Review: Last Man Standing : A Small Town Protector Romance (His to Protect #3) by Jill Sorenson

 

Vanessa Nava returns to her Texas hometown as a newly divorced single mom, determined to give her imaginative four-year-old daughter a magical summer. But the serene lakeside cabin she rented? Double-booked. The current occupant is the hottest, grumpiest handyman she’s ever met—claiming it’s under construction and strictly off-limits.

Paul McPherson, a Houston native recovering from a gunshot wound, has retreated to Lost Lake to hide and heal in peace. He won’t share his safe haven with anyone—especially not the sheriff’s daughter and her bubbly little girl. Vanessa is stunning, stubborn, and way too tempting for a man with secrets.

Vanessa paid upfront and refuses to leave. She sets up camp on his doorstep, transforming mishap into lake days filled with laughter, lemonade stands, and hot summer nights—sending Paul’s buried protective instincts into overdrive.

Texas heat ignites a scorching affair neither saw coming. But when danger closes in and Paul’s cover is blown, Vanessa must decide: walk away from the summer fling… or fight for a love that could last forever?

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What I though about Last Man Standing

In this romantic suspense, Vanessa returns home to find someone else living in the house she was supposed to be renting. What starts out as forced proximity turns to frenemies and then more. Vanessa's daughter is adorable and adds to the story with cute banter. The romance does develop quickly between Vanessa and Paul, but there are plenty of other emotions in this protector story.

Overall, this was a sweet romance with just the right amount of everything -- good banter, attraction and heat, action and suspense. 4 stars

 

Review: Lost in the Dark By Debra Webb

 

The brutal murder of her sister draws a woman back to her hometown and all its dark secrets in a gripping novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

Dr. CJ Patterson returns to her Alabama hometown when her estranged sister, Shelley, is found murdered in the woods. For CJ it means diving headfirst into a painful life she left behind.

CJ reluctantly partners with Detective Kevin Braddock, and the complicated romantic history they share is far from over. They soon zero in on Shelley’s abusive ex-boyfriend and a local crime boss who controls the struggling mill village’s illicit enterprises. But anyone is suspect in a town with so many secrets. Even Shelley died with a few of her own.

As the investigation continues, so do the murders. One by one they’re leading CJ into a past she desperately fled from. CJ knows her hometown all too well. And that her search for the truth, and for a killer, will only get darker.

Revised This edition of Lost in the Dark, originally published as Everywhere She Turns, contains editorial revisions. 

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What I thought about Lost in the Dark

New Dr. CJ Patterson returns home to help find her sister's killer. She's certain she knows who it is and doesn't want that person to get off. 

There are a cornucopia of suspects in this story. Sometimes that makes it fun to figure out who the real killer is, but it gets easier as the story moves along. At least that was what I found her.  I figured out the killer somewhere along the way and then it just became of matter of why and when they would get apprehended. 

There's plenty of danger with this case, and romance too.  CJ has some past history by way of attraction with Braddock, the detective running the case. Their rocky relationship works well to tone down some of the realities of the murders. 

Overall, this was an interesting murder mystery, with lots of suspects and past history. There were some slow spots through the middle with some repetition, but overall the story kept me engaged throughout to want to know how things would wrap up.

Four stars.

Review: The Husband's Secret (Colby Agency: The Next Generation #5) by Debra Webb

 

Her ex's mysterious death is now theirs to solve.

When Brenda Devers sees her estranged - and recently deceased - husband, Scott, at the airport, she reels in shock. She'd buried him three weeks ago - hadn't she? Only now his business troubles have thrust Brenda and her young daughter into sudden do-or-die jeopardy. Luckily the single mom's new neighbor, Ben Clark, is smart, attractive and seemingly trustworthy when police and the FBI are not. A top Colby private investigator, Ben's been hired to protect Brenda. But as he helps her uncover the truth about Scott, the danger factor amps up - and her worst nightmare might be coming true.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the Colby Agency: The Next Generation series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:

Book 1: A Colby Christmas Rescue
Book 2: Alibi for Murder
Book 3: Memory of Murder
Book 4: Witness to Murder
Book 5: The Husband's Secret
Book 6: The Bride's Betrayal
Book 7: The Missing Couple 

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What I thought about The Husband's Secret

The Colby Agency : The Next Generation is a formulaic series that can be entertaining and full of action.  In this case, Brenda Devers sees her husband at the airport with another woman, except she had buried him weeks before after he dies in a suspicious explosion.

Her new next door neighbor, Ben Clark, appears just when Brenda needs help and  his true purpose is revealed a few chapters later.  I did enjoy the interactions and budding relationship between Ben and Brenda, even though it's quick for them to fall for each other in the midst of solving the mystery of Brenda's husband and her missing daughter. 

 Overall, a predictable and entertaining mystery thriller set in the world of The Colby Agency. 

  

 

Review: The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball's Superstitions, Rituals, and Curses by Addy Baird

 

This is the story of baseball’s rich magical history and the centuries-old culture of superstition in the sport. It is a love letter to the jinxes, curses, rituals and myths of baseball’s past and present ― and to the innate mysticism of the game.

For more than 150 years, a magical culture has been central to the game of At the turn of the 20th century, a battle between two lucky mascots defined early World Series matchups. Soon after, two generational curses spawned decades of heartbreaking losses for the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. Today, players like Bryce Harper perform at-bat rituals, fans refuse to wash the jerseys of their favorite players, and baseball people everywhere refuse to utter the words “no-hitter” before there’s been a hit.

In The Magical Game, journalist and converted baseball fan Addy Baird turns her reporter’s eye to her favorite sport, investigating the roots of these magical practices and telling the story of baseball’s long history of superstition, rituals, curses, jinxes, hoodoos, and hexes. Spanning three centuries of baseball history and three dozen more of magical history, Baird takes readers through fascinating, forgotten tidbits in the sport, untangles the game’s legends, and considers baseball’s uncertain future. In the face of recent MLB rule changes and the rise of advanced statistics, Baird looks at the many decades of concern about baseball’s declining popularity and the evolution of the sport, as well as why and how a culture of magic has remained strong at the core of the game for so many years.

Funny, poetic, and deeply researched, The Magical Game will make readers fall in love with baseball all over again.

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What I thought about The Magical Game

Baseball is THE sport in my household, so I was intrigued to read this title.  I was hoping for some new information and there were tiny nuggets in this book. But for the most part, there isn't a lot of new information on this topic -- if you've followed sports at all, superstitions and rituals are just part of the game.  

The book was well-researched and offered background on the topics in general. The author gets personal with her stories of baseball superstitions and her direct interaction with them, and that was interesting.  

Overall, this is a good book to read if you want to learn more about sports, especially baseball and the superstitions that drive the players. 
  

 

Review: 5 stars for Pot Shot by Laura Piper Lee

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER

To open her cannabis dispensary, a chronically ill woman must defeat the surly doctor next door in this hilarious and steamy romantic comedy.   

Nomi Wyeth, former valedictorian and current pothead, has her heart set on opening her own boutique cannabis dispensary in charming downtown Sparrow Nook, New Jersey. Cannabis changed Nomi’s life, giving her relief from Crohn’s disease when nothing else could, and it’s her dream to help others find the same peace and comfort she has. 

But Nomi’s plans are rudely interrupted when Dr. Julian D’Angelo, former salutatorian and current asshole, returns to Sparrow Nook with a chip on his shoulder, a probation to serve at the medical practice next door, and a lifelong vendetta against weed.   

When an unfortunate shaving accident lands Nomi onto Julian’s exam table, Julian is appalled to discover that his high school nemesis is still inconveniently gorgeous, still hates his guts, and worst of all, that she’s planning on opening an amoral weed bordello next to his clinic. War is the only answer and definitely not an excuse to keep running into witty, free-spirited Nomi.   

As they battle each other all over Sparrow Nook, from “pot luck” fundraisers to public debates at City Council meetings, their fraught pasts and feelings for each other become harder and harder to ignore. It’s tough to say what will change first—their minds or their hearts—but one thing’s for sure: they’re not going down without a fight.

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What I thought about Pot Shot

Entrepreneur Nomi Wyeth has done all the work she needs to open her own medical marijuana dispensary. She's ready to get the best location in the small town of Sparrow Nook for her store, until her childhood crush, now doctor, decides to do everything to stop the dispensary from opening.  Sounds tense, doesn't it?  Pot Shot takes the concept to a whole different level, with banter that will make you laugh and a romantic setup that will have you rooting for Nomi and Dr. Julian.

This worked so well as a romance. The feelings between these two are palpable from the start.  Julian has a big character arc to accomplish, as he needs to learn how to work with people. His journey, while comical at times, was nicely done.

I really liked this story. It kept my interest from start to finish, and it's an easy read that you can tackle in a day or two. I especially liked how it handled the education of Dr. Julian in the medicinal properties of marijuana. I just liked everything about this story.  

If you are looking for a cute, humorous take on romance that will leave you smiling, Pot Shot might be for you.   

Review: Scarlett Undone by Tasha Gold

A riveting book club novel of secrets, redemption, and unexpected connection. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Hannah, and Jojo Moyes.

Her father died in prison. She’s hidden her identity for most of her life. Until now.

Scarlett vowed she’d never step foot in Brackson prison again. Yet here she is, back in her hometown, dragging disgruntled dogs into the hell her father once called home.

The Pups in Prison rehabilitation program is her uncle’s passion, but his recent heart attack means he’s laid up and she’s filling in. She’s surrounded by inked necks and barbed wire…and awful memories she can’t shake. She knows she’s the reason her marriage is falling apart. She’s been running from that knowledge like she runs from the surname that links her to her father’s crimes.

She didn’t expect to find solace in an unexpected prisoner.

Emery is intense yet kind. Strangely intuitive. She shouldn’t look forward to their dog-training sessions, even if this alluring inmate shines a light on parts of herself she thought she hated.

But when she discovers why he was incarcerated and violence hits too close to home, Scarlett’s forced to face that forgiveness is more than spoken words and that coming undone is the first step to stitching yourself back together.

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What I thought about Scarlett Undone 

 Scarlett Undone is a story that can connect with others. What do you do when you reach the end of your rope? When all of the past traumas build to the point of breaking? How do you go on?

Scarlett's father is a criminal, her mother is absent, and her marriage is in jeopardy, At thirty years old, Scarlett doesn't want to deal with any of it. So she runs away to an uncle she hasn't seen in years and puts herself right in the clutches of an environment she is trying to forget. That doesn't work of course. 

This story is very much about this quest for self and at the same time, community.  Even though Scarlett's traumas are significant, this story is more about how she goes about recovering her life from her past to position herself for the future.  If you think that is deep, it is. There''s a lot to unpack and discuss in this story and that is why it is promoted as a book club book. This is the kind of book you want to read with a friend so you can discuss.  

Overall, this was a solid story from this author.  

 

Review: The Drowning Season by Debra Webb

To find two missing women, a detective must dive into the secrets of her past in a blood-freezing novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

Detective Adeline Cooper swore she’d never return to Mississippi, where her corrupt family rules through fear and her career was upended by betrayal. But then she receives a photograph of a local woman who has gone missing, along with a cryptic, chilling Pretty, pretty princess. See her smile…see her die.

Soon after Adeline arrives in her hometown, a second woman is kidnapped, and there are disturbing connections between the two victims and the detective. Both women bear an eerie resemblance to Adeline and share her fear of water. A new message makes the kidnapper’s game terrifyingly You’re next.

When past and present collide at the river’s edge, Adeline will finally understand why she’s been dreaming of drowning her whole life.

Revised Previously published as Anywhere She Runs, this edition of The Drowning Season includes editorial revisions. 

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What I thought about The Drowning Season

Two women are missing and a third receives a threat, forcing Adeline to return home to Mississippi after being run out of town in disgrace.  When she receives evidence in the crime and becomes part of the current investigation, she faces old enemies and secrets that are deeply hidden.

I liked this mystery.  Adeline is one tough cop and she doesn't put up with much from the people who ran her out of town, including an old boyfriend that betrayed her. She's at risk from the kidnapper too.

Things move along quickly and the book is easy to read. There are some romantic elements which helped to put a focus on something other than the case. Adeline is a strong woman and is interesting to see what she gets into and how she gets out of it, too.  I did not find the story predictable and didn't anticipate the resolution at all, which made for an exciting reading experience.