Category: Book Review

High Exposure + Giveaway

The riveting start to an adventure-driven romantic suspense series from a debut author

Determined travel blogger Julia Stevens is on her final assignment in snowy Silverberg, Colorado. She’s running from her past-and God-but the charm of small-town life brings little comfort when she’s face-to-face with the winter sport that killed her skiing. Upon her arrival in town, she discovers a dead body and is compelled to research the situation, give justice to the man’s story, and kick off her new career in journalism.

Cade Haskins is back home after a failed mission and his subsequent retirement from the DEA. His father’s declining health has pushed Cade to prioritize family, and he helps at the historic Silverberg Hotel on his dad’s behalf. When Julia shows up at the hotel, Cade becomes her local contact. He quickly realizes she has a knack for sniffing around where she shouldn’t, and he attaches himself to her side.

With the local death connected to a meth ring, Julia’s investigation has unknowingly put a target on her back. As the danger increases and she begins to learn more about Cade and his family, she finds herself trusting the God she was running from. And Cade? He doesn’t want to get dragged back into DEA work, but it seems like he may not have a choice if he wants to protect Julia . . . and his growing attraction to her.

“Debut author Kelly Borjas raises the bar with High Exposure. It’s a fast, twisty romantic suspense, set in the snowy Colorado mountains, that blends high tension with a satisfying, hard-won romance.”

My Review:

Astonishingly good. Like unputdownable, emotionally-on-edge, desperately-needing-to-know-everything-now kind of good. I’m pretty much gobsmacked and addlebrained so I’m wrestling with what to write in this review.

Exquisite storytelling – measured words and phrases that paint vibrant images and bring scenes to life. Characters with complex backstories resulting in deep emotional layers that are s-l-o-w-l-y uncovered. Inspiring faith elements that make a reader think. A complex suspense plot with enough twists and turns to rob an avid reader of her very last breath! A romance built on substance but it takes work! And plenty of agonizing moments when I wanted to just lock Cade and Julia in a room together and make them talk it all out! I was soooooooo emotionally invested in their romance! (And them surviving long enough to figure things out.)

What an amazing debut novel. Heart-stopping suspense with plenty of hair-raising action and that love story – epic!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  ebook

Canada – ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of High Exposure. 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 October 10 2026.

Alaskan Survival Threat + Giveaway

Gunmen in pursuit…and there’s nowhere to hide.

Park Ranger Helena Nikolaou’s assignment takes a deadly turn when she sees a body drop from a helicopter—and she suddenly comes under fire. Ambushed on a remote Alaskan island, she’s saved by US Coast Guard rescue swimmer Cody Hannigan. Only, the assailants won’t give up easily. With danger trailing their every move, Helena and Cody are forced through unforgiving terrain to retrieve evidence linked to a sinister conspiracy. But as they fight to stay one step ahead of killers determined to silence them, one wrong move could cost them their lives.

My Review:

A phenomenal romantic suspense full of the kind of tension and urgency that makes for a gripping read. And it starts out with a heart-stopping opening scene that grabs a reader’s attention. Love the Alaskan wilderness setting which becomes a character all on its own.

Not to mention the spunky park ranger heroine who has a very interesting backstory which contributes to her wariness when it comes to peopling. Cody is the exact opposite – his winning smile and outgoing personality make friends wherever he goes…and also helps him accept Helena’s reticent nature with good humour. Really love the way they compliment each other and how their different strengths balance out under pressure. Their romance develops as they learn to to trust one another …and God…in every situation.

This is the kind of romantic suspense I adore — intriguing setting (hello, remote Alaskan island!), smart, professional and interesting MCs, and a complex mystery that surprised me in the end.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. She has a real talent for using her voice to create tension in the action scenes that makes them just a wee bit edgier which is all kinds of fun. And I love the energy she brings to each character. I feel like she is able to capture their personalities perfectly. I always know I am in for an excellent listening experience when I see her name listed on the cover of an audiobook.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  paperback or ebook – winner’s choice 

Canada – paperback, ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Alaskan Survival Threat. 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 October 10 2026.

Jay to the World

There’s merry mischief aplenty in Donna Andrews’ latest avian-themed Christmas mystery!

The Christmas season is underway in Caerphilly. The members of the Hollingsworth clan, Meg’s mother’s family, are beginning to arrive in force, and Mother has several special projects underway this year. One is the playhouse she’s having built for Brynn, her two-year-old granddaughter. Brynn is a bright, lively child who loves animals, especially a wounded jay that she and Meg are trying to rehabilitate. She’s also hoping to play matchmaker and set up her cousin with an old friend of hers who was recently widowed.

But all is not going smoothly in Caerphilly. Someone vandalizes the playhouse and sets a dangerous trap that injures and could have killed Mother. She reveals that she has been getting nasty anonymous letters, and it’s obvious that someone is targeting her. Meg realizes she has to do something to figure out who could possibly have it in for her mom.

Meg juggles holiday preparations and celebrations while investigating these potential enemies – not to mention helping repair the damaged playhouse, taking her turn at nursing the wounded jay, and trying to coax Mother’s elderly cousin into a reunion with his long-lost love. When one of Meg’s suspects is found dead under suspicious circumstances, the family rejoices that Mother is out of danger. But Meg isn’t quite sure they’re out of the woods just yet.

My Review:

It wouldn’t be Christmas without another unique Meg Langslow twist to the festive season. This time it is Meg’s mother who is in the crosshairs of an unknown enemy bent on doing her harm. I think this is the first book in the series without a murder which makes it a ‘gentler’ read for the holidays. Lots of intrigue though and plenty of hijinks as Meg’s extended family descend upon Caerphilly for Christmas.

Andrews signature dry wit is woven throughout an entertaining mystery with plenty of plot twists. I enjoyed meeting up with favourite secondary characters from previous books and I especially appreciate how certain characters remain ageless (‘Great’, Caroline, even Meg’s parents and, of course Spike who is just too ornery to get passage across the Rainbow Bridge!) As always, the author has managed to create some heartwarming seasonal moments in the midst of all the bedlam which makes this read pretty near perfect…

Well, listen, actually, since I enjoyed Bernadette Dunne’s narration. She has been the voice of this series since the very beginning and has contributed to my love of theses characters. Unique voices from crusty Great’s harumph to the twins’ boyish enthusiasm and everything in between. I collect print copies of the Meg Langslow series for my keeper shelf, but I always return to my audible collection for a re-listen.

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

Death at a Scottish Halloween

When Dr. Emilia McRoy stumbles upon a dead body in a haunted house, she resolves to find the killer before another body can fall. 

Halloween isn’t the only cause for fright in the fifth Scottish Isle mystery, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

It’s the week of Halloween—or as they say in Scotland, All Hallows’ Eve—and the town of Sea Isle is full of spooky celebrations. Dr. Emilia McRoy loves being part of her new community and is eager to help out in any way she can. But the festivities are interrupted when she and her assistant, Abigail, find a dead body in a haunted house. A real one. They’re too late to save the victim, but they’ll do whatever it takes to find his killer. 

There’s just one problem. There are too many suspects. 

Constable Ewan would prefer the good doctor and her friends stay out of the investigations, but that isn’t how Dr. Em rolls. As she and her gang investigate, they realize the killer is searching for something—and has no problem murdering anyone who gets in the way of finding it. 

Dr. Em must stay one step ahead if she’s to survive this Halloween season alive—either that or she might just end up the next victim.

My Review:

I love this series! I find myself completely invested in these characters and eagerly look forward to their next adventure (aka murder!) and I really think that narrator Kimberly M. Wetherell has a lot to do with that. She is brilliant at creating unique voices for a multitude of characters and infuses them with individual personalities as well. And not just within this book, but over a multitude of books and various series that I’ve listened to. Her voice is somehow both comfortingly familiar and refreshingly new with each book she narrates. Her name on an audiobook cover is a definite selling point for me.

In this fifth Scottish Isle Mystery, Dr. Em and her endearing friend group, as well as a certain beguiling constable/Laird, are in for a perplexing case during all the hijinks and drama of the spooky Halloween season. Love the way the author blends Scottish culture and traditions into the mix and the vivid descriptions that make me feel like I’m right there in the midst of things.

The mystery is a doozy and I was yo-yoing between multiple suspects for most of the story. The complexity in details and all the autumnal festivities add to the fun, as does a certain developing relationship that has been oh-so-slowly in the works. Happy sigh — “Death at a Scottish Halloween” is pretty much cozy perfection.

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

Stranded Ranch + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

Her past came back to surprise her. But her past is now a flirty hot cowboy so…

I wasn’t sure why I gave up a week in the Bahamas with friends to visit my grandparent’s home in Wyoming.

In January.

But one phone call to the ranch to check-in was all it took.

It didn’t matter that the worst storm to hit Wyoming in years was upon us. I needed to be there. I just didn’t know why.

But a road closure and a surprise knock on the door brought back sweet memories from my past. And perhaps a handsome cowboy for my future.

And I can’t help but think that the unexpected is often the best surprise of all.

My Review:

published in 2021

Eeeeppp!!! I do so love a stranded in a snowstorm romance and this one produced all the feels. Fun and flirty. Delightfully awkward. Swoonworthy. And oh, my the toe-curling kisses might have been out done by the toe-curling near kisses!

Lucy and Dusty are in matchmaking heaven between her wily grandparents and the raging blizzard outside. And who doesn’t love a cowboy hero with a flirtatious streak?! I’m surprised the snow didn’t melt away from all that sizzle and spark! But it’s his supportive, accepting nature that elevates his hero status. There are some truly tender, affirming moments with Lucy who battles anxiety that were so….perfect!

‘Stranded Ranch’ is short and sweet but also packed with the kind of emotional depth I love to see in a romance. A sheer delight from start to finish.

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Justis Bolding and enjoyed every second. It was a listen in one go kind of ‘read’. Loved the way she captured the unique personalities of each character and the way she delivered the flirty banter brought an extra oomph to those scenes. An absolutely delightful listening experience!

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  paperback or ebook – winner’s choice 

Canada – paperback, ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Stranded Ranch. 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 September 25 2026.

Falling for Keeps + Giveaway

He was supposed to be one kiss…not the neighbor across the street.

As the children’s librarian in Autumn Ridge, Emma spends her days surrounded by happy endings. But between restoring her old farmhouse, keeping her family together, and searching for a decent man in a very small town, her own romance feels permanently shelved.

Then one impulsive night at a bar, she kisses Carson Price—the popular guy she crushed on in high school.

For Emma, it’s a reckless little dream come true.

For Carson, it’s a fun night with a beautiful woman he never expects to see again.

Until the next morning… when he moves in across the street.

Newly divorced, cynical, and focused on raising his daughter while rebuilding the dental practice he just bought, Carson has no interest in love. Marriage? Never again. Romance? Absolutely not.

Friendship with his warm, bookish, unexpectedly tempting neighbor? That might be safe enough.

Except Emma has never been good at doing anything halfway. And the more he lets her into his life, the harder it is for either of them to pretend friendship is all this is.

She’s ready to fall. He’s determined not to. But in a small town, staying just friends might be the hardest thing of all.

My Review:

Hello! Glasses wearing librarian heroine looking for love in a picture perfect small town where Cupid seems to be working overtime this autumn?! Yes please! Bonus points because Emma is a children’s librarian and there were some fun bookish references throughout the story.

Honest truth: was not over the moon about a dentist hero…I just can’t, major dentist phobia here…mind you if Carson was my dentist I’d probably feel differently. Like sugar binging to ‘grow’ cavities so I could see him more than a couple of times a year. Bwahahaha!

And what follows is a thoughtful, sweet and swoony (cue a few toe-curling kisses!) romance. There’s a wee bit of a kinda/sorta love triangle, but not really (doesn’t that make sense?) which scared me a bit but, phew, really nothing to fret over at all! Handled beautifully by the author, I’m relieved to say.

I enjoyed being back in Autumn Ridge and getting to visit with some familiar faces – this is my third ‘Falling for Autumn’ book. It’s a multi-authored continuity series set in the same small town and during the same timeline, but each book reads well as a standalone too.

I listened to the audible edition and enjoyed the dual narration by Stephanie Rose and Logan Anare. Always fun when we get two performers for a rom/com. I thought both actors matched well with Kasey Stockton’s storytelling style and characters.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  paperback or ebook – winner’s choice 

Canada – paperback, ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Falling for Keeps, 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 September 25 2026.

Witness Safeguard Mission

A family in a killer’s crosshairs.
A K-9 determined to defend.

When Nicole Woodard and her young sister witness their father’s murder by an unknown assailant, Nicole knows they’re next on the killer’s hit list. Now they must rely on Officer Braydon Feldman and his K-9 partner, Caesar, for protection. The killer will stop at nothing to silence the sisters and keep the crime hidden. But what could their father have been involved in that got him killed? With attacks coming from all sides and dangerous family secrets being exposed, can Braydon and Nicole stay alive long enough to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again?

My Review:

What a heartbreaking and hair-raising opening scene! Carol J. Post catapulted me right into the middle of Nicole’s devastating chaos and I was immediately emotionally invested in her story. There’s tension and danger at every turn but she has a fighting chance with Braydon and his K-9 partner on her side. Loved that German Shepherd Caesar does double duty as emotional support for Nicole’s traumatized little sister too. Gotta love a diversified canine!

A compelling romantic suspense that strikes a nice balance between the romance and the suspense. I loved how open Braydon was to helping Nicole even though he’s on vacation. Their ‘chance’ encounter in the National Park sets them on an unforgettable journey that kept me compulsively listening to Emma Lysy’s captivating narration. She delivered just the right amount of tension and drama ,infused with the occasional touch of humour, to really bring this story to life. I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience and can honestly recommend the audio edition of ‘Witness Safeguard Misson’.

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

Coordinates of Death + Giveaway

A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness.

Sweetwood Falls, Yukon, has seen too much terror for one small town. Corporal Aurora Hunt still blames herself for not catching the Shadow Box Killer before five women lost their lives. The killings stopped two years ago, and her colleagues believe the murderer is dead. But Aurora isn’t convinced.

A chilling discovery on a winter’s morning confirms her fears. The crime scene is all too familiar—a woman’s mutilated body, and beneath it, a box containing a gruesome souvenir. But this time, there’s a special message, daring Aurora to play a game that will lead her into the wilderness to try and save the next victim.

Canadian Watcher Squad survivalist Kordell Greene is part of the past that Aurora has tried to put behind her. He’s also the only person equipped to guide her through this deadly terrain. But somehow, the killer knows all their secrets. Solving cryptic clues as they battle the elements, Aurora and Kordell must confront dark truths they’ve withheld, even from each other. And always, the Shadow Box Killer is one step ahead, drawing them deeper into a twisted game where the slightest mistake may be their last.

My Review:

Whoa! This was waaaaaayyy out of my comfort zone but I was completely mesmerized just the same. Turner writes ‘creepy’ with flare and I’m still shuddering over some scenes. I might be compulsively checking my windows and doors for awhile yet. lol

Having said that, the author has an uncanny way of writing thriller details without the over-the-top descriptions usually found in this kind of book. Though, fair warning to gentle readers like me who have vivid imaginations – sometimes just the hint of something is enough to send my my mind into overdrive so proceed with caution. Also, content warning in particular for something in the heroine’s past that is quite horrific.

Loved the Canadian Yukon setting with the occasional sojourn into Alaska. And a top-notch survivalist hero makes for a compelling romantic interest. Kordell and Aurora were friends in their teens during a troubling time and their bittersweet reunion is fraught with emotion, both past and present. Adds all sorts of tension to the plot, especially with the secrets they have buried.

The villain is psychological horror story level and the taunting and treachery is diabolical. Shudder. It’s a miracle Rory kept her sanity through it all…and I mean that literally since her faith is her support even when its at its most tenuous. The moving inspirational thread around forgiveness is both challenging and hopeful.

A gritty, compulsive read but definitely not for the faint of heart. I actually listened to ‘Coordinates of Death’ narrated by Lenor A. Woodworth, which might have made it creepier. Something about the villain’s voice whispering right in my ear was unsettling! Woodworth’s talent for delivering creepy ambiance through her performance could be considered disquieting, but utterly riveting as well!

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

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  ebook

Canada – ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Coordinates of Danger, 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 September 19 2026

The Memory House + Giveaway

Some truths aren’t buried. They’re trained to stay quiet.
Elise Warren believes the danger is in the past.
She’s wrong.

When Elise returns to her childhood home to settle her estranged father’s estate, she expects unanswered questions—especially about Ivy, the quiet girl who lived there and then vanished.

What she finds is far worse.

Her father’s psychological work wasn’t meant to heal children. It was meant to control them. And someone else may have been watching—someone who never needed to be in the room to be obeyed.

As Elise uncovers the truth, she realizes her return wasn’t an accident.

It was anticipated.

And the experiment may not be over.

Because some experiments don’t end. They wait.

My Review:

Mercy, but did this book ever deliver all the Gothic Goodness I’d been craving! So atmospheric, verging on the edge of eerie but not to the hair-raising thriller level of some books. More mysterious with pockets of spooky throughout.

And the way the story develops – honestly I was so confused (in a good way!) Elise can’t remember a chunk of her childhood until she returns to a dilapidated old house she and her mother had fled twenty years earlier. I was full of questions and my imagination worked overtime, creating the most outlandish scenarios since the author was not obligingly forthcoming. Though I love the way Alford paced the mystery, teasing us with mere snippets of facts oh so gradually throughout the read. And, double mercy, that ending! Not even on my radar. At all!

‘The Memory House’ is an all-consuming, page-turner steeped in mystery with hints of romance and some gentle inspirational truths to keep things on an even keel.

“Maybe breaking isn’t always the end.”

Her gaze lifted. “You really believe that?”

“I believe God can rebuild what people damage.”

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently used copy of this book so is available for any reader anywhere in the world so – Yay – INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Memory House,  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 September 19 2026.

Belle’s Christmas Carol + Giveaway

While all of London waits for snow, an orphanage in need holds holiday cheer, sparks of love, and secrets waiting to be discovered.

When Ebeneezer Scrooge’s former fiancée, Belle Beaumont, unexpectedly inherits a struggling London orphanage, she dreams of giving the children of Haven House the most splendid Christmas they’ve ever known. But her vision of snowflakes and merriment quickly collides with reality: Fire damage has rendered part of the building unsafe, and the paperwork is years behind.

Barrister Rafe Munro is fighting to clear an innocent man and searching for a child, who may be his relative. His pursuit leads him to Haven House, where Rafe offers to help Belle sort through the chaotic records that might lead to the missing child. Amid the mayhem of running an orphanage full of mischievous children and eccentric staff, will Belle and Rafe find love and the answers they seek this holiday season?

With characters from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, this festive historical romance Christmas novella of family and second chances from Michelle Griep is set in Victorian England.

My Review:

What a Dickensian wonder! Griep has created a story that seamlessly fits into the Victorian storytelling style. Words and phrasing reflect the era and help to create the atmosphere that so many of us feel when we think of Dickens’ classic Christmas Carol. And the way she fits a young Ebenezer into Rafe and Belle’s story is quite brilliant!

Rich with a gamut of emotions. Belle with her unexpected inheritance and the lively (understatement!) young orphans who live there. Not to mention the well-meaning but bumbling servants who might take more supervision then all the children combined. Poignant moments mix with hearty laugh-out-loud ones. And then there’s Rafe, an earnest young lawyer desperate to make a difference in the world, only to find himself unexpectedly at the orphange’s doorstep in the midst of complete bedlam. His orderly existence takes a turn for the worse…or maybe I should say better since it comes with Belle.

The perfect combination of heart and hope at Christmastime, ‘Belle’s Christmas Carol’ is destined to become its own kind of seasonal classic in years to come.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Jennifer Smith who did an amazing job with the variety of characters of all ages and accents. Such a fun and entertaining listening experience!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US –  paperback or ebook – winner’s choice 

Canada – paperback, ebook or audio — winner’s choice

International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Belle’s Christmas Carol, 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 September 19 2026.