As I type these words, Mother Nature is making a second go at winter in many parts of the country while some locales are yelling that it’s too dang early to need air conditioning. Thank goodness for books, where we can visit the beach during an arctic blast or cool off at a sky resort during a heatwave. And speaking of both escape and the arctic, I finally got caught up in WHITEOUT, by Adriana Anders, that reviewers have been raving about for years. Total immersion in a tightly wrought suspense? Check. Hot, sizzling passion in a unique forced proximity set-up? Check. A second chance for both a hero and a heroine certain that love was for foolish amateurs? CHECK! I can’t remember who first recommended to me, but I know it was shortly after it came out in 2020. Finding myself caught in a temporary hiccup in my to-be-devoured queue last month after tossing aside several titles that failed to grab my attention, (I’m at an age where I don’t waste time on books that leave me rolling my eyes after the first twenty pages or so), I decided to give it a try. Angel and Ford have little…

As I sat perusing the choices of mysteries waiting to be opened in my library, my loyal little Shiloh by my side eating up every last bit of attention a treasured terrier could, I gravitated toward a certain storyline in the genre—pets—specifically dogs. The warmth of a good dog, her body radiated heat during a cold spell in North Texas can influence anyone, but I confess, it was the affection of Shiloh’s loving spirit that steered me toward my selections. The first book I chose was a little outside my norm—there are no dead bodies stirring up trouble, (no zombies either) or killers lurking around every corner, but rather, lovable dogs who belong on the couch, like my little girl, instead of being abandoned with the letter Z painted on its fur. (Again, thank my little heart-warming puppy-in-a-ditch rescue story for influencing my choices—Shiloh has never steered me wrong!) Kathleen Y’Barbo, along with her Gone to the Dogs Mysteries that she co-writes with author, Janice Thompson was new to me, but the title and the cover grabbed me, the blurb did the trick to pull me in—and I earned the reward of a great mystery. The two authors take turns…

The month of Valentines usually calls up memories of great love affairs.  But for women, great love and appreciation is owed to the trailblazers who broke free of traditional boundaries, forging paths that allow today’s women so many more choices for their lives and careers than were available to our sisters in the past.  This month’s selections are Valentines written about the lives of these larger-than-life heroines. We begin with QUEEN OF EXILES by Vanessa Riley (which releases in July 2023, available now for preorder.)  In the wake of the violent Haitian Revolution, when the slaves of Haiti threw off both shackles and foreign rule, Henry I became their first king.  Crowned Queen beside him in 1810 was his wife, Marie-Louise Christophe.  But foreign debt crippled the new country, warring political parties battled for control, and Louise’s husband became incapacitated by mental illness.  When he is overthrown and dies in 1820, Louise takes her daughters and their smuggled jewels and flees to Europe.  There, she boldly continues her life as a former queen, touring Europe, attending events with other royals, and bartering with princes to find husbands for her daughters.  Riley’s portrait illumines a woman who not only masters the…

Happy New Year! And talk about seconds! I ate far too many of them over the holidays. My personal weaknesses are shortbread and mint-flavored cookies, cakes, and hot chocolate. Okay, dark chocolate with peppermint pieces makes the list, as well, but I’m getting hungry just thinking about all this decadence, so I think I should stop. I hope your holidays were filled with good times with friends and family, and with many, many helpings of deliciousness. This year, as almost always seems to happen, I had far less time for holiday reading than I had hoped for. I’m a sucker for holiday romances and anthologies, so my collection, both physical and digital, is huge. But I also borrow books, especially audiobooks, from an embarrassingly large number of libraries. (Due to an abominable memory, I’m always pleasantly surprised by what turns up on my queue.) I’ve loved Lyssa Kay Adams’s books in the past, and I was hoping to listen to A VERY MERRY BROMANCE this holiday season, but alas, I’m still only number two on the waiting list. I’ll strive to keep my eagerness for holiday magic alive and well, at least until my number comes up, and I hope…

  The Misplaced Miss Eloise, Book 8, School of Charm series, by Maggie Dallen Rhapsody in Dreams by Stella May Binding 13, Book 1, Boys of Tommen series, by Chloe Walsh Wicked Christmas Nights, a collections of 8 stories by Alyssa Drake et al. Made For Me , Book 1, Made For series, by Natasha Madison Andre’s Alphas, Book 2, Andre’s Alphas series, by Nikki Sex Smoke and Steel by Kristen Ashley Christmas Kisses: A Collection of Shifter Holiday Romance Tales by C.D. Gorri Bad Girls Drink Blood, Book 1, Blood Fae Druid series, by S.L. Choi The Complete Genesis Earth Trilogy by Joe Vasicek Unsurpassed, Book 1, No Rival series, by Charity Parkerson A Breath of Scandal, Book 2, Reckless Brides series, by Elizabeth Essex The Gryphon Series Boxed Set by Stacey Rourke Shadows of Fire, Book 1, The Shadow Realms series, by Brenda K. Davies My Legacy, Book 1, Men of New York series, by Samantha Skye Deception, Book 2, Locked Security series, by Sarah Peis Cowboy Bikers MC #12, Book 12, Cowboy Bikers MC, by Esther E. Schmidt Chief, Book 3, Where Are They Now series, by Liberty Parker Lady Charlotte’s Ruined Marquess, Book 2, The Heir…

1–What is the title of your latest release? COME AWAY FROM HER   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A deaf woman fleeing from unspeakable acts seeks shelter in a rural Pennsylvania town, sets into motion a chain of events fueled by secrets from her past, and the shameful history of the residents as well. The morning a dead body is found outside the local church, life as the town knows it is forever changed.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I’m drawn to returning to the area I grew up in all my stories. It’s a small, isolated town in Northeastern Pennsylvania where time seems to stand still. Winters are hard and most people in the area make a living with their hands. Farmers, truck drivers and meat packers at the local slaughterhouse. This is the same region that my debut book, Deep Winter, was set, and a few characters from that novel return to this story and play pivotal roles.   4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? Absolutely. Cap is a flawed character who struggles with his faith and addiction, and I can relate to…

December, with its decorations of stars bright and tinsel everywhere, is a fitting month to feature novels about famous names.  Do we ever get our fill of reading about individuals who escape the ordinary to achieve fame and fortune, whether they are born to it or achieve it themselves? Take your pick from among this month’s celebrities and may your Christmas be bright, sparkling, and merry! This dual-timeline novel, THE COLLECTOR’S DAUGHTER by Gill Paul, unites the fascination with the lives of titled aristocrats with the world-wide excitement over the discovery of the long-lost tomb of Tutankhamun.  As the daughter of the Earl of Carnavon, who funded Howard Carter’s explorations to discover the tomb, Lady Evelyn Herbert was not only present at the discovery, but she was also the first person to crawl down the narrow passageway and enter the tomb itself, her torch glittering on the treasure store of gold and jewels hidden within.  Flash forward to the 1970’s when Lady Evelyn, recovering from a serious stroke but last surviving member of the original expedition, is tasked by a University of Cairo professor to see if she can remember what happened to 20 or so artifacts which disappeared from…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE RSVP, a forbidden office romance standalone 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Smart, savvy 21-year-old good girl in Manhattan crushes hard on her father’s handsome business partner, ten years her senior, and makes a plan to seduce him for her birthday. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? This story has a New York City heart, so I always intended it to be based in Manhattan, with a Fifth Avenue meets art gallery vibe. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely, we both love art and Broadway musicals! 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Broody, serious, devoted 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That I don’t have to wrap up the emotions in each chapter. In fact, the more I lean into the we can’t do this theme, the more the heart aches for them to give in. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit the second I find a hole I need to stitch up! 8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Sandwiches! I am a total sandwich monster!…

Night of the Nymph Book 2, Brotherhood of Blood-Wildwood series by Bianca D’Arc Covet Book 8, Vampire Beloved series by R. E. Butler Dirty Diction Book 2, Their Little Liar series by Calista Jayne The Bogeyman’s Woman by Sam Cresent Never Beguile a Bodyguard Book 1, Fortune’s Brides: Guarding Her Heart series by Regina Scott Reef Road: A Novel by Deborah Goodrich Royce Shameless by Jennifer Sucevic Winter of the Shadow Fae Book 1, Land of the Fae series by L. P. Dover Dungeons and Doms Boxset by Golden Angel Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson   Each Monday the Smashwords store lists the top ten most highly anticipated indie fiction ebooks based on the previous week’s preorder accumulations. Each title on the list is scheduled to release within the next week. To help the talented authors on this list accumulate even more preorders, click the title of the book. The hyperlink will bring you to a Books2Read page where you can order from your preferred ebook retailer. If the preorder is part of a series, click the hyperlinked series title to learn about the other books in the series. Be sure to check back Friday for a…

The passing of an old year and the start of a new one is always a time of reflection on my various book journeys over the old year. Some years I’ve gravitated towards one particular genre or theme while other years have been more eclectic. In 2022, I gravitated towards historical fiction, particularly fiction that educated and enlightened me on things I never learned in history classes rather than heavily reading my usual plethora of cozy mysteries and urban fantasies. I also spent some time revisiting some old favorites and catching up on series I’ve woefully fallen behind on. The history of mental health and the treatment of women was a consistent theme for me this year as women’s issues were at the forefront of the political debate this year. No matter where one stands on the current issues, it’s always informative to see where we have come from. As George Santaya said so eloquently, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It’s usually difficult to pick a favorite book out of all the amazing ones I’ve read throughout the year. However, I can easily say that THE LOST MELODY is hands down my favorite book…