Kav's Best Reads

A Companion for the Count + Giveaway

Miss Emma Arlen’s position as a companion never included distracting her mistress’s suitors, but when a handsome Italian ambassador arrives determined to find an English bride, Emma happily takes up the cause.

Emma Arlen has spent a decade as a member of the duke’s family, in the position of companion to his daughter and ward to the duke himself. She would do anything to show her support to the ducal family for their love and kindness. When Lady Josephine begs Emma to distract a most determined Sicilian suitor, she agrees at once. How hard can it be to keep one man entertained for a few weeks?

Luca, the Conte di Atella, left his home in the newly formed Kingdom of the Two Sicilies under the direct orders of King Ferdinand I. Luca’s duty as ambassador to England includes everything from negotiating better trade agreements to strengthening the bonds between the two nations. If possible, by marrying a lady of high birth. When he optimistically sets his sights on Lady Josephine, Miss Arlen consistently disrupts his plans. The more time that passes, the more he realizes he does not mind at all.

Continually in the conte’s company, Emma recognizes in him a spirit of adventure and nobility like she has never witnessed before. When the time comes for him to go, will she be able to part with him and keep her heart intact?

As the second stand-alone novel in a new series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Clairvoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, romantic series set in the Regency period.

My Review:

Sooooo romantical!!!!!! I mean, Luca!!!! I dare you not to swoon when he makes an appearance. (Cue the fainting couch alert…and grab the smelling salts while you’re at it.) He’s so earnest and determined to bring honour to his country so he’s a bit…unyielding…solemn…sometimes intense?…in his approach to wooing the duke’s daughter. He even makes a list which is all kinds of fun! But no worries, this is in no way a love triangle kind of romance. Josie wants nothing to do with courting and matrimony and enlists Emma’s aid in thwarting the Count’s dogged attempts.

Watching Emma and Luca slowly fall for each other was all kinds of delicious! Sweetly tender one moment and then laugh inducing the next. The banter shines in this novel (one of my favourite things in a Regency) and it’s made even better by the occasional language misstep that adds a whole other dimension to the bantering. So witty and clever!

This is the second Clairvoir Castle romance but easily reads as a standalone. The duke’s family and their large estate feature in each novel, creating the backdrop for true love to finds its way in each story. The secondary characters are written in such a way that they easily feel familiar no matter if you’ve met them in the first book, or one of the later ones. And they are so much fun! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

I listened to the audible book narrated by Jessica Elisa Boyd who did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life (including the count’s dreamy accent.) I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Companion for the Count, 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 March 18, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Cold Light of Day + Giveaway

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal acitivity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murderes, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are — to disappear — when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.

My Review:

Um…this is me speechless. I’m blaming Goddard’s incredible suspense-y Ninja skills for my addled brain because….Whooooaaaaaaaa. Hence the rambling review that follows:

What just happened here? And here? And here? And all the way through the book I’m like “What’s up with Grier? What’s his secret? Why is he off the grid?” And — gah — but small town politics gets my dander up, especially when it’s aimed at Autumn who, hellllooo, is just doing her job. And mighty fine at it too, I might add.

My spidey senses were all askew, sensing danger (sometimes where it wasn’t, often from unexpected places) so I was on edge the whole entire read. Like all 352 pages (or 9 hr, 45 min in my case.) And the way the author pulls seemingly diverse plot points together by the end. My mouth was agape as in exhaling a, “Whhhaaaaaatttttt??????”

So, that pretty much describes my reading experience…plus there’s romance and a hero husky named Cap (short for Captain America!) And tons of action and adventure in the Alaskan wilderness! The kind of book that gives a reader a cardio workout without having to leave their comfy armchair!

Re audio book: matching a story with the right narrator is paramount to providing the perfect listening experience and the powers that be nailed it when they hired Sara Farrington. She delivered an amazing performance and I’m hoping that she’s on call for the rest of the series. Because….eeeeeeppppp….Cold Light of Day is the first book in Elizabeth Goddard’s new Missing in Alaska series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Cold Light of Day, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

March Giveaway — Week Two

WON BY TRACEY HAGWOOD

WON BY MELISSA ANDRES

WON BY BECKY

WON BY PAM K.

WON BY WINNIE

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!

Books will be ordered or mailed within a week of receiving your address (or email address for ebooks) and I’ll email you to confirm your book is on the way.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK’S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under “Giveaway Opportunity” in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook — winner can choose either format

Paperback — I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback — It’s the actual book I read to review

ebook — that’s the only format option available, often because it’s an indie book where a paperback copy is either unavailable or exorbitantly priced. Or when a physical edition is out of print.

His Alaskan Redemption + Giveaway

Earning her trust is the start of his second chance.

Crab fisherman Gus Colman is just trying to make a living for his daughter. But when his fishing boat capsizes, he’s injured and stranded in Hearts Bay, Alaska, where he comes face-to-face with Mia Madden — his late best friend’s fiancee. As she helps him recover, he works hard to prove he’s changed. But could Mia ever love another man who risks his life at sea?

A Home to Hearts Bay Romance

My Review:

I have no idea why I am so enamoured with Alaskan settings, but I am, so this book was an auto buy for me. Well, the author being Heidi McCahan might have influenced that decision some too. 🙂

And what a heart-stopping, beautiful, emotional love story this is! Painful pasts clash in a disastrous way and provide the opening for healing and hope. Loved the ‘meet-cute’ which was more angst-riddled than cute. I was hooked and committed in that first chapter.

Yowzers, but my emotions were in knots a lot during this read because Gus is dealing with so much stuff! Of course I was also swooning over this dedicated single dad and the connection he has with his adorable toddler daughter. And it wasn’t long before Mia began to feel those fluttery swoons coming on too. But, oy, her life is more than a tad complicated at the moment…in a very big way. The author struck a wonderful balance between all that turmoil and the tender, light-hearted moments. Made for an emotional, unputdownable kind of read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of His Alaskan Redemption, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Double the Lies + Giveaway

In the second instalment of Patricia Raybon’s critically acclaimed mystery series, amateur detective Annalee Spain races the clock to solve the murder of a handsome young pilot before she is framed for the crime — and before his dashing twin falls head over heels for her, tempting her promised heart.

On a cold spring night in 1924, Annalee Spain offers her new fancy lace handkerchief — a gift from her pastor boyfriend Jack Blake — to a young woman crying in a Denver public library. But later that night, when police find the handkerchief next to the body of the young woman’s murdered husband, Annalee become the number one suspect, and her panic doubles when she learns that Jack has gone missing.

With just days to solve the murder before the city’s Klan-run police frame her for the crime, Annalee finds herself hunting for clues in the Colorado mountain town of Estes Park. She questions the victim’s wife and her uncle, a wealthy Denver banker, at their mountain lodge, desperate for leads. Instead, she finds a household full of suspects and even more burning questions. Who keeps threatening her, wh can’t she find Jack, and will a dangerous flirtation be her undoing? Her answers plumb the depths of the human heart, including her own, exploring long-buried secrets, family lies, even city politics — all of which could cost the young detective her fledgling love…and perhaps even her life.

My Review:

Annalee! Annaleee!! Annalee!!! You made my heart hurt and my blood pressure rise and I loved every minute of it! I’m a glutton for punishment when it comes to angsty reads, I guess. And, while I loved All That Is Secret, I loved Double the Lies that much more.

Annalee Spain, an up and coming private investigator, has her work cut out for her. Especially since she’s a Black woman in 1920s Denver — a town run by the Klan. So, Annalee doesn’t just have a twisty-turny mystery to solve, but the added complication of trying to do it while dodging police and the blatant prejudice that prevents her from going about her investigation in a direct manor. Gah, but my blood boiled over some the situations she faced.

Annalee is brash and headstrong and impulsive — traits that both help and hinder her work. And the way she throws herself into some alarming situations kept me in a panic stricken state for most of the read. She’d no sooner get out of one dire predicament than she’d rush headlong into another one. Mercy, but that girl has guts and grit!

Loved the depth in characterization — Annalee is an ever-evolving heroine and I appreciate the growth she makes not only through the series, but within this book in particular. And a lot of that comes about through the aid of some incredible secondary characters. I am attached to so many of them now! Plain speaking Mrs. Mason is an all time favourite . She kind of reminds me of a Marilla and a Rachel Lynde mash up (aka Anne of Green Gables.)

Double the Lies is the second book in the Annalee Spain Mystery series and, while it could be read out of order, there are some spoilers from the first book — from both the mystery and Annalee’s personal life, so I think it’s best if you read the books in order. Your read(s) will be all the richer for it.

History, mystery and faith make for a winning combination.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

*IMPORTANT NOTE:* Because I think The Annalee Mystery series should be read in order, this giveaway is for either book one, All That Is Secret (Christy Award Winner) or book two, Double the Lies — Winner’s choice, in either paperback or ebook, again, winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of All that is Secret OR Double the Lies, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Detecting Secrets + Giveaway

Tracking the scents of the missing might be the only way to save them.

Partnered with her air-scent dog and Sheriff Dennis Monroe, marriage and family therapist Charlotte Bradley is desperate to put an end to a black-market baby smuggling ring in Anderson County. Who is kidnapping the pregnant girls she counsels and taking their babies? As Charlotte searches for answers, she and Dennis must dodge gunfire and deadly attacks. But the sinister agenda they uncover just might include her.

A Deputies of Anderson County thriller.

My Review:

This is the third book in the Deputies of Anderson County series and don’t ask me how I missed the first two books! The good news is that I can vouch for Detecting Secrets working fine as a standalone. There’s lots of give and take and teasing amount the deputies which might have meant more if I’d met them all in the first two books but I still enjoyed the banter and teamwork and didn’t feel lost or overwhelmed at all. So, definitely don’t hesitate to pick this one up even if you haven’t read the first two books.

And what a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seater! Pulls at your heartstrings too because the crime is so vile. Kidnapping babies. Bah! And Charlotte’s backstory is pretty heartbreaking. I was emotionally engaged all the read through.

Luckily, we have Theo, air-scent SAR canine extraordinaire for distraction and comic relief. If I wasn’t laughing and melting over his antics, I was cheering him on as he seeks and defends and generally creates bedlam for the bad guys .

A fast-paced, adrenaline rush of a read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Detecting Secrets, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Beneath His Silence + Giveaway

Will seeking justice lead to her own demise?

A Gothic Style Regency Romance from a promising young author

Second daughter of a baron — and a little on the mischievous side — Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretence is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wychkhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.

Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son — and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him — just as her dead sister?

My Review:

Well, I’m gobsmacked by this debut novel! Very Jane Eyre-esque with Gothic undertones. Lots of emotional angst and high drama that peaks by the end. And so much character growth! Which is a good thing because Ella’s obsession with seeking vengeance over her sister’s death was a bit hard to take in the beginning. She is full of self-righteous indignation and preconceived assumptions based on her late father’s consuming hatred. And now she feels compelled to carry on his crusade to destroy Lord Sedgewick.

If you like brooding heroes you will definitely be drawn to poor Henry. He fits the Mr. Rochester archetype — with one major difference. Henry constantly leans into his faith. Imperfectly, maybe, because he still struggles with bitterness and unforgiveness but he never turns away from God. Very realistic and relatable.

So, Ella arrives at Wychkhorn Manor under false pretences, intent on exposing the dark truth about Lord Sedgewick. She isn’t prepared to fall in love with her young charge — the nephew she’s never met before (gah, and I wanted to know why — the family had no contact with the older sister, didn’t even attend the wedding and that was never explained. My mind is working overtime thinking up credible possibilities.) Of course, Ella is about as ungovernessy a governess as they come. She’s also opinionated and impulsive which makes for some interesting cutting-edge banter. And I do so love great banter in my Regencies!

Very much an enemies to more trope and I love the way the author developed the relationship that grows between Henry and Ella. It’s all two steps forward, one step back and full of self-doubts and erroneous assumptions. You never met two more reluctant would-be-lovers! And I enjoyed every second!

And the Manor had a character all its own. Steeped in tragedy and hiding so many secrets! I was on tenterhooks the whole read trying to piece everything together. From the closed mouth servants to Ella’s feelings of being watched, to…well, I can’t say any more without posting spoilers…but, eeeeppp, deliciously mysterious.

I listened to the audible edition of Beneath His Silence and enjoyed Anna Flosnik’s narration. Her performance enhanced the Gothic vibes and kept me riveted.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beneath His Silence, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

Sir Andrew and the Authoress + Giveaway

Lady Josephine, the duke’s eldest daughter, has a secret. When her brother’s horrid best friend discovers what she’s been hiding up in the castle tower, she has no choice to take him into her confidence.

As the daughter of a duke, Lady Josephine has a long list of responsibilities, and an even longer list of things she must never do to dishonour the family name. Josephine knows exactly which side becoming an author falls upon, but she’s determined to try her hand at it anyway. For months she has worked on her novel in secret, writing chapter after chapter of intrigue and romance. Unfortunately for Josephine, her sworn enemy stumbles upon her secret.

Sir Andrew Wycomb’s close relationship to the Duke of Montfort’s family and heir gives him more than one advantage in life. His loyalty to the family is absolute, even if he finds at least one of its members an annoyance. He and Lady Josephine have never seen eye-to-eye. But when he discovers that she’s written a novel upon a subject she knows nothing about, he cannot help but sympathize with her dream. This creates an unlikely ceasefire between them.

But things at the castle are always changing, and when a determined suitor arrives to court Josephine, Andrew has to decide which secrets he’s going to keep. Especially when he discovers the one he’s kept even from himself — that perhaps he doesn’t find Josephine an annoyance at all. In fact, she is quite charming. The more time they spend together, the more he hopes she will realize they aren’t enemies, and they could be so much more.

As the third stand-alone novel in this series by author Sally Britton, this story continues the Claivoir Castle romances. This is a light-hearted, sweet romance series set during the Regency era in England.

My Review:

D-e-l-i-g-h-t-f-u-l!!! I’m still in post-read giddy euphoria. And isn’t that cover glorious? (And opportune because I’m trying to read green covers throughout March, my nod to St. Patrick’s Day.) Believe me, the story inside is just as alluring!

While the third book in Britton’s Claivoir Castle romances, it definitely reads well as a standalone. This is my introduction to the series and I think the connection between books lies in the duke’s estate as a location where true loves meet. Which is all kinds of wonderful! I’m already attached to a few gentlemen I’m hoping will get their own romances in future books. So, great job hooking this reader.

This is an enemies to more romance which is drawn out to Cheshire grinning perfection. Hmm, maybe I should say frenemies to more because Andrew and Josie really enjoy their taunting and teasing. Bantering at its finest with all kinds of undercurrents. Me thinks he protests too much and she is too easily riled…could it be there is something more than annoyance fueling their repartee? Something like…love?! Gasp! Fainting couch and smelling salts alert! Along with many laugh-out-loud warnings (in case you read or listen in public places, like I do.)

I listened to the expertly narrated edition and Jessica Elisa Boyd’s wonderful performance just added to my overall enjoyment of this Regency Romance. Must read more Sally Britton. Now!!!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sir Andrew and the Authoress, 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 March 11, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

March Giveaway — Week One

WON BY RUBYNREBA

WON BY DIANE FLOWERS

WON BY CAITLIN

WON BY NORA ST LAURENT

WON BY KAY M.

Books will be ordered or mailed within a week of receiving your address (or email address for ebooks) and I’ll email you to confirm your book is on the way.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK’S GIVEAWAYS:

Please read the giveaway options written in red noted under “Giveaway Opportunity” in each blog post as formats will vary.

Paperback or ebook — winner can choose either format

Paperback — I have a new physical book on hand to give away

Gently Read Paperback — It’s the actual book I read to review

MONDAY

Winning His Trust + Giveaway

To build a future together they must both let go of the past…

Returning home after a bad breakup, Jordan Wood is eager to prove she can run her family’s store. Setting up a partnership with Declan Porter’s struggling adventure business might do the trick. But the handsome single dad is set in his ways — in business and in love. Can winning his — and his son’s — heart help them all heal?

My Review:

My oh my, but I love the way Toni Shiloh spins a story! This one is so heartfelt and touching. There’s a lighter side too — little spurts of comic relief, often provided by Declan’s little boy. “When I grow up, I’m going to save dinosaurs from extinction.” (p 72) Bwahahaha! Cutest kid ever!

Both Jordan and Declan have overcome difficulties and I appreciate how the author worked faith into their situations. They are both guarded in different ways and it’s only through allowing themselves to be vulnerable that they can truly overcome. So many inspiring discussions — the kind that a reader can take to heart right along with the characters.

Love the small town Arkansas setting and Jordan’s large and loving, though sometimes misguided, family. Each book in this series features a Wood sibling. Though I’ve read the first book, this second one reads very well as a standalone. That’s one of the great things about the Love Inspired line, it’s easy to jump into a series at any point.

The kind of read-in-one-sitting book that has all the feels.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Winning His Trust, 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 March 4, 2023. Offer open to International Readers.