Kav's Best Reads

The Light at Wyndcliff + Giveaway

In the third book of this sweet Regency Cornwall series, one young man must search for truth among the debris of multiple shipwrecks on his newly inherited property.

When Liam Twethewey inherits the ancient Wyndcliff Hall in Pevlyn, Cornwall, he sets a goal of fulfilling his late great-uncle’s dream of opening a china clay pit on the estate’s moorland. When he arrives, however, a mysterious shipwreck on his property—along with even more mysterious survivors—puts his plans on hold.

Evelyn Bray has lived in Pevlyn her entire life. After her grandfather’s fall from fortune, he humbled himself and accepted the position of steward at Wyndcliff Hall. Evelyn’s mother, embarrassed by the reduction of wealth and status, left Pevlyn in search of a better life for them both, but in spite of her promise, never returns. Evelyn is left to navigate an uncertain path with an even more uncertain future.

When the mysteries surrounding the shipwreck survivors intensify, Liam and Evelyn are thrown together as they attempt to untangle a web of deceit and secrets. But as they separate the truths from the lies, they quickly learn that their surroundings—and the people in it—are not as they seem. Liam and Evelyn are each tested, and as a romance buds between them, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome their growing differences.

My Review:

An atmospheric Regency with a Gothic flare that brings to mind classics written by Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. I made the acquaintance of those authors waaaay back in high school when I was finally allowed to venture into the adult section of the public library. I was completely entranced by this type of trope and I felt the same sort of thrill embarking on this delightfully mysterious visit to Cornwall. Love when a story brings nostalgia into the reading mix.

Also love the fresh twists Ladd brings to the genre. It’s Liam who has inherited the gloomy, long neglected estate and Evelyn who has lived there most of her life as the steward’s granddaughter. That role reversal was not only fun to read but brought different kinds of tension into play. And mercy, but there is tension galore in this novel! Between the villagers and the new lord. Between the steward and the new lord. Between Evelyn and the new lord. Get my drift? Liam’s welcome isn’t very…well…welcoming.

And then we have the wild Cornish coast — the moors and the sea and all manner of dangers both natural and man-made. The sordid and complicated lives of smugglers and wreckers and excise men. Loads of shivery delight as Liam and Evelyn draw together to solve the mystery on their doorstep. All that and a sweet, budding romance besides. It’s a Regency Reader’s Heaven!

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 The Light at Wyndcliff , 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 August 17 2024.

2024 Carol Award Finalists – Young Adult + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

They are awards given out by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in recognition of outstanding Christian fiction in the previous calendar year. So these 2024 finalists are books published in 2023. You might have read them already, you might not. I’ll include links to books I’ve read and reviewed.

Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Young Adult Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Giveaway details may vary with each book (print, ebook only or winner’s choice of either, plus audible options for Canadians.) Edition availability will be noted in bold after the title/author/publisher of each entry. ALSO NOTE: Giveaway is for US and Canada OR ebook international if you have US Kindle account.

Young Adult Finalists

Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson – Enclave Publishing – Editor: Lisa Laube – ebook giveaway – In a strange part of the forest, the divide between worlds grows thin.

After the accident, Meg would do anything to wake her best friend from his deadly coma. At least, that’s what she whispered into the woodland shadows. She never imagined her wish would trap her in a gray other-earth, void of any color.

Meg’s vibrant humanity is a priceless artifact in the gray kingdom, coveted by the royal court. All she wants to do is find a way back home. Until she discovers the other-earth contains healing powers that can save her friend. But only if Meg becomes what the gray people need—a human bride for Kalmus, the powerful king of the capital city.

With her heart torn between earths, Meg’s choices may cost more than she knows.

The Mermaid’s Tale by L. E. Richmond – Enclave Publishing – Editor: Lisa Laube – ebook giveaway – A tail could tell a tale. Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable—the Lost Island of Atlantis.

Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.

A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.

Dancing in the Silence by Linda Sammaritan – Winged Publications – Editor: Kathryn Eckert – Winner’s Choice of paperback or ebook – How can an Air Force kid survive junior high when her dad’s at war, her little sister is deaf, and friends have abandoned her?

It’s 1967 and Debbie Hansen hates her life. She has to leave all of her New York friends, move to California’s Mojave Desert, then back to New York, all because her dad will be sent to Vietnam for a year. And three out of five pilots never come home. Debbie could be fatherless before she starts high school.

Her only comfort? She’d have her old friends to lean on if the worst happened. Wrong. When Debbie returns to her hometown, she finds the group moved on without her. She tries to reconnect, but their message is clear—NOT interested.

Living under the shadows of war, Debbie and her brothers mask their fears by acting out in anger toward each other until a final showdown erupts into near tragedy. Meanwhile, Mom forbids Debbie to teach Krista sign language. “Experts” say deaf children need to speak. Debbie defies them.

Krista is the only one who’s happy. She blossoms in her world without sound. Before Dad returns, if he returns, Debbie needs to choose—she can keep struggling to earn a place with the “in crowd,” or she can learn to dance with her sister in the silence.

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 17 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!

August Giveaway – Week Two

WON BY TRIXI

WON BY PATTY AND PAULA S.

WON BY JOLENE

Winners will be contacted if they left their email address, otherwise it’s up to the winner to contact me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca (please note it’s ca as in Canada, not com.) From time to time a winner and I do not connect so I have a one month time frame on giveaway wins. If I haven’t been able to reach you within 30 days of your win, it will be forfeited. This has happened a few times now, so please, DON’T BE SHY — CONTACT ME IF YOU DIDN’T LEAVE AN EMAIL OR IF I HAVEN’T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU!

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Please remember to check giveaway details (paperback, ebook, either/or, gently read etc.) each day as they will vary.

The Christmas Inn

Explore this delightfully cozy and joyful novel of second chances at the most wonderful time of the year, from USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley.

A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, The Christmas Inn is bestselling author Pamela Kelley’s most heartwarming and magical book yet

Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.

When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.

My Review:

Reads like a Hallmark movie in book form. A heartwarming exploration of three women’s fresh starts at a pivotal time in their lives.

An unexplained job loss has Riley heading home just weeks before Christmas to help her convalescing mom run her inn. The perfect time to rethink life’s choices, especially when she comes face to face with her teenage sweetheart.

Beth (Riley’s mom) is barely coping with a broken leg while running her inn. Her daughter’s visit home breathes fresh life into the business and provides the catalyst for Beth making the acquaintance of a dashing carpenter.

Widowed Franny has just buried her sister and is spending the Christmas season at the inn before returning home until an unexpected reunion with an old flame has her second guessing what comes next.

Three second chance love stories (though lighter on the romance with more of a focus on the journey to get there) at the most magical time of the year. I enjoyed the three perspectives of women of different ages and stages in life. And the inn makes a perfect setting for these holiday romances.

Stephanie Nemeth-Parker’s audio book narration made for a pleasant listening interlude. A lovely match for these characters and their stories.

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

Plotting Summer + Giveaway

The book is always better than the movie. But occasionally, life is better than the book.

Ten years ago I made a mortifying, life-altering mistake. Now, this once seemingly insignificant choice is threatening to wreck my entire existence. And possibly throw Tristan Palmer—my next-door-neighbor and the guy I’ve had a secret crush on for the entirety of my life—into the fray unaware.

The mistake?

I am Sunny Palmer. As in the anonymous, best-selling author of over a dozen beloved romances and renowned thief of Tristan’s last name. Okay, not renowned yet, thank the high heavens! But that news will spread like wildfire if people discover that this introverted book nerd is the woman behind the pen name. And the fact that my first book, Secret Crush, is Tristan’s and my fictionalized love story leaves zero room for calling it anything but what it is—a travesty of greatest proportions.

That’s why NO ONE can know! Ever!

So it’s wretched luck that when I finally visit Sunset Harbor, the small-town island where I grew up, I run into the still heart-stopping, book-boyfriend-worthy man himself. And shockingly, Tristan seems intent on reminding me what the island has to offer. Because that’s what friends do.

Logic demands I resist his charm and guard my secret at all costs, which is why it’s vastly unfortunate that Tristan Palmer was and always will be … my greatest weakness.

My Review:

I am in a stupefied state of post-reading euphoria, so excuse me if this review doesn’t make any sense but I think my mind might have imploded from all the romanticalness (so I might have made the word up, but it fits) that is ‘Plotting Summer.’

Working on corralling a lucid thought or two so that I can make sense and do justice to this book. In the meantime — ssssqqqquuuueeeeaaaallllll – new-to-me author alert! How did I not know about Jess Heileman? And she writes Regencies too! Her books are now on all my online wishlists and in my ‘Author Catch-up’ goal list because I need to read everything by this author. Now.

Because she writes with such heart! Capri and Tristan’s romance is so emotionally fraught with all the delicious nuances I enjoy in a romance. And Heileman exactly captures all the feels that go with the yearning for that first crush you never got over.

And, oh my, but Capri has never gotten over her high school days with Tristan. Not that he ever noticed her as anything but a friend. Capri’s imagination, however, took their ‘relationship’ to a whole other level. And she turned that into a best selling novel, published under a pseudonym that has all kinds of significance if Tristan took any time to think about it. So now she’s a popular romance author with a posse of book boyfriends who are all Tristan in some form or other. Only she can’t tell anyone that she’s Sunny Palmer because a) that name (!) and b) that first book might have been somewhat autobiographical. 🙂

I can’t gush enough about the way their love story plays out. Impeccable pacing where the laugh out loud comedic scenes are perfectly balanced by deeper emotional ones. These characters are vulnerable and hurting but careful about each other’s feelings. I love the way the romance builds — so many toe-curling almost kisses! And the playful banter! Kept me giggling my way into a swoon over and over again.

And the central theme of Capri’s story — ‘you’re worth being seen’ — and the way Tristan becomes ‘the man who always sees her.’ The way the author develops that throughout the story is…just…powerful…and meaningful…and so, so, beautiful. Sniffle. I kinda cried at the end. Happily ever after tears, which are the best kind. 🙂

I listened to the audio book narrated by Ellen Quay and she was a perfect match for these characters and their story. Her performance made for an immersive ‘reading’ experience — and made me love ‘Plotting Summer’ even more.

My thanks to the publisher, Dreamscape Media 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 Plotting Summer, 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 August 10 2024.

Word of Honor + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

FBI Special Agent Lynda Cutler is investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when her partner is taken captive and murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down.

As a woman in a Muslim country, she’ll find it much easier to move around undetected with a fake husband. Unfortunately for her, the man assigned to play the role is none other than US Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders–the man who crushed her heart into a million pieces back in college.

With a cargo bay’s worth of hurt and baggage between them, these two consummate professionals must play their parts perfectly if they hope to stop those responsible for bombing oil pipelines, killing innocent civilians, and threatening to destabilize the oil markets. But love long buried has a way of resurfacing at the most inopportune times–and protecting Lynda has become Bill’s primary focus.

My Review:

published in 2022

I ‘read’ the audio edition of the first book in this series right when it came out but then there was a lag in releasing the audio books for the rest of the series and I got distracted by lots of other shiny new books so here we are two years later and I’m finally getting back to my ‘Love and Honor’ heroes. (Side note: it’s not that I wouldn’t have read the paperback editions of ‘Word of Honor’ and ‘Honor’s Refuge’ but I like to read a series in the same format all the way through and since I started in audio I kept waiting and hoping…)

Love this special ops team and the way Bridgeman showcases their camaraderie and faith. Stellar stuff on both counts and the emphasis on prayer and following God’s leading is phenomonal in Lynda and Bill’s story.

“Yes, she’d acknowledged the Giver, but she’d always relied on herself in problem-solving, in solution finding. She needed to remember that it all came from Him and was for Him, and that to truly be able to utilize what he’d gifted, she needed to lean into Him and let Him take the lead.”

I could so relate to Lynda’s independent problem-solving dilemma! Love it when fiction does double duty as a devotional and this one really hit home for me!

This book has it all: Intense globe-trotting action and intrigue. A second chance love story. Emotional depth paired with faith and grace. And a time sensitive, diabolical plot that ups the intrigue and suspense to a frenzied unputdownable pace!

Of note: The special ops team personnel all have nicknames that are used interchangeably with their real names throughout the story which got confusing for a while until I got everything straight in my head. I would suggest jotting down the name and moniker (ie: Bill = Drumstick) as a handy reference. I spent some time thinking one person was actually two people and it addled my brain for a bit. 🙂

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 Word of Honor, 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 August 10 2024.

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

In Regency England an advantageous match could set up a lady for life. Julia knows Matthew Blake, copper mine owner and very eligible bachelor, is the gentleman she should set her eyes upon. But why can’t she steal her gaze away from his younger brother, Isaac?

Cornwall, England, 1818

Julia Twethewey needs a diversion to mend her broken heart, so when her cousin invites her to Lanwyn Manor, Julia eagerly accepts. The manor is located at the heart of Cornwall’s mining industry, and as a guest Julia is swept into its intricate world. It’s not long, though, before she realizes something dark lurks within the home’s ancient halls.

As a respected mine owner’s younger son, Isaac Blake is determined to keep his late father’s legacy alive through the family business, despite his brother’s careless attitude. In order to save their livelihood—and that of the people around them—the brothers approach the master of Lanwyn Manor with plans to bolster the floundering local industry. Isaac can’t deny his attraction to the man’s charming niece, but his brother has made clear his intentions to court the lovely visitor. And Isaac knows his place.

When tragedy strikes, mysteries arise, and valuables go missing, Julia and Isaac find they are pulled together in a swirl of strange circumstances, but despite their best efforts to bow to social expectations, their hearts aren’t so keen to surrender.

My Review:

published in 2020

Poldark meets Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South, Cranford, Wives and Daughters — novels and BBC miniseries) with a distinct Gothic flare. Dust off those fainting couches and grab your smelling salts and a fan or two and settle in for a mystery-steeped Regency that will have your heart performing somersaults and your tummy doing loop-de-loops. I’m a tad shy of giddy after finishing this one.

Beautifully written — Ladd’s word choice enhances the Regency vibe and her descriptions bring layered depths to the story. And her characters! Loved Julia right from the start (and adore that last name — Twetheway — so much fun to say!) She has honor and backbone and such a giving heart. But, goodness her Aunt Beatrice! I might have bald patches from tearing my hair out over her histrionics! The perfectly imperfect character-I-love-to-hate in a novel!

Two suitors — but rest assured because one is definitely not really in the running so this isn’t quite a love triangle. More like a stumbling block which kept me rabidly reading so I could get to the part where all things romantical are put to rights. Phew! The author put me through my paces though.

The mystery brings some Gothic ambiance to the story. A cursed house with mysterious goings on. Thievery and threats and all things sinister. Cue the creepy organ music and keep some comfort chocolate on hand as you mull over all the diabolical possibilities.

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 The Thief of Lanwyn Manor , 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 August 10 2024.

2024 Carol Award Finalists – Speculative + Giveaway

First off — what exactly are the Carol Awards?

Carol Award Winners will be announced on September 7 2024 at the ACFW Gala in New Orleans, Louisiana (wouldn’t you love to be there?!)

How does this giveaway work?

You select which of the Carol Award finalists 2024 —Speculative Category you would like to receive. Mention the title in your comment (or an email if you’re entering that way) and if you win, that’s the book that will be sent to you. Easy Peasy.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Speculative Finalists

Of Sea and Smoke by Gillian Bronte Adams –– Enclave — Editor: Lisa Laube — ebook giveaway

He rides a seablood, a steed of salt and spray, born to challenge the tides.

Six years ago, the wrong brother survived, and nothing will ever convince Rafi Tetrani otherwise. But he is done running from his past, and from the truth. As civil war threatens Ceridwen’s tenuous rule in Soldonia, Rafi vows to fight the usurper sitting on the imperial throne of Nadaar, even if it means shouldering his brother’s responsibilities as the empire’s lost heir.

The stolen shipload of magical warhorses offers just the edge he needs. But the steeds have been demanded in ransom by the emperor’s ruthless assassin, and if Rafi hopes to raise a band of riders, he must first outwit his brother’s murderer.

Yet when his best efforts end in disaster, and an audacious raid sparks an empire-wide manhunt, even forging an unexpected alliance might not be enough to help Rafi turn the tides, let alone outrace the wave of destruction intent on sweeping them all away.

Seas boil and jungles burn in this tempestuous second installment of The Fireborn Epic as the outcast queen, captive missionary, and royal rebel strive to unearth the mysterious power that hungers for their world.

Execution Island (Book Three in Jurassic Judgment) by Janice Boekhoff — Indie — Editor: Linda Yezak — ebook giveaway

Stalking dinosaurs. Dangerous convicts. A kidnapping.

No matter where she turns, death waits in her jungle prison …

Trapped on a dinosaur-infested island, Oakley Laveau is haunted by the she was created to kill. But after her latest assassination puts her brother at risk, she vows to end the body count. So when the kidnapper offers to trade her brother for two people she is protecting, she hatches a plan to outwit him without bloodshed.

After the exchange goes wrong, she reluctantly teams up with her vengeful sister, a woman whose deadly genetic ability equals her own. Unless they learn to become allies, Oakley stands to lose everyone she loves. Hunted by deadly predators, pursued by the FBI, and partnered with an assassin who wants her dead, she may be forced to use her enhanced genetics to eliminate her enemies.

She has the power to kill anyone. But can she find the strength to save everyone?

Execution Island is the tense final book in the Jurassic Judgment science fiction series.

The Wayward by Tabitha Caplinger — Blue Ink Press — Editors: Christa Dolan and Liz Sheth — ebook giveaway

Wilder James has spent her entire life in Beartooth, secluded from the Necanians and their domed cities where most of humanity resides. Content to keep her distance within the confines of her rustic community, she desires nothing more than to live out her years with her husband, Declan, in their simple mountain home.

But when an unexpected tragedy rips apart her dreams, and intruders pull her from the safety of her camp and into a dark reality, she discovers the shocking truth. The Necanians are not bringers of peace. They’re harbingers of death.

Now Wilder must decide if she will protect only herself and her people, or risk everything to try to free all of humanity. She is armed with the one thing her people have always had – faith. Will it be enough?

Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 10 2024. REMEMBER TO CHECK GIVEAWAY EDITION AVAILABILITY FOR EACH TITLE!

August Giveaway – Week One

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK:

Please remember to check giveaway details (paperback, ebook, either/or, gently read etc.) each day as they will vary.

Summer Tease

Falling for Beau Palmer would be the ultimate crime

Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to the small island where I grew up, but you know what can? Making sure the Palmer family—aka the worst neighbors ever—show appropriate respect to the newest resident of their retirement center: my grandma.

But as soon as Grams moves in, her shenanigans put her at risk of being kicked out. Since she’s set on staying in Sunset Harbor until her last breath and there’s no way I’m staying on this nightmare island to take care of her, that’s not an option.

Enter Beau Palmer, the infuriatingly charming local cop who’s got the connections to keep Grams right where she needs to be and help me get out of Dodge sooner. But he’s got a price, and it requires putting the Sawyer/Palmer drama firmly in the past.

But the drama isn’t behind us. In fact, it’s right in front of me, wearing a police badge and a smirk that’s really started disturbing my peace.

My Review:

A breezy enemies to more summer romance that both delighted and irked me.

Delighted because…Beau. Dedicated to serving the island and his family, he’s quintessential hero material. Infinitely patient with some of the more…unique…Sunset Harbor citizens and more than fair at times when I just would have thrown the book at the culprit (I’m looking at you, Grams!)

Irked because Gemma was so combative and unwilling to compromise. She did not make a good first impression on me, though Beau took her ire in stride. Their families have a feuding history, so they’ve kind of grown up with the idea that Palmers and Sawyers don’t mix but Gemma took it to a whole other level, expecting the worse from Beau and his family even though they prove themselves time and time again. She does soften as the story progresses (this is a romance, after all) but, in the beginning, I couldn’t understand what Beau saw in her. He definitely has a kinder, more compassionate heart than I do.

Then there’s Grams — oy, spunky and ornery and her outrageous antics were sometimes hilariously funny and others times just plain annoying. I had a love/hate relationship with Grams. 🙂

So, not the ideal mix for a summertime romance, but Keyes makes it work, largely because of good natured Beau and his gentle pursuit of Gemma — at first just to lighten her load as she deals with moving her Grams into the retirement home and fixing up her cottage to sell (see, totally nice guy vibes all the way.) But his reasons soon morph into something much more personal, and honestly, Gemma didn’t stand a chance…I sure capitulated waaaayyyyyy faster than she did.

Like when he introduced his police partner, Xena the fluffy K-5 (because she only completed half the K-9 training and her easy going, love ’em and lick ’em into submission temperament wasn’t exactly K-9 material. Bwahahaha! ) I was a goner in chapter two.

And to be fair to Gemma, she’s been spoon-fed Palmer hostility from childhood and Grams keeps it up once she’s back on the island so it isn’t really any wonder that she struggles with her feelings for Beau. Until island history unravels their families’ dispute and causes Gemma to take an honest look at her past…and her future.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘Summer Tease’. Narrator, Ariel Royce made the listening easy — and I loved the way she delivered Grams’ mercurial temperament with such panache!

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