Looking for Leroy

 

MELODY CARLSON

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2022.

How acquired: From the publisher via Revell Reads.

First line: “Hey, if you want to believe in fairy-tale endings, go for it.”

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I’ve previously read four books by Melody Carlson, but this is the first one I’ve read that was not Christmas themed. I didn’t even read the synopsis first, I saw her name, and loved the gorgeous cover, and that was all I needed to know.

I think one reason her books appeal to me is they aren’t always about young twenty-somethings. Brynna and Leroy are closer to my age. Not that I don’t mind reading about younger characters, but I guess I just appreciate a good romance with characters a little easier for me to relate to.

Brynna and Leroy had met at a summer camp the summer before college. They spent all their time together, and after camp was over they wrote letters. Until Brynna wrote Leroy that she wasn’t going to write to him again. Now, some thirty years later, Brynna is an elementary school teacher, and divorced. One of her colleagues has planned a camping trip, and talks Brynna into joining her. Where do they end up the first night? At the same camp where Brynna met Leroy. As those memories come back she tells her friend, Jan, and Mike, who they meet at the camp, about Leroy, and Jan and Mike decide that Brynna needs to look for him.

Throughout the entire book, I pictured Leroy as Mark Harmon. You know, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. (From NCIS, for those of you who don’t know.) He’s a widower now, running the family vineyard with two of his daughters and his son-in-law. The story really got going when Brynna arrived at the vineyard, and found herself agreeing to take a job in the office, as Bree. That whole situation was almost a little ridiculous, but I still loved it. And loved Sophie, the daughter who hires her. They develop a wonderful friendship, and watching that happen was heartwarming. Since Brynna used her nickname with Sophie, and still carries her married name, Leroy, having only seen her from a distance so far, has no idea who she really is. It was amusing watching Brynna avoid him, though I began to wonder if their paths would ever actually cross!

Brynna and Leroy were both wonderfully written characters, as were Leroy’s daughters, especially Sophie. I saw a couple of reviews that described Brynna as being easily led or not having a mind of her own, but I disagree. Yes, her friends did push her into searching for Leroy, and pushed her not to give up, but when she truly did want to just give up, they supported her. And then she doesn’t give up, and I think she was actually very courageous to stay at the vineyard in the office job and face Leroy. If I were in her position, I don’t think I would have had the guts. Actually, I don’t think Jan could have even talked me into going on the camping trip with her in the first place!

The ending was, of course, a little predictable, as well as a bit abrupt, but the journey there is what matters, and it was an immensely enjoyable journey.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and have voluntarily reviewed it*

Synopsis from Goodreads: It's official: Brynna Phillips is done with men. They only break your heart. But just when she makes this declaration, her friend Jan convinces Brynna to join her on a camping vacation in Sonoma Wine Country. As they wind their way toward their destination, spanking-new mini camper in tow, Brynna recalls her teenage camp romance with a boy named Leroy. How can it have been nearly 30 years ago? All she remembers is that Leroy was a genuinely good guy and that his family owned a vineyard--in Sonoma. She doesn't even remember his last name. Jan insists they look for him, and the search begins.

Beyond the slim chance they'd ever be able to find him are questions that have haunted Brynna for decades, including What is the point of digging up the past? and Can Leroy ever forgive me for losing touch?

Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you on a trip to rediscover the carefree days of youth and, just maybe, to get a second chance at love.

A Country Kind of Love (Huckleberry Ridge, Book One)

 

K.T. RAINE

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, 2022.

How acquired: From the author via BookSirens.

First line: “Take the next left,” Cody commanded, pointing for emphasis, his tone making it clear just how much the ten year old relished calling the shots.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I loved the previous book I read by this author (HOLDING OUT FOR SPECIAL), so I was excited to see this one available on BookSirens. I requested it immediately, and then I forced myself to finish the books I was already reading before starting this one. It was worth the wait.

The story opens with CeCe and her ten year old son, Cody, arriving in Huckleberry Ridge, where they are moving into a rented duplex. We quickly learn that CeCe is running from something, but we don’t know who or what. Cody is not thrilled about the move, but CeCe is hopeful that they can have a good life in this small town. She’s a little nonplussed when she meets her landlord, Shane, and realizes that he is a cop, and that he lives in the other half of the duplex. At least he’s nice to look at!

Shane has his own baggage. He’s a widow, still missing his wife and gently wallowing in guilt over her death. He’s attracted to CeCe, but as far as a relationship, he’s a bit in stasis. Meanwhile, his son, Dillon, and Cody become best buds right away.

When I reviewed HOLDING OUT FOR SPECIAL, I wrote “This is a breezy, fun and heartwarming story, with well written characters…”. I hate to repeat myself, but that description also fits this book perfectly. I loved CeCe, and I really loved Shane. A law enforcement hero is one of my catnips. While fear has driven CeCe to move 400 miles across the state, she is still strong and resourceful, determined to protect her son and create a good life for him, for both of them. Looking out his window shortly after CeCe arrives, Shane sees her look at her phone and can tell from her body language that she’s upset or afraid. He doesn’t know if she’s in danger, or if she’s on the run, but his protective instincts come out. When her car has a flat tire, he wants to hurry over and help her change it, but he forces himself to stand on his porch with his coffee, strike up some conversation, and wait for her to ask for his help.

Did she know how to change a tire? Based on the majority of stranded female motorists he stopped to help, the odds were about 80/20 against her. It was actually one of the most rewarding parts of his job, the look of relief on a woman’s face when he pulled up in the Tahoe, something about the uniform eliciting trust. It was a lot more satisfying than busting bad guys.

I mean, who wouldn’t love Shane?! I enjoyed watching them get to know each other, and how happy Cody seemed as he hung out with Dillon instead of staying inside with video games, and how Shane’s family, who all live right there in the same little area, welcomed CeCe and Cody into their community. Oh, and CeCe sitting on her back porch talking over the fence to Shane’s sheep!

A sweet, sometimes emotional, story that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I hope there will be many more books in the Huckleberry Ridge series.

*I received a free copy of this book from the author via BookSirens and have voluntarily reviewed it*

Synopsis from Goodreads: After single mom and reporter, CeCe Bixby, has her name leaked in connection with a dangerously controversial story, she and her young son flee 400 miles from Boise to small town Huckleberry Ridge, Idaho for a fresh start.

But life’s never simple, and CeCe is dismayed to find her troubles have followed her. Help may come in the form of her handsome, state-trooper landlord, Shane Wickham, and his surprisingly supportive family. But does she dare share the truth with him?

Hot Chocolate on a Cold Day

 

ROZ DENNY FOX

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin Signature Sagas, 2006.

How acquired: Bought.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: We first met Megan Benton (or at least, I did) in ANYTHING YOU CAN DO…, which was an absolutely delightful book. Megan was a teenager, and the hero and heroine of that book were her mother Emily, and her now stepfather, Camp. That book was followed up with THE BOSS NEXT DOOR, which starred Camp’s sister, Sherry, and which I just loved. So when I finally found a copy of this book, I was eager to revisit the characters.

Megan is an adult now, and working for the Coast Guard in Michigan. Her brother Mark has graduated from college, and Emily and Camp are expecting him to take a job in the child psychology field in their tight knit community. But he’s decided he wants to try his hand at photography and he’s come to Michigan to stay with Megan and take some pictures around the island where she lives.

I loved Emily and Camp in their book, but it was a little disconcerting to now see them heaping expectations on Mark and belittling his love of photography and his desire to pursue that. And then Megan and Mark’s grandmother, Mona, also comes to visit. Megan is not happy about that at first, as Mona and Emily have never gotten along. In fact, the whole point of Emily taking Mark and Megan on the wagon train trip in the first book was because she felt her deceased husband’s parents were interfering in their lives too much and constantly trying to buy the kids. She hoped to spend some time with them and try to ground them in reality, and when I read the book I agreed that they needed it. They started out as spoiled, coddled kids who looked down their noses at their mother and couldn’t stop talking about their grandparents’ money. Since then, Megan has come to realize her mother was right, and she’s pretty much cut off ties with Mona, but Mark has stayed close to her, and Mona provided Mark the money to launch his photography efforts.

Megan quickly comes to realize that Mona has changed, and now that she’s no longer under her late husband’s thumb, she’s sold her huge house, is planning a trip around the country, and has become a softer, nicer person, who has some regrets about the past. Unfortunately, every time Megan tries to tell Emily and Camp that, or talks about Mona at all, they get angry and yell at her on the phone, and it just really gave me bad vibes.

Ok, so getting past that. Sterling moves into the apartment below Megan’s, with his four year old son, Tyler, and his late wife’s younger sister and brother, who he is guardian of. They are sullen and angry about Sterling moving them away from New York. Sterling’s wife was a police officer, and he recoils from Megan initially because of her job, putting her life on the line. It didn’t make him very likable to begin with, but he grew on me quickly, and I knew he’d get past it eventually. And of course it provided some conflict for them to overcome, which I always like.

Megan is constantly making hot chocolate, and it inspired me to do the same, so I bought some Hershey’s Cocoa and followed the recipe printed on the label, and oh my god, it was soooo good. And my three year old granddaughter loved it also, although her mama added milk to hers because she thought it was too sweet. But back to the book.

There were some tense scenes towards the end, a couple of scary rescues at sea, and of course Sterling, and then Megan, realizing they love each other and a great happy ending. Although I never did warm back up to Emily and Camp. I definitely recommend reading the first two books, and I also recommend reading TROUBLE AT LONE SPUR, which is my favorite of Ms. Fox’s books, followed closely by ROMANTIC NOTIONS, which was my introduction to the author.

Synopsis from Goodreads: After a family tragedy, Captain Sterling Dodge and his kids move into the apartment below Coast Guard Lieutenant Meagan Benton. Soon they all learn to love and care again--together.

A Secret Splendor

 

SANDRA BROWN

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Mira, 1983. Previously published under the pseudonym Erin St. Claire.

How acquired: Received from a BookCrossing member.

My thoughts: First off, this review will be full of spoilers.

Second, I generally love everything Sandra Brown writes, though I am partial to her mystery/thrillers. Of all her books I’ve read since being on Goodreads, I’ve given them either four or five stars, with the exception of STING, which I disliked so much I only gave it one star. So this is my first time giving her three stars.

Third, I work in the adoption and surrogacy fields. I’m always a little leery of reading a book with an adoption plotline, for fear it will be shown in a negative or unrealistic way. But A SECRET SPLENDOR is the first book I’ve come across with a surrogacy plotline. And that’s where all my issues lie.

Arden was in a bad marriage to an OB/GYN. After running his practice into the ground and going into debt, her husband agreed to find a woman to be a surrogate for a rich couple, who were paying him $100,000.00. The woman he finds? His wife, Arden. She’s reluctant, but then agrees on the condition that after the baby is born, she gets half the money, a divorce, and custody of their son, Joey, who was ill. I can’t for the life of me remember what was wrong with him, cancer or something. So her husband takes her to his clinic and inseminates her with the client’s sperm.

Arden would be what is now referred to as a traditional surrogate, in that she is the biological mother of the child. Traditional surrogacy is not practiced very often these days. In fact, in the state where I live, traditional surrogacy is not legally recognized, and is treated by the court as an adoption. But at the time this book was written, there probably weren’t many laws regarding surrogacy. Although even if there were laws, the way Arden’s husband handled this situation was probably illegal anyway. My state did not have any laws on the books until 2019.

Fast forward to after the divorce, and Joey dies. Distraught, Arden begins thinking about the other child she gave birth to, and decides she needs to find him or her. She never met the rich couple, and did not see the baby after it was born. She doesn’t even know if it’s a boy or girl. Well, by chance she sees a famous tennis player on TV who looks familiar, and then suddenly remembers a couple she saw when leaving the hospital, who were surrounded by paparazzi, and she realizes that the tennis player is the father. I kept hoping that when she got to know him she would learn that he was not in fact the father, but no, her instincts are correct. He’s now a widower, and the child, a boy, is 22 months old. Every time Arden thought about needing to see her child, I wanted to say he’s not your child, he’s their child.

Anyway, she finally manages to meet the tennis player, Drew, and starts dating him. And of course they fall in love with each other. Pretty soon she’s married to him and “step-mother” to the child, Matt. And she keeps thinking she needs to come clean and tell Drew who she is, but she puts it off because she doesn’t want him to think she only married him to be with the child. Also because she’s a cowardly liar.

And then the ex shows up, and blackmails her, and at first she gives him money, but then she finally gets a backbone and tells him she’s not paying anymore and she’s going to tell Drew the truth, but she goes shopping first, which gives the ex time to go to Drew and spill the beans himself. And of course Drew is furious, and storms out to go do his tennis stuff, and Arden gets angry that Drew is angry, even though he has every right to be angry, and just before he comes home a week later she packs up and leaves.

Of course, in the end, Drew tracks her down and they talk it out and profess their love and get their happy ever after, while I’m just frustrated, because the synopsis doesn’t say anything about surrogacy, just that there are “half-truths, secrets and unspeakable lies” surrounding Matt’s birth, so when I started this book I had no idea what I was in for.

To her credit, I really liked Drew. Sandra Brown has an uncanny ability to write wonderful heroes and I always fall in love with them (except the hero of STING, who I just could not feel any sympathy or empathy for). And I do like her writing. So the book still gets three stars from me.

Accidentally Family (Pecan Valley, Book One)

SASHA SUMMERS

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Entangled: Amara, 2020. 

How acquired: Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss subscription box

First line: Today was always going to be a life changer, Felicity knew that. 

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: The downside to reading a recently published first book of a series? Having to wait now for the next book in the series! I loved this book. I don't even know what to say in this review without just gushing about how wonderful this book is. 

Ok. So Felicity and her son have just watched her daughter graduate from high school. Her ex was a no show to the graduation ceremony, but for good reason – he's in the hospital after a car accident, which killed his girlfriend and injured his toddler son, Jack. And then he dies, but not before extracting a promise from Felicity to take and raise Jack as he has no other family. 

That's the start of a book that's just packed with characters and plot lines, all integral to the overall story and seamlessly woven together. Sometimes when there is a large cast of characters it can be a little confusing in the beginning, but I never had that issue here as they were all so well written. The POV switches around also between the characters, but at the core of the story are Felicity and Graham. Felicity and her ex and Graham and his wife were good friends before Felicity's divorce, and before Graham's wife died. Graham is a doctor, and he and Felicity reconnect at the hospital, and quickly renew their old friendship, except this time that friendship begins to blossom into romance. But they both have busy lives and family issues getting in the way – Felicity preparing to take Jack home when he's released from the hospital, to her own son's dismay, and Graham dealing with his teenage wild child daughter who's been acting out since losing her mother.

Not necessarily a romance book, but if you like small town contemporary character driven family relationship stories with a couple of romances thrown in, this fits the bill. I hope there will be another Pecan Valley novel soon!  

Goodreads synopsis: Welcome to Pecan Valley, where the town may be small but the townspeople will always lend a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on. Where good times, good humor, and good people will always lead to happily ever after.

Life for Felicity, and her teen children, is finally back on track. After her divorce, she wasn’t sure if her sweet family would ever be the same. But things are good––right up until her ex’s spirited toddler lands on Felicity’s doorstep. If the universe is going to throw lemons at her, thank God she has her best friend, Graham, to help her make lemonade out of them. How did she never notice how kind and sexy he is?

Graham is still recovering from his wife’s death years ago and trying to help his teen daughter get her life together. Who is he kidding? His daughter hates him. Forget lemons––he’s got the entire lemon tree. So when Felicity suggests they join forces and help each other, he’s all in. And suddenly he can’t stop thinking about her as more than just a friend. Too bad their timing couldn’t be worse…

Because life rarely goes as planned. Luckily there are many different kinds of family to hold you together and lift you up...plus maybe even a little love between friends.

Balancing Act (Silhouette Special Edition No. 1552)

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT SOME MAY CONSIDER SPOILERS.

LILIAN DARCY

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, 2003.

How acquired: BookCrossing

First line: Brady Buchanan would be here with his little daughter in twenty minutes, maybe less.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: What would you do if you discovered that your adopted toddler daughter had a twin sister who had been adopted by someone else? Libby packs up her belongings and moves across the country. A bit grudgingly, but in order for the girls to have a relationship and grow up together they need to live near each other, and Libby is in a better position to move than Brady, who owns a construction company.

"They laughed, and looked at each other, and the kiss they were both thinking about seemed so real that Libby could almost see it in the air."

Of course Libby and Brady are immediately attracted to each other, but they've both been through bad marriages, and Libby and her daughter, Colleen, are only staying with Brady and his daughter, Scarlett, until Libby can find a job and a permanent place to live.

Like a good romance should, there is plenty of conflict between Libby and Scarlett. Neither completely trusts the other, and both agree that they just need to get along for the sake of the girls. But while Libby is the one who uprooted her life and moved, I still felt Brady got the short end of the stick more often. He seemed to try harder, make more of an effort, while Libby was secretive and standoffish. Even towards Scarlett a little bit. I get that she was afraid of getting too attached to Scarlett, in case things went south and she and Brady went their separate ways, but still.

After awhile I got a little tired of Libby keeping things from Brady and trying so hard to maintain her independence. Not that there's anything wrong with independence. But again, Brady was making an effort, and to his credit he would back off when he realized he was pushing her too much. 

By the time Libby needed to have fibroid surgery, she and Brady had slept together. Yet she did not tell him about her upcoming surgery and the more she kept putting off telling him the more irritated I felt towards her. She didn't like her new doctor, so she arranged a trip home to finish packing up her house and decide whether to sell it or rent it out, and scheduled the surgery with her previous doctor to coincide with the trip, asking her mother to also fly out to help with Colleen. I really thought that something was going to go wrong with the surgery and her life would be hanging in the balance and mom would call Brady and the thought of Libby possibly dying would make him realize how much he loved her and he would rush to be at her side. To my surprise that's not what happened, and I was pretty happy at how it was all finally resolved in the end. 

Goodreads synopsis: Four days ago, Libby McGraw had never even heard of Brady Buchanan. But if his claim was true, her carefully constructed life was about to be blown apart. One glance at the silky-haired baby cradled in Brady's arms told Libby more than any blood test could. Her adopted daughter had an identical twin sister!
Libby wanted to believe she was only marrying Brady to keep the girls together, but her heart wasn't buying that malarkey. Not when the feel of Brady's lips on hers told her they might be destined for a more powerful union....

The Survivors Club

LISA GARDNER

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Bantam Dell, 2002.

How acquired: From my mom.

First line: It started as a conversation.

My thoughts: My first time reading this author (I've been reading a lot of great new-to-me authors lately!) and I'm not even sure at what point of the book I was totally sucked in, but sucked in I was. I noticed a lot of reviewers mentioning the slow start, and yeah, it did take a little bit to get interested. I found the prologue to be a bit confusing, and once I started the first chapter the prologue went completely out of my head. It wasn't until I sat down to write this review that I suddenly remembered the prologue and thought “oh, that's what it was about!” The epilogue, on the other hand, was very welcome and left me feeling a little warm and fuzzy, despite the harsh subject matter in the main body of the book.

I'm very character driven – if I had to choose between plot and characterization I'd go with the latter every time. This book has a lot of characters, but they were easy to keep track of. I very much liked Detective Griffin. I mentioned in the last review I posted that I'm partial to emotionally wounded heroes and law enforcement, and I was drawn to Griffin pretty much right off the bat. And I loved the interplay between Griffin and Detective Fitzpatrick. I know Griffin and Waters were long time friends, but he and Fitz made a great duo, and some of their comments to each other made me smile, and occasionally even laugh a little.

While there's lots of other dialogue between different characters, there's also a good bit of internal dialogue, which I like, and plenty of action. I don't know that I was ever on the edge of my seat, but I was certainly immersed in the story, in all the stories as the narrative focus shifted from character to character. By the end of the book I was reading late into the night, unable to even think about sleeping until I finished the last page.

Goodreads synopsis: They survived what no woman should ever have to endure. Now these three women have the means, the opportunity, and the perfect motive. Are they trying to get away with murder--or is someone trying to make sure that this time they don't get away at all? The Survivors Club... that's what Jillian Hayes, Carol Rosen, and Meg Pesaturo call it. They won't consider themselves victims. They are survivors. They faced the blazing headlines and helped lead the investigation that caught the man who changed their lives forever.

And now that Eddie Como, the College Hill rapist, has been murdered, shot down outside a packed courthouse moments before his trial was about to begin, all three women are openly ecstatic that he's dead. They are also the prime suspects in his murder. Detective Sergeant Roan Griffin knows all too well what can drive even the best people to cross the line. But he has never seen a case quite like this one. No one doubts that the murder of Eddie Como was a professional job, especially when the gunman is killed only blocks away from the shooting.

But questions taunt Griffin: Who ordered the deaths of Eddie Como and his killer? Could three ordinary women have been driven to do the unthinkable? Had someone in the Survivors Club become a killer? Griffin seeks the truth--and finds himself confronted with the leader of the Survivors Club. Jillian Hayes is beautiful, successful, cool as ice, and she harbors a pain that mirrors Griffin's own. Did the horror of what happened to her push her over the thin and desperate line that separates survival and revenge? And if it did, could he blame her--or anyone in the Survivors Club? Then another woman is brutally attacked.

Suddenly, with the city on the ragged edge of panic, gripped in a media and political firestorm of controversy, cover-up, and conspiracy, the hunt is on for a ruthless and cunning killer. For Griffin, this may well be the case that shatters his career. For Jillian, the harrowing nightmare is beginning all over again. Someone is out there. Someone who wants to finish what was started. Someone who wants to make sure that no one survives the Survivors Club. 

Deadly Intentions

LISA HARRIS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell Books, 2019.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blog Tour Program

First line: Josh Solomon had barely slept in thirty-six hours.

My thoughts: I’m learning that Revell consistently publishes really good romantic suspense. I was caught up in this book from the prologue. Of course I’m partial to emotionally wounded heroes, and to law enforcement, and Detective Josh Solomon, still grieving a year after his wife’s death, fit the bill. Caitlyn works at the lab where Josh’s wife worked, and through her friendship with Olivia she and Josh know one another, but mostly on an acquaintance level. Since Olivia’s death, two other employees have died, and after being run off the road one night, Caitlyn is convinced that those deaths are suspicious. So remembering that Josh is with the police, she takes her suspicions to him.

The plot revolves around a virus developed in the lab, and there is a lot of sciency talk as Caitlyn explains it to Josh and as they learn more about the potential hazards associated with this particular virus. And not being I honestly couldn’t tell you much more than that even if I wanted to. But there is also quite a bit of action, and I never found the storyline to be predictable. Josh takes a little convincing at first, but once he’s in he’s all in, and not about to leave Caitlyn on her own. Caitlyn spends most of the book frightened, which I would be also, but she is also brave and determined and pretty resourceful.

The author did a great job with the growing attraction between Josh and Caitlyn. Despite the fact that the events of the book take place over a short span of time, their relationship still seemed to build slowly, which I appreciated. It can be tricky when one character is still grieving over the death of a loved one, and Josh and Cailtyn’s relationship felt realistic.

Another very enjoyable read from Revell, and another new to me author whose backlist I’m going to have to check out now!


Goodreads synopsis: Research scientist Caitlyn Lindsey is convinced that someone is taking out her team one by one. First, a friend and research partner was killed in a home invasion. Three months ago, her boss died in a suspicious car accident. Four days ago, another partner supposedly committed suicide. And now Caitlyn herself has miraculously survived a hit-and-run. Afraid for her life with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to one of the victim's husbands, Detective Josh Solomon.

Though initially skeptical about Caitlyn's theory, Josh soon realizes that the attack that took his wife's life was anything but random. Now the two of them must discover the truth about who is after Caitlyn's team--and what their end game is--before it's too late.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy (Southern Eclectic, Book One)

MOLLY HARPER

Synopsis from Goodreads: Beloved author Molly Harper launches a brand-new contemporary romance series, Southern Eclectic, with this story of a big-city party planner who finds true love in a small Georgia town.

Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. (What, you have a problem with one-stop shopping?) Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair. And true to form in small Southern towns, family business becomes everybody’s business.

Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.

As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town's most eligible gentleman. Will Margot reel in her handsome fish, or will she have to release her latest catch?

Stats for my copy: ebook, Gallery Books, releasing November 21, 2017.

How acquired: NetGalley.

My thoughts: I previously read SAVE A TRUCK, RIDE A REDNECK, Book 0.5 in this series. I’m not a big fan of novellas, just because I like to get more story, more characterization, than the shorter form allows. But I enjoyed it, so I was eager to try one of Ms. Harper’s full length novels and see how much deeper she can go. And she did not disappoint. 

Our heroine this time is Margot, a big city event planner who finds herself out of a job and shunned by the event planning community after a disastrous flamingo incident. We met Marianne, and her brother, Duffy, in SAVE A TRUCK. Margot is their cousin, though she’s never met any of the family. Her mother left her father when she was three years old, and her father has been completely out of her life since then. But Tootie McCready,, her father’s aunt and the matriarch of the McCready clan, contacts Margot out of the blue and offers her a job in the family business, McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. With no other prospects on the horizon, and about to not have anywhere to live, Margot reluctantly accepts.

I very much liked Margot. She’d pretty much had the rug pulled out from under her, and her whole world turned upside down. Settling down to life in Lake Sackett, Georgia, was quite a culture shock for her. Not to mention meeting her biological father, for whom she, understandably, harbors a lot of resentment. She didn’t plan to stay permanently, just until she found a job that would take her back to Chicago or some other civilized city. Watching her navigate her new life was at times eye-wincingly funny.

I loved Kyle, a widower with two young daughters. After a scorching make out session in his truck, he thereafter runs hot and cold with Margot. He doesn’t date much, and he never brings his dates around his daughters. Which is fine with Margot, for while she lusts for him she has no intention of becoming emotionally involved with him. She doesn’t know how to talk to children, and of course she plans on leaving town at the first opportunity.

The first time Margot saw Kyle, she was drawn to his sad eyes and haunted countenance. It was a great way for Ms. Harper to introduce him, because he ticked my boxes also. Of course Margot ends up spending more time with Kyle and his daughters than planned, and some of her interactions with young June were hilarious. I also enjoyed her interactions with Marianne and another cousin, Frankie, who also worked at the funeral home. I really hope Frankie will be the heroine of a future book.

As with the novella, I sometimes had a little trouble keeping all the family members straight at times, but that didn’t really impede my enjoyment of the story. There’s plenty of humor, which I love in a romance, but there was also some angst and ultimately some soul searching for Margot when she finally has an opportunity to leave Lake Sackett.

Very enjoyable, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for other books by Ms. Harper.

One Night of Scandal (Fairleigh Sisters, Book 2)

TERESA MEDEIROS

Synopsis from Goodreads: Proper decorum has never come easily to Carlotta Anne Fairleigh --- not even tonight, when the lovely, impetuous miss is finally making her debut. As she waits to make her entrance, she can't help wondering about the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the "Murderous Marquess." Certainly one small peek through his window before the festivities would be harmless...

And, naturally, this latest "adventure" ends in disaster, thoroughly compromising the budding debutante's reputation and leaving her suddenly, unthinkably ... betrothed! Soon she's en route to the wilds of Cornwall in the company of the handsome, mysterious marquess whose name the ton whisper with fear and loathing.

Yet there is something thrilling --- and surprisingly tender --- about her dark, unreachable groom, and the desire in his eyes is undeniable. But before Lottie will surrender to the yearnings in her heart, she must unlock the secrets of Hayden's past, no matter how scandalous --- or perilous --- they may be.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Avon Books, 2003.

How acquired: Via Book Mooch.

My thoughts: My thoughts are still in a bit of a jumble about this book. Where to start? Oh, Hayden, of course. Dark and brooding, curt, not arrogant really, though he probably was before he became known as the Murderous Marquess, the nickname given to him after his first wife took a dive from a cliff. Of course he was wildly attracted to Lottie as soon as he met her. Of course after inadvertently putting her in a compromising position he gave in and married her, even though the last thing he wanted was a wife. Of course he didn't bother to tell his new wife about the horrid little girl she was now step-mother to. I loved Hayden pretty much from the beginning, despite everyone believing he murdered his wife and his best friend. 

I read the previous book, A KISS TO REMEMBER, eight years ago, which was about Lottie's older sister, Laura. I remembered very little about that book or about Lottie, but since ten years have passed, ONE NIGHT OF SCANDAL is basically a stand alone, and Laura and her husband are peripheral characters for the most part.

Lottie was a fun, spunky heroine. After being seen with Hayden through a window, her family are in despair over her reputation now being ruined, and afraid she will have no decent prospects now. Therefore, her brother-in-law and guardian, Sterling, demands that Hayden marry her. When Hayden refuses, Lottie takes matters into her own hands and, suffice it to say, gets Hayden to agree to the marriage.

From there the story moves from Lottie's home with Sterling and Laura to Hayden's home, and what is pretty much a whole new, dreary, world for Laura. And that's when it really got good. I loved Lottie's interactions with Hayden's daughter, Allegra, and appreciated that Lottie didn't magically win her over and quickly become her best friend. Allegra was a bit overly dramatic at times, and with mysterious music playing behind the closed door of a locked room and the servants all convinced the house was haunted, the story began to have a gothic feel to it. Which was just fine by me.

And the kittens! Oh my, I loved how the kittens always seemed to be in Hayden's way and he was forever nudging one aside with his foot or prying another's claws out of his pants leg or sitting down only to jump back up at the sound of a squeak coming from beneath him.

This book was just perfect for me, with plenty of laughter amid the gloomy gothicness, not to mention the sexual tension between Hayden and Lottie. The night I finished it I read past my bedtime because I couldn't put it down, and I literally cried over it. It was wonderful. 

The Humbug Man

DIANA PALMER

Synopsis from Goodreads: Montana rancher Tate Hollister had to be the grouchiest, grumpiest humbug man widow Maggie Jeffries had ever met. But, as the holiday season progressed, Maggie discovered that Tate wasn't completely immune to the Christmas spirit-his loving embrace on a cold winter's night could prove to be the gift of a lifetime...

Stats for my copy: Paperback, Silhouette Books, 1986.

How acquired: Given to me.

First Line: Tate Hollister lived alone, which wasn't surprising to his nearest neighbor.

My thoughts:  I don't know why it took me so long to finally read a Diana Palmer book. Especially considering she has a huge back list and I have around eighty of her books in my TBR. But one night I wanted a short book to read since my current read was a Kindle book and my phone needed to be charged. So I picked up this slim – ninety-five pages – paperback. And I would've read the entire book in one sitting if I hadn't been so dang tired that I had to quit around page seventy-eight and go to sleep.

I love a grouchy, rude, arrogant hero, a hero who is a loner, a hero who has avoided relationships, a hero who can inspire worship in a child who's innocent little brain doesn't see all those traits that piss off mama whenever she's around him. Tate ticked box after box for me. And despite having been married once, he's relatively inexperienced, and his awkward admissions of that were endearing.

Muscles rippled under darkly tanned skin as he rose from peeking into the oven, and when he turned toward her, she wondered if it was permissible for a modern woman to swoon. 

Maggie is also, despite having been married once, inexperienced, and naive. In fact, she's practically a virgin, her husband having died shortly after their marriage. When she answers the door to Tyler one night and then remembers she's in her pajamas, she's horribly embarrassed. And we're not talking a negligee or peignoir.

Then there's Maggie's son, Blake, who never knew his father and who quickly plots to get his mother and Tate together.

Such a sweet story, and with lots of humor and entertaining banter between Maggie and Tate, and Maggie and Blake. It's short, so Tate's thawing out and losing his grouchiness happens almost a little too quickly, but just almost. I definitely need to read more from this author.