Category: Book Review

For Duck’s Sake

Donna Andrews returns with her latest charming addition to the bestselling Meg Langslow mystery series.

Meg is in the backyard of the house her brother Rob, Delaney, and their new baby have moved into, supervising some workmen who are using a bulldozer to start digging out a duck pond. She wants to get away from her own house, which has become the staging site for Caerphilly’s first Mutt March, which will be held the next day. Meg thinks it will be more peaceful at Rob’s house–and it is until the bulldozers uncover a skeleton whose skull has a hole and a bullet rattling around inside.

Meanwhile, Chief Burke begins searching the police records to see if he can identify any missing persons who would fit the bill. He doesn’t turn down Meg’s offer to help with his identification efforts, and she begins looking in the library and talking to old-timers. She’s all the more eager to help because Iris Rafferty, who sold the house to Rob and Delaney and still lives in the mother-in-law suite, disappears the morning after the finding of the body… does her disappearance have anything to do with finding the body? Was it voluntary? Or was she kidnapped–possibly by the prowlers who are spotted lurking around the half-finished duck pond at night? Or do the prowlers have sinister designs on one or more of the dogs who will be marching in the parade?

Written with her classic cozy and investigative style, Donna Andrews is sure to delight in the latest in her Meg Langslow mystery series.

My Review:

Classic Donna Andrews brilliance! Full to brimming with characters who are charming and humorous and even exasperating! All backed by the cozy small town ambiance that has made Caerphilly my absolute favourite fictional setting ever! In fact, I reread (well, re-listen) to the whole series every year and each book is just as memorable and captivating as the first time I read it. This 37th Meg Langslow instalment is a perfect example of why.

Madcap mayhem and town hijinks, in this case the altruistic Mutt March’s bid to rehome countless numbers of dogs…who all need costumes for the parade. Of course. It’s absolute chaos at Meg’s house so she sets off on the relatively blissful pursuit of a cold case murder. What could go wrong? If Donna Andrews is writing the story, plenty! Bwahahaha!

I’m still giddy and grinning over all the shenanigans and plot twists galore. Still thrilling over getting to spend time with characters who have become as dear to me as my own family. I love watching the twins grow up while key older characters remain eternally ageless because they are so integral to the series – a bit of fictional magic that makes me so, so happy!

And the ultimate thrill is listening to Bernadette Dunne’s narration. Her performances highlight these characters perfectly and I get the feeling that she is relishing the story just as much as I am. Love the connection that brings to my listening experience. Highly recommend the audio editions for the entire series!

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Snowed in at Silver Lake + Giveaway

random retro read

Getting snowed in with a stranger is dangerous—especially for her heart.

Gracie Turner just broke up with her fiancé before Christmas, so after a severe snowstorm causes her car to skid off the road into the deadly waters of Silver Lake, she can’t help falling for her rugged, handsome rescuer. There’s only one problem. He’s a fugitive running from the law.

Barron Hart has a plan to bring his brother’s killers to justice, and it does not involve Gracie. But when the snowy winds batter the backwoods cabin he’s using as his hideout, he has no choice but to wait out the storm with the Sheriff’s daughter. Against her will. Although, if he’s being honest with himself, she’s the one holding his heart captive.

After their first explosive encounter, nothing will warm Gracie up… or stop the sparks flying between them. There are too many secrets keeping them apart. Barron is further dismayed when Gracie uncovers his tragic past. She has the faith to help him heal, but he’s not ready to give up his revenge. Will the mysteries that brought them together, now have the power to tear them apart?

My Review:

published in 2020

True confession: One of my bookish weaknesses is a heroine in peril rescued by a brooding, gruff hero. And once the cold weather hits, for some inexplicable reason, I crave a stranded in a snowstorm scenario. And, mercy, but does this novel ever deliver! Plus there’s a kinda bad boy vibe going on with our hero which brings an extra thrill.

Loved the tense opening scene, with Gracie trying to navigate her way along treacherous roads. Through a phone conversation with her sheriff father, we learn that not only are the roads practically impassable, but there’s a dangerous fugitive on the loose. Eeeepppp….cue a dramatic drumroll as Gracie’s car slides off the road and….well, then the fun really begins.

Great action scenes, multiple rescues and not only being snowed in for Christmas, but for a couple of weeks! Lots of time for Barron and Gracie to work through their uncertainties, gradually easing their relationship from wary strangers to something much more meaningful. 

The author blends in some lovely inspirational themes as well, especially through Barron’s point of view as he struggles to make sense of a troubled past and his deep grief. The redemption of his brokenness brought extra depth to the story.

My first Stephanie Fowers novel, but it won’t be my last.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway! This is a holdover from last Christmas when we had a postal strike. I ended up just buying the book for the winner and this little beauty has been patiently waiting to find a new home. 🙂

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Snowed in at Silver Lake, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025.

These Blue Mountains + Giveaway

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel’s world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda is stunned to see Fritz’s name in a photograph of an American memorial for German seamen who died near Asheville, North Carolina. Determined to reclaim his body and bring closure to his ailing mother, Hedda travels to the US. Her quest takes a shocking turn when, rather than Fritz’s body, his casket contains the remains of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Local deputy Garland Jones thought he’d left that dark chapter behind when he helped bury Fritz Meyer’s coffin. The unexpected arrival of Hedda, a long-suffering yet captivating woman, forces him to confront how much of the truth he really knows. As they work together to uncover the identity of the woman in the casket and to unravel Fritz’s fate, Hedda and Garland grow closer. But with Hedda in the US on borrowed time while Hitler rises to power in Germany, she fears she’ll be forced to return home before she can put the ghosts of her past to rest.

My Review:

Exquisite storytelling. Compelling plot. Unexpected twists. A fascinating bit of unknown (to me anyway) history. Add in a little bit of a mystery and a whole lot of emotion and the result is the kind of story that keeps a reader’s attention right to the very last word.

There are so many intricate nuances in Hedda and Garland’s individual personal histories that bring depth and even intrigue into their story. It’s a slow burn romance that highlights the resiliency and courage of the human heart.

And I love the way the author built on the regional history, even incorporating real life people into the plot. This is the kind of read that piqued my curiosity and led to many online forays which turned ‘These Blue Mountains’ into a truly immersive read for me. I even uncovered a documentary at my library that added so much to my ‘reading’ experience. (I kept looking for Hedda in the old photographs though!)

This was another audio book for me and I loved Pilar Witherspoon’s superb narration. Her capacity to create distinctive voices for a multitude of characters as well as delivering a myriad of emotions enriches the author’s storytelling and makes for an exceptionally satisfying ‘read’.

My thanks to RB Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of These Blue Mountains,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 5 2025

The Secrets We Keep

Detective Nate Fisher must go back to the Amish community he left behind and confront his past to help the woman he once loved in this dual-POV mystery, perfect for fans of Linda Castillo.

Back to active duty after an administrative leave of absence for the use of deadly force, the last thing Detective Nathan Fisher wants to do is return to the conservative Amish community he left behind, but when his father passes, he has no choice. Hoping to clear his head and perhaps mend fences with his family, he returns to his small Mississippi hometown despite not being welcome. What was supposed to be a quick visit turns into a prolonged stay when his former love pleads for his help. 

Rachel Hostetler’s world is turned upside down when she finds her brother’s body hanging in her family’s barn. Rachel is sure her brother Albie did not kill himself, but neither her father nor the police are willing to listen. When she spots Nate, her ex, now a detective in Oklahoma, back in Cedar Creek, she knows he is the answer to her problem and begs him to intercede.

As Nate and Rachel come to terms with their shared history, despite knowing nothing can come of the longing they have for each other, the pair must look into Albie’s death as suspects stack up. The truth is out there, but can they find it before Nate has to return to his real life and face the shooting that has him so desperately searching for peace?

My Review:

An intriguing new mystery series set in Amish country. Love that the story is set in a unique Mississippi Amish community, a nice break from typical Pennsylvania/Indiana/Ohio Amish fiction. And the shunned ex-Amish hero returning to his roots for a personal matter adds all kinds of complicated layers to the story.

Nate and Rachel have a history — they once planned to spend the rest of their lives together until he left the community. His return to Cedar Creek seems providential to Rachel who desperately needs Nate’s help proving that her brother did not commit suicide. A detective on leave, his Amish ex-flame…what could go wrong?

Loved the emotional intricacies in all the relationships in this gritty mystery. Very edgy and angsty and the investigation proves heartbreaking right up to the jaw dropping conclusion. Readers looking for a very toned down Katie Burkholder experience (Linda Castillo) might find this new series by Amy Lillard a good fit.

Of Note: There is a signifiant amount of mild expletives throughout the story, something I wasn’t expecting since I’ve read a number of Amy Lillard’s Amish romances.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition narrated by Greg D. Barnett.

My thanks to Brilliance Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Exposing Lethal Secrets + Giveaway

This bodyguard and his K-9 will do anything to uncover the truth.

Stumbling upon a burning car and rescuing an injured woman wasn’t on bodyguard Caleb Miller’s vacation itinerary—nor were the gunmen who open fire on them. But Olivia Delaney has no memory of who she is or how she got there, only that she is under threat. Vowing to protect the woman in danger, Caleb and his K-9 go on the run with Olivia. As they work to stay a step ahead of her pursuers, they must untangle her past together…before her family’s deadly schemes bury them both.

My Review:

So, amnesia isn’t my favourite trope when it comes to suspense, maybe because it’s become so popular in recent years and it’s kind of getting old…until I stumble upon a thrill of a read like this one. A+to the author for including all the favourite ‘feels’ of this trope while creatively crafting it into the story in a unique way.

In the first chapter, we meet Olivia pre-accident, memory intact, in a nail-biting scene that catapults her into a desperate fight for her life…and her memories. We know a bit more than she does, but not enough to figure everything out which made the suspense so intriguing.

And there’s Caleb, ready for some well deserved R&R with his K-9 bestie but suddenly they find themselves in the middle of a ‘situation’ – hello, flaming car, flying bullets and a damsel in distress. And the race is on – to stay alive while figuring out the answers. Of course, it helps that Caleb is part of an elite private security team who can pool their resources and come to their aid.

Thrilling action scenes punctuated by calmer ones as Caleb and Olivia regroup and get to know each other. Love the way their romance develops in the midst of all the chaos around them. And I enjoyed being back with the team too. While not tagged as part of a series, the author has written several books featuring this team. No worries though, ‘Exposing Lethal Secrets’ can easily be read as a standalone.

I listened to the audio edition of this book and narrator Teri Schnaubelt did a fantastic job bringing these characters (and their action-packed adventures) to life.

My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this novel.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Exposing Lethal Secrets,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 21 2025

The Double Play + Giveaway

I have no business falling in love with Emmett Foster. 

The man is an incredibly wealthy professional baseball player who’s ten years older than me and has a daughter.

But when he hires me to take care of said daughter, I find myself catching feelings for the star pitcher.

He’s gruff, but sweet, and has a big heart that he shows in small pieces. Pieces I’d like to collect and call mine.

Unfortunately, he has no plans on marrying again after his ex-wife cheated on him then abandoned him and June.

So even though I think there’s a hint of chemistry between us, nothing will ever come of it. I’ll be stuck crushing on him in silence until we part ways.

The Double Play is a grumpy/sunshine romcom for fans of sweet sports romance. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any of the explicit scenes. Check out the fourth book in the More Than a Game series, an interconnected standalone series based around four men in four different sports.

My Review:

Swoon. Sigh. Swoon…aaannnd repeat until the very last word. This is the kind of grumpy/sunshine romance I am crazy for! Every delicious detail plays out to perfection. It’s funny and emotional and heart-palpitatingly romantical. Emmett and Hazel sizzle every time they are on page together and their inner conflicted musings are the kind that wrap a sensitive reader up in knots.

Love the way the story unfolds as their relationship slowly develops and I so appreciate the way the author avoids using cliche conflict to stymie the romantic progression. Every bump along the road is thoughtfully deliberate and understandable but not impossible to overcome.

And, oh my, but there is something so toe-curling about a grumpy, gruff, bear of a guy who is completely besotted with his pint-size pixie of a daughter. I melted so many times! And when Emmett goes into full protective mode – whether on behalf of his daughter or Hazel – well, hand me a fan and clear off my fainting couch!

Superb secondary characters including an all guy friend group for Emmett add depth and humour and occasional sage advice. This is the fourth book in Conwell’s ‘More Than a Game’ series but reads fine as a standalone. (I’ve only read one of the other books.) They each feature a different sport and the guy friends are all athletes. Oh — and no worries if you’re not a huge sports fan, the technical details are light and easy for a novice to grasp. And Hazel is just as clueless about baseball as I am, so that evened out the playing field (ha, see what I did there?!)

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition narrated by Tim Paige and Charlotte North. They captured the personalities of Emmett and Hazel and enhanced my ‘reading’ pleasure.

Sheer bibliophile bliss from start to finish!

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Double Play,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 21 2025

Cold Case Peril + Giveaway

An unsolved crime. A K-9 team on the case. Unexpected danger is closing in fast…

When someone tries to run dog trainer Micah Landon off the road, Officer Lucy Lopez and her K-9 partner, Piper, show up just in time to make a rescue. Someone wants Micah dead — but why? Is this connected to Lucy’s weapons smuggling case, in which she’s investigating Micah’s younger half brother? Or was Micah attacked because he started looking into the cold case murder of his stepmother? As threats against Micah escalate and secrets are revealed, it’s clear someone will stop at nothing to keep an unsolved murder buried. Can they uncover the truth before it costs them their lives?

My Review:

Woot! Puppies galore! Not only do we have an incredible K-9 centerstage, we also have an eclectic mix of therapy/guide dogs in various stages of training courtesy of our dog trainer hero. Absolute bookish heaven for this dog loving reader.

The tense opening scene starts off a sequence of nail-biting events that leave Micah stymied and Lucy suspicious. Are they case related or something more personal? Love the balance between suspense and slow-burn romance along with a healthy dose of canine shenanigans thrown in.

Once again the Dakota K-9 team pool their resources to sort through fact from fiction. Lucy’s in the lead as she develops a special rapport with Micah but the team always has her back. This is the fourth book in this multi-authored continuity series but reads well as a standalone. The over-arcing suspense plot is beginning to take shape and I’m excited to see where new leads take the team but I also enjoyed getting full resolution to the suspense unique to this book as well as a delightful happily ever after.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘Cold Case Peril’ narrated by Patrick Zeller. So happy to see more of the Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense lines available in audio format.

My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Cold Case Peril,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 21 2025

The Lies We Believe

Riley Bishop is a single mother, working at home as a security analyst to provide for her two children, Sadie and Oliver. But something is very wrong. Riley starts forgetting things—like appointments, where she put her keys, and where she parked her car. And then she thinks she sees her deceased ex-husband while out shopping. But as Riley begins to question her own sanity, her twelve-year-old Sadie goes missing. Soon Riley finds it harder and harder to know what is truth and what are lies as she is forced to question her own reality while she searches for her daughter.

Apprehending fugitives as a part of the SOG team gives Tucker Shaw the purpose and drive he needs to fight the demons from his past. When he’s called out on a mission, Operation Jackal, to track down a group of endangered children, he has no idea how drastically his life is about to change. It’s a frantic hunt as Tucker and his team race to save thirteen children, including Sadie. But when Sadie’s mother comes to him with credible evidence on who is behind the girls’ disappearances, the situation quickly spirals out of control with a final twist that has Tucker questioning everything he knows to be true.

My Review:

published in 2023

Whoa! Intense and riveting! I was totally sucked in from the very first sentence: “There are seventy-two unbroken white tiles on the floor of the intake lobby of the psychiatric hospital.” Major thriller vibes all the way through as Riley is faced with a tsunami of impossible situations. Has she lost touch with reality or is someone trying to make it look that way? Super suspenseful. I non-stopped listened to the entire book. Just couldn’t tear myself away. And while some things are sorted in this first ‘Shadow Stalkers’ novel it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger which makes me think this is going to be a continuous sort of series featuring Riley every step of the way. Eeeep. Can’t wait for more.

Of Silver and Secrets + Giveaway

In 1889 England, Eva Inman finds herself overwhelmed with responsibility. Haunted by guilt over her parents’ deaths, Eva struggles to care for her blind sister and manage her family’s crumbling estate. With the threat of overdue taxes looming, Eva’s situation grows dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on her property. Despite local superstitions warning against disturbing the supposedly cursed acres, Eva’s need for funds forces her to consider the potential of more buried relics. She turns to Bram Webb, a Cambridge professor of Roman antiquities, for help—only to be reminded of a past she would rather forget.

Bram Webb is under immense pressure to find proof of a legendary Christian Roman settlement in an attempt to conceal his uncle’s deteriorating memory from the Trinity College disciplinary board and save both of their jobs. When Eva steps into Bram’s office, old sparks fly, rekindling memories that are both fond and painful. The excavation is fraught with challenges from the start, and as Eva and Bram work together with time running out, they must confront their pasts, face the growing attraction between them, and decide whether their love is strong enough to overcome the buried truths that threaten to tear them apart.

Award-winning author Michelle Griep transports you to Victorian-era England with a gripping romance.

My Review:

Happy sigh. Do you ever open a book and immediately get swept away by the sheer artistry of the storytelling? ‘Of Silver and Secrets’ is that sort of book for me. The second I started listening (fave audible narrator Sarah Zimmerman added to my bookish delight!) I felt myself physically and mentally relaxing into the story and in this care-worn world, that is such delightful decadence for an avid reader to experience!

Once again, Griep blends history and mystery to weave together a captivating story full of intrigue and drama. This time it centres around Roman archaeology on British soil. A discovery on Eva’s crumbling estate that might be her saving grace…if she can get past the fact that the one man who can help her is part of a past best forgotten!

Loved the second chance, friends-to-more romance struggling to blossom amidst the background of treachery and betrayal. Eva and Bram make an unforgettable team — when they can leave off sniping (Eva, I’m looking at you) long enough to realize they are better work together. And the plot twists! This author knows how to keep a reader anxiously engaged right to very end.

This is the second book in the ‘Times Lost Treasure’ series but reads wonderfully well as a standalone. However, if you have read the first book, you will be thrilled to see some familiar faces here.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Of Silver and Secrets,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 14 2025

Alaskan Police Protector + Giveaway

To save a child, he has to risk his own life.

When a minivan slides off the road into an icy lake, Officer Samuel Miller narrowly rescues a woman and child from certain death. Only, Rachel Harding insists the crash is no accident — it’s eerily similar to how her sister and brother-in-law recently died. As the unexplained attacks escalate, Samuel is determined to protect Rachel and her orphaned niece at all costs. But when they make a shocking discovery, their investigation becomes even more dangerous, and survival may be impossible.

My Review:

Whoa! An amazing debut written with the classic nail-biting flare much loved in this genre. Honestly, the action and tension was through the roof! Constant danger, relentless pursuit, intriguing predicaments, all lead our hero and heroine along a treacherous trail of devastating destruction and hair-raising near-death experiences. Not sure when my heart rate will get back to normal!

I listened to the audio edition expertly narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya who is fast becoming one of my favourite narrators. And with good reason. She manages to capture the personalities of each character through tone and inflection. Makes a listener feel like she’s right there in the midst of all the chaos right along with Samuel and Rachel. Highly recommend the audio edition of Alaskan Police Protector for discerning listeners.

My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Alaskan Police Protector,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 14 2025