Drop Dead on Recall by: Sheila Webster Boneham

Title: Drop Dead on Recall
Author: Sheila Webster Boneham
Pages: 408
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Series: An Animal in Focus #1
Format: Ebook Arc
Source: NetGalley

Description:

Dogs, cats, and murderous misdeeds

Animal photographer and dog show handler Janet MacPhail knows it’s the sure-footed, finely trained canine competitors that steal the attention in the obedience ring. But all eyes are on widely disliked star handler Abigail Dorn when she falls down dead at the drop on recall command with her border collie, Pip, an Obedience Trial Champion.

Janet suspects foul play when she uncovers a bitter rivalry between Abby and Suzette, the owner of Fly, Pip’s top-ranking competitor. Balancing her dementia-afflicted mother, threats aimed at her beloved pets, and a flirty-hunk dog handler, Janet investigates as another mur¬der takes place. And her nosing around reveals an ugly scandal in the dog show circuit.

My Thoughts:

This book was sent to me via NetGalley for a honest and fair review.  This is the story of Janet and what is happening in her circle of dog lover friends when Abigail Dorn falls dead, it’s up to Janet to find out what is going on.  There is alot of cat and mouse with this book.  Someone is targeting Janet of what she might know and what she might not realize that she knows.

I loved this book was great that no animals got severely hurt in this book.  While the owners of some of the animals…well some just wound up dead regardless.  This book also introduced you into the world of show dogs and dog breeding that you may not know about but as I was reading I wound up learning alot about them.

Slow Summer Kisses by: Shannon Stacey

Title: Slow Summer Kisses
Author: Shannon Stacey
Publisher: Carina Press
Pages: 80
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley Arc

Description:

Anna Frazier is used to living life at 100 mph, but being downsized out of a job in the financial industry has her permanently stalled. With nowhere to “go, go, go, ” Anna hails a cab to her grandparents’ neglected New Hampshire camp to plan her next move. It seems like a good idea–until she realizes there’s no takeout to be had and the boy next door has grown into a sexy but surly recluse.

Cameron Mayfield knows he can kiss his peace and quiet goodbye when Hurricane Anna blows in. She was loud and bossy as a ten-year-old–and besides developing some attractive curves, she hasn’t changed. Cam’s not looking for a relationship, especially not with a woman like Anna. He nearly broke down on that road once before. So why can’t he stop thinking about her?

It’s not long before their sizzling attraction leads to smoking-hot kisses. But as the days get shorter, Anna must decide if she’s found a new road to happiness, or just taken a detour.

My Thoughts:

This was great novella by Shannon Stacey which tells the story of Anna and Cameron who spend the summer at a secluded lake in their respective summer homes.  Cameron to escape a past he doesn’t want to repeat.  Anna to find a hope and learn to manage life.  Little did they anticipate falling in love.  Now the question is whether they will spend forever together.

This book had everything you’d expect from a little novella, romance, comedy, humor.  I really enjoy reading Shannon Stacey’s books.

Never Say Pie by: Carol Culver

Title: Never Say Pie
Author: Carol Culver
Publisher: Midnight Ink Books
Pages: 261
Series: A Pie Shop Mystery #2
Format: ebook Arc
Source: NetGalley

Description:

It’s summertime in Crystal Cove, California, and sales are brisk at the outdoor Food Fair. There’s fresh bread, artisan cheese, gourmet cupcakes, plus Hanna’s delicious pies. When despised local food critic Heath Barr is found stabbed to death, no one is sorry to hear the news—except perhaps Hanna, the main suspect. It doesn’t help that Hanna’s high school crush is the police chief. Hanna must track down a killer while up to her elbows in pie dough.

My Thoughts:

This book picked up real quick when local pie maker Hanna and a bunch of local of folks of different abilities, a cupcake maker, a chicken grower, meat grower and cheese maker to say the least are all ripped apart by Heath Barr a local food critic, there are so many suspects and finding out who did it will take a lot of detective work.  Many people were hurt by the local critic’s opinion of their work.  Was it the local merchants who were insulted?  Or someone who paid off the food critic?  Many possibilities.  Add to the mix Hanna’s relationship with the local chief of police.  Hanna finds herself in hot water everything from a toss into a pool, to breaking and entering, what’s a girl to do?  This was a great new mystery series that I definitely will be following.  Can’t wait to see what Ms. Culver bakes up next!

Deadly Row To Hoe by: Cricket McRae

Title: Deadly Row to Hoe
Author: Cricket McRae
Publisher: Midnight Ink Books
Pages: 263
Series: Home Crafting Mystery #6
Format: ebook arc
Source: NetGalley

Description:

As a member of a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm, Sophie Mae wrangles weeds in exchange for tasty, organic treats. But she almost loses her appetite when a dead body is found in the compost heap. The murder victim is Darla Klick, an ornithologist. Between baby-making dates with her husband, the police detective, Sophie Mae decides to really get her hands dirty and discover who killed the young, sweet-natured “bird lady.”

My Thoughts:

What a great cozy mystery when a woman is mysteriously murdered on the community farm it’s up to Sophie Mae and the police to find out what is going on.  Lots of people seem to know the victim from time spent on a commune together.  When tragedy early on strikes some wonder if that has anything to do with the current murder.  A great cozy mystery full of all sorts of adventures.  I really enjoyed reading about people in this community.

Redwood Bend by: Robyn Carr

Title: Redwood Bend
Author: Robyn Carr
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 377
Source: NetGalley Arc
Format: e-book

Description:

Katie Malone and her twin boys’ trip along the beautiful mountain roads to Virgin River is stopped short by a tire as flat as her failed romance. To make matters worse, the rain has set in, the boys are hungry and Katie is having trouble putting on a spare. As she stands at the side of the road pondering her next move, she hears a distinct rumble. The sight of the sexy, leather-clad bikers who pull up beside her puts her imagination into overdrive. Dylan Childress and his buddies are on the motorcycle trip of a lifetime. But the sight of a woman in distress stops them in their tracks. And while the guys are checking out her car, she and Dylan are checking out one another.In one brief moment, the world tilts on its axis and any previous plans Katie and Dylan might have had for their futures are left at the side of the road.

My Thoughts:

Katie Malone and her boys are joining Connor in Virgin River.  Having lived so far away from Connor during the last book Hidden Summit, Katie has decided that was too far away and wants to be closer to Connor and Leslie.  On her way there a flat tire and a biker stumble into her path.  The child actor Dylan is now flying planes for a living and biking up in Virgin River with some friends when he meets the widow Katie Malone and something about her attracts him.  She is everything he avoids a mother of children, he vows time and again to her that he won’t settle down but something about Katie makes him wonder.  This book is a great add to the Virgin River series.  Reminds me alot of Sherryl Woods and Debbie Macomber.  Another great author who has a knack for writing tasteful romance.

Hidden Summit by: Robyn Carr

Title: Hidden Summit
Author: Robyn Carr
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 347
Source: Purchase
Format: Paperback
Series: Virgin River #17

Description:

SOMETIMES ROMANCE IS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT…

When Connor Danson becomes an unwitting witness to a violent crime, he is forced to leave Sacramento and keep a low profile until the trial is over. He arrives in the tiny mountain town of Virgin River with a chip on his shoulder and an ache in his heart.

Leslie Petruso didn’t want to leave her hometown either. But she can’t stand another minute of listening to her ex-husband tell everyone that his new wife and impending fatherhood are the best things that ever happened to him. Virgin River may not be home, but it’s a place where she can be anonymous.

Neither Connor nor Leslie is remotely interested in starting a new relationship…until they meet one another. Even they can’t deny they have a lot in common – broken hearts notwithstanding. And in Virgin River, no one can stay hidden away from life and love for very long…

My Thoughts:

This was a great story about Connor Danson and Leslie Petruso.  Connor after witnessing a murder is placed in Virgin River to hide out until the trial, which also separates him from his family.  His younger sister Katie and her twin boys.  Connor begins to fall for Divorcee Leslie who is dealing with an ex-husband who just won’t let go regardless of the failed marriage.  She finds her own way to get on with her life with Connor in it, and realizes she can accomplish anything with her friends and new romance with Connor.  Connor decides in the end he would prefer to spend his life with Leslie and live in Virgin River.  What a great book full of humor, romance, and ups and downs of relationships!

Secrets of the Lost Summer by: Carla Neggers

Title: Secrets of the The Lost Summer
Author: Carla Neggers
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 344
Source: Paperback

My Thoughts:

This book I bought through Harlequin’s reader group.  It’s the story of Olivia Frost who moves out of Boston after someone she thought was her friend stole her biggest client, feeling hurt she returns home to Knights Bridge hoping to turn a house into a profitable business, the only problem she sees is the eye sore down the street once owned by a local school teacher Grace Webster who sold it to Ducan MCaffrey. Grace decides to write to Duncan hoping he wil clean up the old refrigerator and washer machine in the yard, Olivia doesn’t want her clients seeing this when they come to her property.  Little does she know Dylan shows up to find out why his father bought the property and decide what to do with it.  To say they get off on a rocky start is an understatement of the greatest proportion.

Through this story you read entries made by Grace as she tells her story.  Her book won’t be released until her death but you the reader get to read her entries and find out what she wants people to know.  How her house was taken from her as a child to make a river for water for Bostonians.  How her family feels robbed of their house, and how she came to live in her house.  As the story progresses you see Olivia tell Dylan why she left Boston and what she was running from.  You also see the fears of the mother carry on to her daughters as their mother suffers from severe anxiety to the extent she won’t fly, no matter how many times she plans a trip.  You even start to see sparks fly between Dylan and Olivia. It’s a great story full of adventure, romance, wondering what secrets Grace Webster holds to the past.

Driftwood Cotttage by: Sherryl Woods

Title: Driftwood Cottage
Author: Sherryl Woods
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 376
Source: NetGalley
Series: Chesapeake Shores #5
Purchase: Barnes&Noble / Amazon

My Thoughts:

This book centers around Conner O’Brien and Heather Donovan. Heather is looking for more in a relationship then what she has with Conner she wants the ring, commitment and marriage. Conner after dealing with his parents failed marriage wants to be as far from the altar as possible. Of course it doesn’t help that he is a divorce attorney. Heather thought with the birth of their son Mick that Conner would want more, but seeing as that isn’t possible she has left him and moved to Chesapeake Shores and opened a quilting business.  Most of the book is spent with Conner and Heather going round in circles.  They both adamant to what they want and won’t cave.  Conner finds his job is not what he wants and is offered a job in Chesapeake Shores instead of living in Baltimore.  So he takes the job and leaves his city life behind.  When Heather gets in a car accident Conner has a turn about with regards to Heather and wants to marry her, now she is the one stonewalling him.  I loved how Heather loved Driftwood Cottage even with it’s falling apart kind of like men care about cars that they rebuild.  I love this series so much!

Undeniably Yours by: Shannon Stacey

Title: Undeniably Yours
Author: Shannon Stacey
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 378
Series: Kowalski Family #1
Format: e-book NetGalley Arc

My Thoughts: I love this series. This one is the story of Kevin Kowalski and Beth Hansen. After a one night stand and a defective condom, the couple find themselves with child. Beth afraid that Kevin will resent her down the line somewhere won’t let him near her relationship wise, she holds him at arms length. While Kevin does everything he can think of to convince her that he cares about her and loves her. Alot of this book is felt wondering when Beth was going to smarten up to Kevin and realize he wasn’t going to run off on her. Was great going back and visiting with the Kowalski family, and to see it picked up with the wedding of Joe and Kerri.

Gods and Fathers by: James LePore

Title: Gods and Fathers
Author: James LePore
Publisher: The Story Plant
Pages: 300
Format: Paperback
Source: The Story Plant & Partners In Crime Book Tour

Description:

Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he’s known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy’s girlfriend.
Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.
Gods and Fathers is at once a powerful mystery and a provocative international thriller, all of it presented with LePore’s signature fascinating characters placed in dire circumstances where every choice poses new and potentially fatal challenges.

My Review:

This book was sent to me via The Story Plant for a honest and fair review, as part of Partners In Crime Book Tour.  Thank you for that.

This book was awesome.  It starts out with Matt a divorce Lawyer and father to Michael.  He tries a case and ends up sending someone to jail.  Then finds his own son about to face some jail time and does things a parent would do but not normal people.  He digs deep to find out what happened.  It was incredible being dragged into the world that James LePore writes about.  The strained relationship between father and son.  His fears for his family even his ex-wife and the things she’s done.  This book dealt with Muslim people not always the best kind, and the mean streets of NYC.

I was glad that Matt didn’t just sit on his hands while his son faced life in prison or death penalty.  I loved how he dug and kept digging to find out the truth at any cost, how he even let his ex-wife Debra in on somethings.  I loved how the relationship between Matt and Jade another lawyer was refueled.  The writing was great made me feel like I was there riding along with Matt, Michael and Debra.  Feeling their pain and anguish over the future of their son.  Debra finding out something wasn’t right at home and doing her own sleuthing.  For the fear Michael went through not knowing his future for sure.  Feeling railroaded into a plea deal that still would have sent him up the river for a stint.  And Matt for fighting all sorts of Demons and Monsters to try to save his son.

Awesome book, definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a great action packed adventure in crime and mystery!