Book Review – Page 43 – Kav's Best Reads

Meeting Her Match + Giveaway

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn’t expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen’s proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she’s ever made–her own.

My Review:

Snicker. I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face from the sheer absurd goings on in this novel! From the meet-cute fraught with mix ups to the bedlam that ensues afterwards, ‘Meeting Her Match’ is Jen Turnano at her zaniest best!

Honestly, no one can write riotously convoluted dialogue that, oddly enough, makes sense…eventually like this author can. The fine art of talking at cross purposes is perfected in nearly every exchange between Camilla and Owen and it’s hysterical! Definitely laugh-out-loud funny in places, so consider yourself forewarned if you are planning to read this book out in public. 🙂

And once Camilla arrives in West Virginia the fun explodes off the page! I can’t even…Owen’s family!!! Oh, mercy, his grandmother and his aunt! Two of the finest secondary characters ever. I will never take an apple pie recipe for granted ever again! Bwahahaha!

Riotous hijinks, sweet romance, characters to love (and a few to love-to-hate) along with a wee bit of intrigue and danger makes ‘Meeting Her Match’ the very best kind of escape read!

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 one of the Meeting Her Match, 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 27 2024.

You Make it Feel Like Christmas + Giveaway

Merry Christmas in July Retro Read!
What better way to beat the heat?!

Starr Lewis reluctantly returns home for the holidays jobless, single, and not at all prepared to be dragged into her sister’s wedding activities–or to witness her sister’s marriage to Starr’s ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve. But when her brother’s charming best friend, Waylon Emmerson, attends their family Thanksgiving, Starr begins to believe that maybe coming home isn’t so bad.

As Starr endures wedding preparations, she takes comfort in Waylon’s presence and finds the perfect distraction in helping him keep his late mother’s Christmas shop afloat. As the spark between them grows, Starr must decide what she wants out of life–to go back to New York City or to stay and pursue a new dream.

My Review:

published in 2023

The perfect holiday read! The kind you can devour in one sitting but the story still packs an emotional punch and leaves a reader aglow with the warmth of a yuletide happily ever after. Plus it’s fun and flirty, with enough swoonable moments to keep a romantic like me more than content. My heart’s still humming and I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face. 🙂

And there’s a wonderful faith thread about the importance of prayer. Both Starr and Waylon are wrestling with some major life changes and I really appreciate the raw honesty the author brings to their dilemmas. They are both Christians and invoke the power of prayer in their lives but that doesn’t always mean decisions are easy, or that they even feel divinely guided all the time. Sooooo relatable. And refreshing to read about.

The Lewis family is…interesting. Five siblings, a Christmas obsessed mama (she gave all her children Christmas names, after all) and a kind, but somewhat distant father. Interesting dynamics within the family as well, which strikes a realistic chord. And I’m looking forward to getting to know more about these characters…and their happily-ever-afters…in future books.

While I did have a paperback copy of ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’ on hand, I couldn’t resist diving into the audible edition because of it’s wonderful narration. Jasmin Walker’s portrayal of these characters is pitch perfect and made me enjoy the story all the more.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of You Make It Feel Like Christmas , 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 27 2024.

Sycamore Circle

There’s a lot going on in Joy Howard’s life. She’s got an ex-husband who starts acting like he doesn’t want to be an ex anymore, a sixteen-year-old daughter in need of a guiding hand and a lot of rides to dance practice, more orders for paintings than she has time to paint, and a roster of tutoring clients who sometimes need far more than she can give.

What she doesn’t have is time for a new relationship.

Samuel Bo Beauman is a lot of things. He’s a counselor for transitioning ex-cons, a good friend to many, a construction worker, a brother and son, and even a part-time model for a high-end sportswear catalog. He’s also a man searching for redemption.

One thing he isn’t is a man in need of a girlfriend.

But none of that seems to matter when Bo hears Joy’s kind voice in a crowded coffee shop. He instantly knows she’s someone he wants to know better. The two of them hit it off–much to the dismay of practically everyone they know–but Bo doesn’t care what other people think. He feels at peace whenever he’s with Joy, and he won’t let her go without a fight.

When Joy starts getting mysterious texts and phone calls from unknown numbers, she tries to ignore it. But instead of going away, the messages escalate and Joy realizes she can’t handle it alone. But she is juggling a jealous ex-husband, a handful of students with little to lose, and a brand-new boyfriend who spent several years behind bars. Who can she trust?

My Review:

I’m not sure how I feel about the series (Rumors n Ross County.) It’s definitely not the sweet romance I’ve come to expect from Shelley Shepard Gray. It’s like a whole different genre. Still great storytelling, but edgier and the books feel more like general market fiction. I definitely feel that the first book, Edgewater Road, had way more questionable content than this one did. Sycamore Circle is very much ‘toned down’ and I appreciate that but…

Bo is all alpha male with a side of Southern charm that both compliments and contradicts. An ex-con who serves other ex-cons by helping them acclimate to life on the outside. He’s definitely rough around the edges and there were a couple of scenes that made me uncomfortable. Plus there’s a bit of crude language which is par for the course, given the men and their backgrounds, I guess.

Joy is his exact opposite. A straight-laced, by-the-books single mom (with a sixteen year old daughter) who is the older woman who steals Bo’s heart. We’re not told how much older she is — she’s thirty-six. It felt like a lot of their relationship was based on physical attraction and, Bo in particular, was pretty forward in his pursuit of the, understandably, more hesitant Joy which sometimes crossed barriers for me as he relentlessly (albeit politely) pursued her. He never crossed any lines, but sometimes it just felt off for me.

Aside from their romance, there’s a bit of a stalker suspense thread featuring Joy as the victim. There’s also drama with her ex-husband — so lots for Bo to get all alpha male protective over and I enjoyed the rising tension that hits midway through the story until the frantic climax.

There’s also a secondary plot featuring Joy’s daughter and an Amish boy who is thinking about leaving his community which added an interesting twist to the overall story.

There was one major subplot that remained unresolved by the end of the book — not sure if it will be picked up in book three, but it doesn’t seem likely since the epilogue for Sycamore Circle is set a year later and the unresolved issues were time sensitive and would have played out by then so….I’m left with way too many questions, like why that thread was added to the story towards the very end and then just fizzled out?

For all my misgivings, I did find Sycamore Circle a compelling read. I never considered putting it down, but it did leave me feeling a bit unsettled after I finished. And, having said that, I am intrigued enough by another ex-con character who is also ex-Amish that I am really hoping there’s a third Rumors in Ross County and it will feature Seth’s story.

Resort to Murder + Giveaway

When Emmy Cooper’s life in Chicago is turned upside down, the young interior designer retreats to her family’s lake cottage resort in the beautiful Wisconsin Northwoods for a much-needed break. Hoping to clear her mind and gain a fresh perspective, she looks forward to enjoying the slower pace and the crisp, clean pine air at her beloved Cooper’s Cove Resort with her family, dogs, and her best friend, Whitney.

Unfortunately, her homecoming isn’t as calm as she’d hoped when Emmy finds out a ruthless development company is relentlessly pressuring Lake Covington property owners, including Emmy’s family, to sell their land so they can build an extravagant, modern resort that would ruin the quaint esthetic of the area. And things only get worse when Emmy finds the dead body of one of the developers floating in the lake—murdered!

Suddenly the police are involved, and since Emmy’s father was leading the fight to stop the shady development from getting approval, he’s quickly painted as the prime suspect. Now it’s up to Emmy to prove her father’s innocence, save the reputation of Cooper’s Cove, and find out who would resort to murder.

My Review:

Okay — first of all — cutest cozy cover ever!!! I feel like I can walk right in, nudge that little Yorkie over a wee bit and settle down for a sublime reading session! And that pretty package absolutely reflects all the delightfully cozy details you expect from a cozy mystery. 🙂

Retreating from personal drama, Emmy has returned to her family’s lakeside resort to regroup, only the peace and quiet and familial support she craves goes by the wayside when she finds a dead body on the property! Suddenly her quiet retreat turns into police investigating her father and the family’s livelihood in jeopardy. What’s a daughter to do but put on her deerstalker hat and go sleuthing?!

‘Resort to Murder’ is a fabulous debut novel! Annie McEwen has an engaging writer’s voice and a compelling story to tell. I love the Cooper family dynamics (such a cozy draw) and Emmy’s besties, Whitney and Marcus-with-the-mullet are a hoot! Their investigative skills aren’t quite finely honed, but what they lack in finesse, they make up with enthusiasm. And the cottagey resort setting is so appealing! (and perfect for a summer read.)

The well crafted plot kept me guessing (though I got there in the end. Yay me!) and I really like the way our amateur sleuths played nice with law enforcement. The detective on the case was a long time friend of Emmy’s dad and I liked his compassionate approach to the investigation. Of course our plucky heroine is too impatient to wait for the police to do their thing and a new literary amateur sleuth is born!

And — eeeeep — there’s a sweet romance brewing with a teen crush all grown up and that makes my romance lovin’ heart sooooo happy!

And — double eeeeeppppp!!! — the second book in the ‘Northwoods Mystery’ series is already out. ‘Dead, White and Blue’ (these titles!!!!) is definitely going to make it’s way onto my summer reading list.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Resort to Murder , 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 20 2024.

Matters of the Heart + Giveaway

He’s the community’s jokester auctioneer. She’s the serious caregiver for her siblings who also works at the local plant nursery. What future could they have together?

Declan Miller has always had feelings for Bethel King. Back when they were in school, she was the smartest girl in the class and, in his opinion, by far the prettiest. Now the two of them are in their twenties and while the attraction is still there, Declan is as hesitant as ever to let Bethel know how he feels. His corny jokes and wisecracks cover a heart that’s afraid of rejection.

Bethel can’t deny Declan is nice, funny, hardworking, and pleasing to the eye–a perfect match if you asked any Plain girl in the area. But marrying Bethel would also mean marrying into her family. Two of her younger brothers have a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and her sister Claire is now showing signs of having it as well. Fiercely loyal and nurturing, Bethel has promised herself her siblings will always come first. With a good chance that she carries the gene and could pass it on to her children, Bethel has tried to convince herself marriage and family just aren’t in the cards for her.

When a devastating diagnosis of his own turns Declan’s world upside down, he looks to Bethel for understanding, compassion, and a realistic outlook. As they share their dreams and fears and grow together in faith, a bond begins to develop between them. Perhaps their combination of optimistic extrovert and thoughtful introvert really isn’t such a bad thing–perhaps it’s actually a part of God’s beautiful design.

My Review:

I love finding a unique approach to an Amish novel and this one is phenomenal! So much heart and angst and real life (and faith) struggles for both Bethel and Declan which kept me riveted.

Kelly Irvin gently explores hereditary conditions specific to the Amish with compassion and understanding. Bethel’s family carries a gene that can result in a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Three out of her six siblings are living with the condition and Bethel is dedicated to supporting their every need. She’s so wrapped up with daily logistics and worrying that she’s letting the chance at her own future pass her by.

She is, in fact, resigned to the fact that her life’s role is to be the carer for her siblings. Notice I said ‘the’ not ‘a’ because Bethel has fallen into the trap of thinking she’s the only one who can. She harbours a kind of false pride out of her need to be there for her family. She hasn’t forgotten that the Amish are all about community and sharing life’s difficulties, she just thinks that isn’t needed as long as she can do it all. And isn’t that so relatable no matter what kind of community we live in?!

By contrast, fun loving Declan seems to have it all. A family run business he loves and the freedom from responsibility that Bethel can only dream of. These two are exact opposites. He’s the extrovert to her introvert. The jokester to her serious demeanour. And yet, there’s every indication that there could be so much more if only Bethel could let go of some of her responsibilities and a whole lot of her worries.

But then Declan faces a health challenge of his own and — whoa — this story, their romance, spun in a completely different direction. Heartbreaking and tender but ultimately hopeful though there’s a lot of overcoming to be done before the last page. I appreciate the way the author portrayed their unique challenges through their faith journey. She explores the age old question of why God allows suffering as Bethel and Declan wrestle with untenable circumstances.

A beautifully crafted story that shines grace into the darkest corners of our lives.

I enjoyed listening to the audio book narrated by Lauren Berst. She did a wonderful job with these characters — especially Declan with his evolving situation. Her performance helped me feel my way through the story, rather than just listen to it.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com)

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of Finding You, 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 20 2024.

Beachy Keen

He has it all, except the one thing money can’t buy: her heart.

When Cat Keene finds a medical bill with the horrendous words final notice stamped across the front, she learns two things: first, her uncle/the man who raised her is keeping things from her for the first time in her life. Second, they need money—and fast—or they’ll lose the only thing she has left of her parents: the bed & breakfast she runs with him.

Noah Belacourt is a billionaire with a newly acquired anxiety diagnosis and a one-way ticket to Sunset Harbor for the summer, courtesy of his company’s board of directors. Being on the island he grew up on for a forced sabbatical has a major perk when he runs into the girl he’s harbored a crush on since they were teens. She’s still the same old Cat, except now she’s in some major financial trouble. Noah wants to help her, but Cat is stubborn. She holds onto past biases about his family and takes some convincing.

When Cat agrees to work as Noah’s personal assistant for the summer, she doesn’t realize she’s signing up for a lot more than debt relief. Some of her preconceived notions about the Belacourt family begin to feel wrong. Noah proves that not all first impressions are reliable, forcing Cat to face the past—and to hope that things will end up just peachy keen after all.

Because the alternative is losing everything that matters to her, and she is not about to let that happen.

My Review:

The perfect summer escape read…and look at me enjoying a billionaire romance! It’s not my favourite romantic trope but I’m discovering never say never when I find gems like this.

So yes, Noah is a billionaire — born one and will likely die one — there’s just too much money for him to go through in one life time. 🙂 He’s part of a highly public family (I got Kardashian vibes) but he’s not a fan of the limelight and he’s struggling with a personal issue that has him seeking tranquility in the small island town he grew up in…where his teenage crush just happens to still live.

Only Cat is not a fan of all things Belacourt. She has a painful history that has coloured her opinion of the whole clan. Stuck up, holier-than-thou snobs, the lot of them (in her humble opinion.) Cue the enemies to more trope and settle in for a delightfully funny, achingly sweet love story…with just the right amount of heartache and drama to keep things interesting.

Love the way their relationship develops over the course of the summer. Cat is so stubbornly determined to not give an inch and it was fun to watch Noah gradually wear down her defences. Lots of lighthearted moments with some swoony toe-curling ones thrown in! But since they are both struggling with some serious personal and family issues, there’s plenty of scope for depth and character growth which makes the read that much more rewarding.

I listened to the audio edition narrated by Rylie Kuberra and John Rogers. I quite enjoy listening to a dual narration, especially for a rom/com and I feel like they captured the essence of these characters perfectly. Made the comedic parts that much funnier and the serious parts more emotional. Excellent performances that kept me captivated to the very end.

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

Truth Be Told + Giveaway

Denver’s newest detective. A garden’s deadly secrets.

On a lovely June night in 1924, amateur detective Annalee Spain is mingling bravely at a high-class political fundraiser in the lush backyard garden of famed political fixer Cooper Coates, one of the wealthiest men in Denver’s Black neighborhood of Five Points. When Coates’s young daughter discovers a pretty stranger dead in her father’s garden shed, Annalee is thrust onto the baffling new case just as she’s reeling from another recent discovery―a handwritten letter, found buried in her own garden, that reveals the identity of her mother.

Not ready to face the truth about her hidden past, Annalee throws herself into solving the mystery of the young woman’s demise. With the help of her pastor boyfriend Jack Blake, her orphaned buddy Eddie, and her trustworthy church friends, Annalee follows the clues to three seemingly disconnected settings―a traveling carnival set up downtown, a Black civic club, and a prestigious white seminary on the outskirts of Denver. Intriguing advice also comes from a famous, real-life Denver visitor. But is Annalee on the right track or just running in circles, fleeing from conflicts racing in her heart?

In a taut, heart-gripping narrative driven by secrets, romance, and lies, Annalee must unravel a case with higher stakes than she imagined―one where answers about a lovely woman’s death point to truths and tensions still throbbing today.

My Review:

This series just keeps getting better and better! I love the way we’ve seen so much growth in Annalee over these three books. She is more sure of herself, clearer in her purpose, more resolute in her faith. And she needs to be all that and more as she faces some of the toughest situations she’s experienced since arriving in Denver.

The author incorporates historical facts with unflinching honesty. No sugar coating here as Annalee seeks justice for an unknown murder victim. Racism, violence and corruption brings danger at every turn…and from unexpected places. It’s brutal and confounding – especially as Annalee is confronted by the social bigotry within her own Black community.

This is the kind of story you feel your way through. It’s impossible to be a detached observer. I lived every heartbreaking, infuriating and gut-wrenching moment right along with Annalee and Eddie and Pastor Jack and Mrs. Mason and all the people I hold so dear. And, oh my goodness, the cameo appearance of a revered historical figure who counsels Annalee and brings such hope….I got goosebumps!!!

The mystery is complex but Annalee is relentless and has the backing of loyal friends and unexpected strangers. It’s layered in tragedy and deceit, perpetuated by legions of ‘good people’ who chose to do nothing while atrocities were committed. A mystery with history and heart — the kind of novel that changes a reader for the better by the time she reaches the end.

I listened to the excellent audible edition narrated by Zakiya Young. She brought such energy and enthusiasm to the story and enhanced my ‘reading’ pleasure that much more. She has narrated the entire series so far and these books will definitely be ones I listen to again. Keeper shelf material for sure.

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 one of the Truth Be Told, 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 13 2024.

Finding You + Giveaway

She thought love was lost to her until a stranger with a secret connection to her former fiancé opens her heart to a second chance at love in this uplifting contemporary romance from Amy Clipston.

It’s been eighteen months since Darcy Larsen’s fiancé, Jace, was killed in a car accident on his way to pick up Darcy’s medicine from the pharmacy. Eighteen months of missing him and struggling to overcome her heartache, grief, and guilt. Unwilling to open up her heart to more hurt, Darcy is sure her one chance at a Happily Ever After is gone, until a random encounter with a handsome stranger changes everything.

Carter Donovan has a new lease on life. An emergency kidney transplant saved his life, but while he’s eternally thankful to the anonymous donor, he can’t help but feel like a burden to his family. Forced to move in with his sister and her family, he’s ready to move forward–past his broken engagement and his former illness and embrace his second chance at life and love.

When Darcy’s car breaks down and Carter rushes to the rescue, these two souls are thrown together in an unexpected way. As they start to date, Darcy feels herself coming back to life, and Carter begins to believe in the future again. But as they grow closer and open up more about their hopes, fears, and pasts, an explosive secret threatens to break down the gentle romance they’ve built. Carter’s transplant isn’t as anonymous as he’d first thought, and its connection to Darcy–and her fiancé Jace–could shatter everything they’ve built.

My Review:

A touching romance full of heartache and hope. Particularly poignant given the author’s personal experience with the subject matter. Made the read that much more impactful since she obviously captured all the emotional nuances.

‘Finding You’ is pure romance that starts with Darcy and Carter’s unexpected meet-cute and gently evolves into a cautious exploration of deepening feelings…BUT…as in all good romantic fiction…there are complications! Unusually challenging ones, in fact, and Clipston did a wonderful job of driving me crazy as this heroine and her hero battle insecurities and secrets. 🙂

I could understand their hesitancy but, I couldn’t help becoming frustrated over their trust issues. Of course, as the reader, I had the advantage of being aware of both Darcy and Carter’s inner most thoughts so trusting either of them wasn’t an issue for me…until it was! The author did a fantastic job with pacing and plot which included some memorable secondary characters who help our hero and heroine navigate their way to a hard-won happily-ever-after.

I listened to the audio edition and really enjoyed narrator Melissa Moran’s performance. She breathed life into these characters and related their story with warmth and compassion. A pleasant, easy-to-listen to ‘reading’ experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio as well as Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com)

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.

He’s So Not My Valentine

Valentine’s Day should be outlawed.

Here are a few fun facts about
1. I do not love Valentine’s Day.
2. I love coffee.
3. I’ve never left the state of North Carolina.

I’m not complaining. I grew up in the quaint town of Harvest Hollow, met my charming husband, and had our amazing son here … That was before my “charming” ex-husband decided he needed to expand his horizons.

Since that time, I’ve been raising Nate alone, with the support of my family, and running Cataloochee Coffee like it’s my own business.

I’m not looking for romance–especially not at this time of year when everyone couples up in the name of a dead saint who happens to be the patron of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers.

When Rene Dubois comes from France to visit my sister and her husband, I obviously keep my distance. I don’t need his kisses to my cheeks, his flirty banter, or the way his bright green eyes make me feel flutters in my belly and tingles across my skin. I don’t do flutters or tingles.

My sister keeps assuring me Rene is amazing and harmless. But she’s the dreamer in the family. Rene may be gorgeous, have a buttery French accent, and a charismatic personality. All I know is He’s so not my Valentine

My Review:

Fun and flirty and swoonable!

“Read Savannah Scott,” they said. “You’ll love her books,” they said. “They are so good,” they said…. And they weren’t wrong! This is my first Savannah Scott book, but it won’t be my last. I’d been hearing the chatter on instagram and book tube for a while and added the author’s name to my loooonnnnngggg ‘authors to try’ list and now, here I am, a puddle of melted goo because…

‘He’s So Not My Valentine’ is pure romance. Delectably delightful. Fainting couch necessary because Rene is……thud! Swoon! And repeat all the way through. 🙂 Now, there are kissing books and then there are KISSING books and this definitely fits into the latter category. Definitely a clean, sweet read but, oh la la, the romantic tension is divine!

Loved the banter and the heart to heart’s and the comedic moments that had me giggling until I dove back into a swan-dive swoon again because that Rene is such a charmer!

I enjoyed listening to the audio book narrated by Amanda Friday and Tyler Hyrchuk — great voice actors who delivered solid performances, breathing life into these fun, endearing characters.

My thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and the author for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

Refuge on Crescent Hill + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

Moving home after a recent job loss was supposed to reassure Camden Bristow and give her time to decide what to do next. But when she arrives in Etherton, Ohio, she discovers that her grandmother, who she hasn’t talked to in years, has passed away and “home” is an empty mansion 150 years old. Not exactly the comfort Camden was looking for. What happened to the house she played in as a child, the bedtime stories that told of secret passageways and runaway slaves, and all those family memories?

When antiques start disappearing and footsteps are heard, some of those memories start to creep back and Camden wonders if her grandmother’s bedtime stories might actually be true. What really happened here . . . at Crescent Hill? How was her grandmother involved? Who still has access to the house? And for what purpose? As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden also uncovers secrets about her family that could change the town―and her life―forever.

My Review:

published in 2010

If you like the hint of a Gothic vibe (aka classic Phyllis A. Whitney) then ‘Refuge on Crescent Hill’ is the read for you. So atmospheric right from the opening page with Camden in desperate straits, heading to her childhood haven and the warmth of her grandmother’s arms. Only her grandmother is dead and the ‘home’ she remembers is a decaying mansion as broken as she feels.

And the house is either haunted or invaded by someone other than herself though no one takes her seriously. And there are so many secrets! Decades of them, all surrounding Camden’s family. And strangers eager to buy the house and the land…some for altruistic reasons, some for nefarious ones. And the town watching every move Camden makes. Sooooooooo scrumptiously mysterious. Layers of villainy to unmask and family history to uncover. Plus a light romance to swoon over. The perfect escape read.

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 one of the Refuge on Crescent Hill, 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 22 2024.