking, he's funny, and who wouldn't fall for a man who loves a little dog like Penny?

In a lot of romance novels the hero is the dogged pursuer. He meets a woman and knows right away that she's the one, and he sets out to convince her of that, while she resists because she's been burned before. Here, it's Caitlin who decides early on that Josh is the one. The last thing he wants is a relationship, and he's not a happy camper when he learns that Caitlin has moved to Eternity Springs to be near her parents and brother.

Of course you know how it will all end, because it is a romance, after all. But the journey to that ending was very enjoyable. The writing is a bit breezy, and I especially enjoyed Caitlin's interactions with her brother. The subject matter does get a little deep, as Josh has a lot of baggage, but it was never sensationalized and was thoughtfully handled. I'm going to have to look for the first book in the series and then go on from there! 

Nanny Returns (Nanny, Book 2)

EMMA MCLAUGHLIN and NICOLA KRAUS

Synopsis from jacket flap: More than four million readers fell in love with Nan, the smart, spirited, and sympathetic heroine of the #1 New York Times bestseller THE NANNY DIARIES.

Now she's back. After living abroad for twelve years, she and her husband, Ryan, aka H.H., have returned to New York to make a life for themselves. In the midst of getting her new business off the ground and fixing up their fixer-upper, Ryan announces his sudden desire to start a family. His timing simply couldn't be worse.

To compound the mounting construction and marital chaos, her former charge, Grayer X, now sixteen years old, makes a drunken, late-night visit, wanting to know why she abandoned him all those years ago. But how can she explain to Grayer what she still hasn't come to terms with herself? In an attempt to assuage her guilt, yet against every instinct, Nan tries to help Grayer and his younger brother, Stilton, through their parents' brutal divorce, drawing her back into the ever-bizarre life of Mrs. X and her Upper East Side enclave of power and privilege.

After putting miles and years between herself and this world, Nan finds she's once again on the front line of the battle with the couture-clad elite for their children's well-being.

With its whip-smart dialogue and keen observations of modern life, NANNY RETURNS gives a firsthand tour of what happens when a community that chose money over love finds itself with neither. 

Stats for my copy: Hard back, Atria Books, 2009.

How acquired: Bought.

My thoughts:  My daughter recently got a job as a nanny, and I get texts from her on an almost daily basis complaining or ranting about the mother of the kids. I asked her one day if she'd read or seen the movie of THE NANNY DIARIES, because Mrs. X would make her appreciate her employer. Then I remembered I had this sequel on my shelf, so I pulled it out and started reading. It's been awhile since I read the first book (2004 I think), but I fell right into this one without feeling any need to be refreshed on the first book.

It's twelve years later, and Nan and her husband have just moved back to New York after having lived overseas. There are numerous plot points that take off from there. They buy a house that is literally falling down around them (at one point a stairway collapses and they have to use a ladder to get up and down between floors), Nan starts a consulting business and gets a job with a private school that caters to privileged kids and their pretentious parents, they contemplate having children (Ryan wants to, Nan isn't so sure), Nan reconnects with old friends and not quite friends, and then the biggest plot - Grayer X suddenly pops up, embroiling her back into his life for the sake of saving his younger brother from their warring, divorcing parents.

Despite how busy the story is, the plots all weave together seamlessly. The book is written in first person present tense POV, my least favorite tense, but it's done so very well that I didn't mind at all. In fact I actually liked it. The writing is very engaging and the story is mesmerizing. NANNY RETURNS is a fantastic follow up, with a satisfying resolution and providing closure to the first book.