Slow Dancing at Sunrise (Rendezvous Falls, Book One)

JO MCNALLY

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, HQN, 2019.

How acquired: Via Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, the best subscription box around.

First line: Whitney Foster was stuck in a traffic jam.

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

My thoughts: I've had a run of really good books recently, with my beloved enemies-to-lovers trope, from new to me authors! Halfway through this book I already knew it was going to be a five star read.

After losing her job under very trying circumstances, Whitney is taking temporary refuge at her Aunt Helen's winery, but is shocked to see the shabby state of the place. Uncle Tony passed away a couple of years ago, and the winery seems to have gone downhill since then. And Whitney is sure that the hired hand, Luke, is taking advantage of her aunt. So of course from their first meeting she and Luke clash, and clash hard.

I loved Whitney, and Luke, and Helen. Helen and her book club group of friends set out on a hilarious matchmaking scheme, trying to find dates for Whitney in hopes that she'll fall in love and make Rendezvous Falls her permanent home. It never occurs to them that she will fall for Luke, since those two obviously do not get along. They must not read a lot of romance novels in their book club!

It's always refreshing to not have a hero who is rich and successful. In addition to shouldering the burden of running the winery after Helen checked out in her grief over losing Tony, Luke works a second job as a bartender in order to pay rent to Helen for his apartment over the tasting room. Whitney puts her accounting skills to the test and begins going over the winery's messy finances, and when she discovers Luke's solution to how to pay the bills, I was a bit horrified and admiring at the same time. Not to mention very amused.

Once they finally give in to attraction, there was steam coming off the pages, very well written steam, without being crass or too graphic. The whole book is just delightful, and I'm glad I haven't used up the B&N gift card I got for Christmas – I'll be looking for the next Rendezvous Falls book, “Stealing Kisses in the Snow”, on my next trip to the bookstore! 

Goodreads synopsis: When accountant Whitney Foster's carefully calculated life blows up, she escapes to the one place that's always felt like home. But Rendezvous Falls has changed since she's been away. Her aunt Helen's winery is in trouble. And she doesn't trust the sexy, surly stranger working the vineyard as far as she can throw him.
Luke Rutledge would do anything for Helen, who's been like a mother to him. Revive the winery? Sure. Repair her property? No problem. Tolerate Helen's infuriating, big-shot niece? Well...maybe. But as he and Whitney are forced to work together to rebuild the business, her chilly facade reveals a woman as complex and intoxicating as a fine merlot. Throw in a matchmaking book club hell-bent on happily-ever-after and it's a potent cocktail.
Love should never be calculated. But it doesn't take Whitney's math skills to see that this is adding to up to one tantalizing adventure..

Lean On Me (Family is Forever, Book One)

PAT SIMMONS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2020.

How acquired: Via Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, the best subscription box around.

First line: Marcus Whittington wasn't expecting to see a woman on his surveillance camera, trespassing on his domain.

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

My thoughts: A new to me author. Tabitha and her sisters are taking turns caring for their elderly Aunt Tweet, who has dementia/Alzheimer's. Aunt Tweet is living with Tabitha for six months, and Tabitha is realizing being a caregiver is harder than it sounds. When Aunt Tweet manages to slip out of the house and wander the neighborhood, she sits on a neighbor's porch. He thinks Tabitha is not caring for her aunt properly and that her safety is at stake, and keeps threatening to call the police. So right off the bat, from their first meeting, we have two characters at odds with each other, which is one of my favorite ways for a book to start! Though I do like a little more bickering than what goes on here, but Tabitha also holds her tongue because she wants to appear to be doing well with Aunt Tweet, no matter how stressed she is, and doesn't want Marcus to carry out his threats.

I've never been a caregiver, and I hope I don't ever have to be. It sounds like hard work and stress inducing, no matter how much you love the person you're caring for. Tabitha took a lower paying job in order to not have to travel, and has rearranged her life for Aunt Tweet, but Tweet has been one of the most important people in her and her sisters' lives and they all adore her, so it's a sacrifice they are all willing to make.

And who can blame her? Aunt Tweet is delightful. And I very much liked Tabitha as well. She's strong and determined to do the best she can for her aunt. And when Marcus decided to appoint himself as Tabitha's caregiver, aw man, I was a goner. I only have a dog and a cat to care for, but I still need a Marcus!

This is a Christian book, so the romance is very clean, which was fine with me. I like the build up, and the relationship between Tabitha and Marcus moved along at a believable pace as they got to know each other better. There is also a subplot about two of the employees of the janitorial service Marcus runs with his brother, which gave a lot of insight into Marcus's character. And when Aunt Tweet suddenly decides she needs to go to church every week, Tabitha of course has to go with her, and then eventually Marcus joins them, and the sections with them at church were some of my favorites.

All around, this is a heartwarming story, and I'll never look at a caregiver the same way. Tabitha's younger sister, Rachel, gets to have Aunt Tweet with her for the next six months, and her story comes next, so there's that to look forward to!

Goodreads synopsis: Tabitha Knicely loves her career as a pharmaceutical rep, but even her health care knowledge isn't much help with the daily challenges she now faces caring for her aunt with Alzheimer's. Her once organized lifestyle is in disarray and her patience is tested. On Sunday mornings, when Aunt Tweet drags her to church, though Tabitha isn't a believer, the peaceful presence of faith is a welcome relief.
Marcus Whittington believes in second chances, so he hires former inmates to staff the industrial cleaning service he owns with his brother. When a mystery woman who keeps showing up on his porch turns out to be an elderly neighbor, Marcus is outraged at what he perceives as neglect on the part of her caregiver.
Marcus soon learns that being a caregiver is a demanding, compassionate act of kindness that he has never experienced before. After several encounters with Aunt Tweet and Tabitha, his heart is drawn to the family's distress. Marcus is determined to help Tabitha, and a friendship that started out with a grave misunderstanding soon begins to blossom into a relationship filled with love, faith, and partnership. Life is easier, when you have someone to lean on.

Just for You

Cute cover!

DOREEN RAINEY

Stats for my copy: Paperback, Arabesque Books, 2002.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: Alexis Shaw waved to the dealer as she drove off the lot into the late afternoon sun.

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

My thoughts: As I started this book I expected fairly standard category romance fare. Alexis has been voted Businesswoman of the Year by a prestigious magazine, and is out celebrating with a friend. Malcolm and his friend happen to be at the same restaurant, and a chance meeting occurs when Malcolm's friend makes a fool of himself over Alexis and her friend rejecting a bottle of champagne he has sent to their table, and then rejecting him to his face when he approaches their table. (“What are you ladies...gay?”) Thank god Rick isn't the hero of the story! Neither Alexis nor Malcolm expect to see each other again, but as fate would have it, Malcolm is the journalist interviewing Alexis for the magazine. Insults fly and they are promptly at each others throats. I'll tell ya, I love a good enemies to lovers story!

I really liked Alexis, despite her almost maniacal hatred of weddings and marriage. She runs a very successful event planning business, but refuses to plan weddings. Other than that small flaw, she's a wonderful spitfire character, and of course Malcolm is drawn to her. And I loved Malcolm. He's reached a point in his life where he wants to settle down, put down roots, have a family. He accepts his feelings for her much quicker than she does, and I loved how he met her prickliness with kindness and compassion, not to mention humorous admiration.

There are several supporting characters, such as Alexis' sister Melanie, who shows up unexpectedly to hide out while reevaluating her life. Their lives were shaped by their mother, who used her money and influence to buy success for her daughters. Alexis broke away while in college and never speaks to her mother, while Melanie always gave in and did what was expected of her. But now she's realized that she's very unhappy with her life, and I loved watching her grow and rediscover what's important to her. Malcolm, like Alexis, has never gone in for long term relationships, and his brother and cousin tease him mercilessly once they realize a woman is behind his sudden inability to concentrate on their weekly basketball games. He also has a nosy secretary who is eager to figure out who the mystery woman is, and an ex who seems to be stalking him – and Alexis.

This is a romance, but there's a bit of suspense thrown in, and a surprise twist towards the end, and when it was all said and done I got emotional and cried as I read. When you pluck a random book off the shelves, by an author you know nothing about, you never know what you'll get. In this case I got a wonderful love story and a new favorite author whose backlist I need to hunt down now.

Goodreads synopsis: Event planner Alexis Shaw's booming company, Just For You, plans everything – except weddings. As far as Alexis is concerned, marriage is a waste of time, heart, and money. The policy hasn't hurt her any – she's even named Businesswoman of the Year by Image Magazine. To celebrate, Alexis goes out to dinner with her best friend. All's well, until an admirer sends over a bottle of champagne – and won't take no for an answer, even when his handsome colleague, Malcolm Singleton, tries to convince him to back off. Fortunately, Alexis can take care of herself.

Magazine writer Malcolm Singleton knows his chances of seeing the spunky, sexy woman from the restaurant again are nearly impossible – until he learns that his next subject is the Businesswoman of the Year herself. Soon, he and Alexis discover they have a few things in common, including a mutual attraction. But as Malcolm resolves to warm Alexis's cynical heart, he discovers a devastating secret about her award nomination that could destroy their blossoming love. Will telling Alexis the truth mean the end of their relationship – or the beginning of the love of a lifetime?  

Let It Snow

NANCY THAYER

Stats for my copy: Hardback, Ballentine Books, 2019.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: Christina Antonioni could spot a shoplifter with her eyes blindfolded and both ears stuffed with cotton.

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

My thoughts: I decided to read some Christmas themed books – even though it was already January – and this one caught my eye while shopping at Barnes & Noble. I'd seen Nancy Thayer's name before, but this was my first time reading her.

I'm not a cold weather person. “Let it snow” is not something you will ever hear me say. I don't like snow, and ice, I don't like cold, I don't like winter. But I do enjoy reading about it! For most of this book, though, the residents of Nantucket were just wishing for snow.

Christina loves Nantucket, and loves her toy shop. Christmas is one of her busiest times of the year, but her joy of the season is marred when she receives a letter from the owner of the property advising that rent is being raised ten percent in the new year. If she can't convince the owner to not raise the rent, she will have to close her shop. I puzzled quite a bit over wondering how much her rent must be for a ten percent hike to affect her badly enough to go out of business. I even went to Google, but could not find anything definitive. But I finally told myself that even though her space was small, it's a tourist town and probably considerably more than anything where I live.

The property owner, a Grinch-like millionaire, has a young granddaughter, Wink, who Christina becomes very fond of. As did I. Wink was well written and was an integral part of the story, and not just a cloyingly cute moppet. Actually all the characters were well written. Christina is friends with the owners of three other shops (all on property owned by Oscar the grouch – and yes, his name really is Oscar!), and I loved their daily lunch get togethers. I especially developed a soft spot for slightly haughty Harriet (who in my mind I pictured as Elaine Hendrix in the remake of The Parent Trap, and now I want to watch that again). And I loved watching the romance between Christina and Wink's uncle Andy develop. The story takes place over a short period of time, but the romance still felt like it built up slowly, without being instalove.

There were plenty of amusing situations without being campy, and overall the book is a feel good heartwarming read, whatever the season.

Goodreads synopsis: Christina Antonioni is preparing for the holidays at her Nantucket toy shop, unpacking last-minute shipments and decorating for her loyal Christmas shoppers. But when her Scrooge of a landlord, Oscar Bittlesman, raises her rent, it seems nearly impossible for Christina to continue business on the wharf.

Even so, Christina hopes there is a warm heart underneath Oscar's steely exterior. When she bonds with Wink, his sweet, young granddaughter who frequents the shop, it becomes clear that perhaps he isn't so cold after all. And with the help of Wink's uncle, who happens to be a charming and very handsome bachelor, this may be the best Christmas any of them could have ever imagined. Nancy Thayer's enchanting Nantucket setting provides the perfect backdrop for this holiday love story 

The Judge Who Stole Christmas

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

RANDY SINGER

Stats for my copy: Hardback, WaterBrook Press, 2005.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: “Doggone it,” grunted Thomas, glancing toward the Holstein as the big fella lifted its tail.

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

My thoughts: I'm not a religious person, and I found it hard to relate to or even really sympathize with Thomas. I think mostly because of the snippet of back story we were given, about how his and Theresa's two year old son had died of appendicitis because they prayed for three days before finally seeking medical care. If I hadn't known that, I probably would've more easily sympathized with his won't-back-down stance.

I did like Jasmine, and her struggle - balancing life and coming to terms with choosing the high paying corporate law job over making a difference in her hometown - was played out well. The judge...well, of course in the end it came down to putting her personal feelings aside and following the letter of the law, but why did she have to be so rude and condescending in the meantime? Though that was probably a defense mechanism she had learned to employ.

Overall, it was an okay read. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it.

Goodreads synopsis: It starts innocently enough in the town square of Possum, Virginia. But it ends up as a spectacular national scandal: Can a federal judge outlaw Christmas? Thomas Hammond and his wife play Joseph and Mary in the annual live nativity scene in their hometown. But a federal judge rules the display unconstitutional – and a Christmas showdown ensues. Thomas refuses to abide by the court order...and ends up in jail. From the courtrooms of Virginia to the talk shows of New York City, the battle escalates into a national media spectacle. Caught in the middle is law student Jasmine Woodfaulk – assigned to represent Thomas as part of her school's legal aid clinic. Only a surprising series of events – nearly as humbling and unexpected as the origins of the season itself – can reconcile a stubborn father, a crusading law student and a recalcitrant judge.

From Grace to Hell

LUCY GRANT

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, 2019.

How acquired: Via NetGalley.

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

My thoughts: This book is horrible. I rarely write bad reviews, especially for newly published books or debuting authors. But all the other reviews on Amazon - all five of them - are five star reviews. I can only assume the reviewers are either friends of the author, or pseudo reviewers who trade glowing reviews for free books. So I feel honor bound to warn others.

Since I got my copy via NetGalley it may be an ARC, and you have to make allowances for some editing errors in those. But even an uncorrected proof should not be this bad. On one page, in the space of three short paragraphs, the word “walked” appeared five times. She walked to the table...she walked outside...he walked out, then walked back in, then walked out again. Too much! And that’s just one example.

The premise is interesting, if a little far fetched. It’s what made me want to read the book. Grace has worked in her grandfather’s feedlot since she was a teenager, and supervises his ranch hands. (Though I find it hard to believe her claim that her name was on more contracts than her grandfather’s when she was fifteen. In what state can a fifteen year old sign contracts?) Grandpa dies and leaves her money, but leaves the ranch and all his business to her brothers, because she needs to get off the ranch, go to college and get married. So she contests his will on the grounds that she was excluded because she's a woman. Except throughout the book it’s referred to as “protesting” the will. Well, maybe in the state she lives that is the legal term but when I googled “protest will” everything came up as “contest”. But what do I know.

I pretty much hated Grace. I get that she was terribly upset at the way her grandfather (who I also hated) screwed her out of his will, but good god, that's no reason to act like a spoiled child. I hated the way she used Mason. She admits to herself over and over that she is using him and expresses guilt, but then she just continues to use him. And I'm not a prude, I have no problem with characters cussing, but the nasty things Grace and  her brother yelled at each really turned me off. Again, there's no reason to act like a spoiled child. 

There are sooooo many other things I could point out but suffice it to say the book obviously has not met an editor, and desperately needs to. It’s only 99 cents for Kindle, but the paperback is $10, and if I had paid $10 for this drivel I would be demanding my money back. Plus punitive damages.

And that interesting premise? At the end of the book is a twist in grandpa’s will, that just ruined the whole premise and made everything pointless. And then there's another twist, that was also pointless.

Goodreads synopsis: Lawsuits, rivalry, revenge... Welcome to the family.Grace has always been a fighter. As single woman running one of the most successful cattle ranches in the country, she's had to deal with surly ranch hands, crooked lawyers, jealous siblings... It's a full time job, but that hasn't stopped Grace from enjoying some no-strings-attached fun with a smoking hot country boy who's madly in love with her...Then tragedy strikes. Grace's grandfather passes away, and her entire life is turned upside down. Adam, her power-hungry brother, inherits the ranch, and kicks Grace off the property. The young woman soon finds herself in the fight of her life, as she struggles preserve what she's built, and maintain her grandfather's legacy.As the ranch suffers from Adam's corrupt mismanagement, their legal battle takes a dark turn into threats and violence. Grace refuses to back down, and she's willing to use every dirty trick in the book to protect what's hers...But when she pushes her conniving brother too far, will another tragedy rock her family?Get ready for a romantic thriller packed with shocking twists, edge- of-your-seat suspense, steamy sex, and a surprise ending you'll never see coming.

Sleepers

LORENZO CARCATERRA

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Arrow Books, 1996.

How acquired: Via BookCrossing.

First line: I sat across the table from the man who had battered and tortured and brutalized me nearly thirty years ago.

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

My thoughts: The kind of book where you don't really want to say you enjoyed it, given the subject matter and the fact that it's nonfiction (although I've read some dissenting views regarding that, but more on that later), but it was definitely captivating. And during the part of the book set at the Wilkinson School for Boys, a nice way of saying juvenile detention center or reform school, there were times when I felt anxious and dreaded the next few pages. I don't think a book has ever done that to me before.

We meet Lorenzo “Shakes” and his three best friends when they are all around 11-14 years old (if I'm remembering correctly). The author tells us how the four became fast friends while living in Hell's Kitchen, and takes us through a lot of their escapades, up until the fateful practical joke that lands a passerby in the hospital. Up until then it's almost a warm amusing memoir of schoolboy antics. But it definitely takes a very dark turn when the four boys are sent to Wilkinson. From there we follow the boys as they are abused by the guards, physically, emotionally and sexually. Those are some of the scenes that gutted me, and were hard to read at times.

Once the boys are released, we jump into the future, and follow the boys, now men, as two of them kill one of the former guards, and the other two devise an elaborate plan to tilt the trial in their favor and convince a jury to find the killers not guilty. I understand the deep friendship that led to this, but considering the two who killed the guards have killed others before that, and probably went on to kill others after that...well, it's a shaky moral line to be straddling.

Usually after I read a book that's also a movie, I like to watch the movie. This one, I'm not so sure I want to see these events played out in front of me. Although, Brad Pitt and Jeffrey Donovan! 

Shakes grows up to become a journalist, and his writing is superb, with the words flowing across the page. He has quite a few other books in his backlist, fiction and nonfiction, and I plan to keep an eye out for them.

After the book's release, there was a lot of debate about whether or not it was in fact a true story, with naysayers claiming there was no record of any court case/trial like the one in the book. True or not, the book is worth reading. You can find a New York Times article here.

Goodreads synopsis: Sleeper (colloq.): 1. out-of-town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed. 2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period longer than nine months in a state-managed facility.

This is the story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends. Intelligent, fun-loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content to live within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen. And to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught. And they know they never will. Until one disastrous summer afternoon. On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horribly wrong. And the four find themselves facing a year's imprisonment in the Wilkinson Home for Boys. The oldest of them is fifteen, the youngest twelve. What happens to them over the course of that year -- brutal beatings, unimaginable humiliation -- will change their lives forever. Years later, one becomes a lawyer. One a reporter. And two have grown up to be murderers, professional hit men. For all of them, the pain and fear of Wilkinson still rages within. Only one thing can erase it. Revenge. To exact it, they will twist the legal system. Commandeer the courtroom for their agenda. Use the wiles they observed on the streets, the violence they learned at Wilkinson. If they get caught this time, they only have one thing left to lose: their lives.

SLEEPERS is the extraordinary true story of four men who take the law into their own hands. It is a searing portrait of a system gone awry and of the people -- some innocent, some not so innocent -- who must suffer the consequences. At the heart of SLEEPERS is a sensational murder trial that ultimately gives devastating, yet exhilarating, proof of street justice and truly defines the meaning of loyalty and love between friends. Told with great humor and compassion, even at its most harrowing, SLEEPERS is an unforgettable reading experience. 

Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four

JOSH VENKATARAMAN AND BARBARA VENKATARAMAN

Stats for my copy: PDF, 2019.

How acquired: Gifted to me by Barbara Venkataraman

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

My thoughts:  I had never heard of the Groveland Four until this book. Of course, I don't live in Florida or even very near Florida, so maybe that isn't too surprising. Actually, there are a lot of things I've never heard of, especially since I cut the cable cord and no longer have CNN. But that's not really relevant here.

The Groveland Four were four young black men falsely accused of rape by a white girl in 1949. Two were convicted and imprisoned, two were murdered before they could be convicted – one by a lynch mob, one by a crooked sheriff. After reading “Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America”, by Gilbert King, for a class, Josh Venkataraman was inspired to step up and try to help seek justice for the Groveland Four and their families. After reading his book, I admire Josh very much!

The book is only about 80 pages long (at least the PDF version I read anyway), but covers a lot of ground. Josh takes us step by step through the ever changing process of setting up a petition, getting signatures, gaining support, all in hopes of clearing the names of the four boys and providing their families with some peace of mind. Along the way he inspired others to join the fight. This was an interesting read, and while justice eventually prevails, it still saddens me that this incident in Florida's history happened in the first place. And unfortunately I'm sure there were similar incidents happening all around the country, where justice did not and never will prevail.

The writing flows easily, and I loved the friendship that developed between Josh and Carol, the daughter of one of the four. She was just a baby when her sixteen-year-old father was incarcerated, though she didn't find out what actually happened until much later in life. But how horrible to have to grow up with your father taken away, and then learning he never should have been taken away in the first place.

An inspiring and ultimately heartwarming account of what can be accomplished with a lot of hard work and perseverance.

Goodreads synopsis: This book will take you through my incredible four year quest for justice for The Groveland Four and teach you how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be. It is a primer for positive action, a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn: everything takes more time than you think, nothing ever goes according to plan, help can come from unexpected places, time is on your side, everyone is connected to everyone else, you can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it, your goals can change along the way, and flexibility is key. Let's get started, shall we?

***Proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to establish "The Charles Greenlee Memorial Scholarship" to benefit a child with an incarcerated parent. 

Deadly Deceit (Harbored Secrets, Book Two)

NATALIE WALTERS

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

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

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

First line: In the face of small-town news, all creativity left Vivian DeMarco.

My thoughts: I loved the first book in this series so much, I was very excited to get this second book, and I think I may love it even more. Though if I went back and read the first book again, I might love it more. Maybe. I love both of them! And such beautiful covers!

We met Vivian, a hard hitting investigative journalist, in the first book. I don't remember her being the most likable person in that book, but at the end she showed she was a decent person by killing a story that could have hurt Lane, the heroine. Now we learn that that decision cost Vivian her job, and she is back in Walton, working for the local paper. She's not thrilled to be there, but it's just a stepping stone to a job at a larger paper down the road. We also met Deputy Ryan Frost in the first book. A computer hacker genius, he's being headhunted by practically every agency out there – FBI, CIA, along with private security firms. But he's finding it hard to make a decision when it means leaving Walton – and his mother and sister, who he's taken care of ever since his father abandoned their family.

The mystery was very interesting and quite different than I've come across before, involving cyber crimes, blackmail, and murder. Vivian's boss, Harold, who had become a friend and mentor, dies in the first chapter, seemingly from an allergic reaction but later determined to be murder. With his last words he tells Vivian to find Lauren, and that becomes her mission. She doesn't know who Lauren is or what Harold's interest in Lauren is, but she is determined to track her down, and to figure out who killed Harold, as are Ryan and the rest of the police force, and of course they bump heads.

Vivian and Ryan are both wonderfully written characters, both of whom come with a lot of baggage. There's a lot of internalizing, which I love. Ryan is being pulled in different directions, and feels that if he takes a job somewhere else he will be abandoning his mom and sister, just like his dad did. Vivian has her own father/abandonment issues, and feels unworthy of, well, anything that can bring happiness. She's resisted putting down roots, resisted the friendships offered her in Walton, and resists the idea of falling in love with Ryan. It was quite heart warming to watch them each grow as their values change (or at least Vivian's do), and even though the story takes place over a relatively short period of time there was nothing rushed about their relationship and the way it progressed.

I love Ms. Walter's writing, and as with the first book I was completely drawn in from the first few pages and very invested in the outcome. This book can be read as a standalone but I would urge readers to not skip the first book. And I will be eagerly awaiting the next book!

Goodreads synopsis: Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason -- to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth -- and the next big story -- is small-town law enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers -- and her life.

A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, Book 1)

DARYNDA JONES

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, St. Martin's Press, expected publication date 4/7/20.

How acquired: NetGalley.

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

My thoughts:  While I hadn't read Ms. Jones before, I am very aware of her popular Charley Davidson series, and even have books one and twelve of that series in my TBR. So when an email showed up from Netgalley about this book, the first in a new series, being available, I jumped on it.

It's one of those books that is filled with quirky characters and outlandish situations. Starting with Sunshine becoming the sheriff of her home town after winning an election that she had not even entered. Her friend and coworker, Quincy, tells her she killed it at a the debate. How...? Sunshine never does find out how her parents managed to get her elected behind her back, but she is still glad of the opportunity to move back to her home town, if only to investigate her own abduction when she was seventeen, of which she has very little memory, and the perpetrator was never caught.

Much of the dialogue was quite amusing, with quips being tossed back and forth between the characters like a volleyball, while Sunshine and her deputies race against the clock to find a missing teenager who had premonitions of her own abduction and murder for years. I sometimes got a little confused as something would come up from Sun's past. For instance, one minute her childhood rival and bully Hailey is snarling insults at her, and the next they're hugging in a coffee shop storeroom, followed by a short info dump to explain their situation, although I'm still not completely clear on why the two women have to pretend to hate each other when anyone else is around. Plus there was just soooo much going on, like dozens of tiny little side plots. Despite that, I like the author's writing and the story was engaging for the most part. And when Sunshine and her daughter finally had a heart to heart, no more secrets, talk about what happened to Sunshine when she was seventeen, I cried right along with them.

While Sunshine is apparently surrounded by handsome burly men, Levi of course stood out from the others. An enigma, who I'm sure we'll learn more about as the series progresses. I have some theories about him, and I loved the conversation between them when she went to his house to thank him for something and ended up standing beside his bed interrupting his nap to talk to him.

If this review comes across as my feeling a bit ambivalent about the book, I guess I am a little, but the bottom line is I did get quite caught up and raced through the last quarter or so, and I look forward to the next book. And definitely need to get a start on the Charley Davidson books.

Goodreads synopsis: Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff—an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in—and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free. 

Always Look Twice (Uncommon Justice, Book Two)

ELIZABETH GODDARD

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

How acquired: Via the Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: Harper Reynolds inched forward, hoping she hadn't made a mistake in coming there.

My thoughts: I loved the first book in this series, so much, that I was excited to see this book on offer from Revell, and thrilled to learn I was getting a copy. And the book did not disappoint!

Once again most of the action takes place in Grayback, Wyoming, and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Harper is a crime scene photographer who has taken a sabbatical from photographing crime scenes to photograph nature instead. But while photographing a bear, she inadvertently witnessed a murder – a man shooting a woman. That first chapter brought the action on quick, and the pace continued throughout the book. When the shooter turns his sights on Harper, Heath McKade comes to the rescue. Harper and Heath were best friends as kids, but haven't seen each other since Harper's father was murdered and her mother moved her and her sister, Emily, away.

We met Heath in the first book, which was about his brother, Austin. Austin ticked a lot of boxes for me – former FBI agent, cowboy, a secretive tortured hero – and Heath ticked those same boxes, except instead of former FBI agent he's a part-time deputy, which works just as well. He's also a cowboy, running a guest ranch, and while not particularly secretive he's still a tortured hero, with emotional wounds that run deep.

Ms. Goddard is very good at keeping tensions high! There is a harrowing ride in a camper, and every time Harper was out anywhere I was constantly on edge waiting for a rifle shot to occur. As in the first book, the characterizations are very well done, as is the narrative descriptions. Not to mention the descriptions of Harper taking photos and some of the process she uses for documenting crime scenes. We also meet Liam, another brother, partway through the book, and I'm very excited to know that his book is coming next.

I know it sounds cliché to say, but this book is truly a thrill ride from beginning to satisfying end.

Goodreads synopsis: While photographing the Grand Tetons, Harper Reynolds unwittingly captures a murder on film. But when she loses the camera fleeing the scene, can she and rancher Heath McKade find the camera and solve the murder before the killer makes her his next victim? 

It's Always the Husband

MICHELE CAMPBELL

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, St. Martin's Press, 2017.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: She stumbled through the dark woods, the trees dripping raindrops onto her hair and her party dress.

My thoughts: Despite the fact that there is murder involved and “whodunit” and some twists at the end, this book didn't really feel like a suspense/mystery. While the narrative occasionally goes back and forth between past and present, the first half of the book is more focused on past, where the three girls meet when they are assigned as college roommates their freshman year. From there it's more of a character study about the three girls, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. They are all so very different from each other, and yet they become fast friends.

Then the second half is focused on the present, where the girls are still friends but have drifted apart a bit. More time is spent with Jenny and Aubrey than with Kate, and frankly, I didn't really care for the grownup adult versions of Jenny and Kate. Neither girl is particularly likable, especially Jenny who is now the controlling, power hungry mayor of their small town. I did like Owen, the new chief of police investigating the present time murder, but towards the end of the book Jenny is determined to get rid of him because he won't answer to her, and then suddenly he's just gone with no explanation and not heard from again, which really disappointed me.

As far as whodunit, I was kept guessing, thinking I knew and then being proven wrong. Although the method used to get the victim to the spot where the death occurred seemed very contrived and unrealistic.

Regardless, the book definitely kept my interest and overall I enjoyed it. 

Goodreads synopsis: Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge . . and someone else is urging her to jump.

How did things come to this?

As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other—but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband?