Love and Other Perils-Novella Duet-by Grace Burrowes and Emily Larkin

♥Love and Other Perils

Novella Duet

by Grace Burrowes and Emily Larkin

☆☆☆☆☆

One of the stories is





Lieutenant Mayhew’s Catastrophes

by Emily Larkin

It's a lovely fun sweet story that we all can

connect with. Everyone has had those

experiences where it's not just one problem,

but problem after problem after problem!

Willemina is so excited to be traveling. She

loves to travel. She is on the coach

headed to a new job.

Lt Mayhew is happily on the coach to visit his

niece and nephew. He is bringing them each

a sweet little kitten.

You think they are just going to fall in love

in the coach on their trip, right?

Not exactly.

Next up is

Kisses and Catnip

by Grace Burrowes

Max Haddonfield is a believer in facts.

Antonia Mainwaring is a librarian.

She loves books.

How can two such people find a 

love connection??

Only Grace Burrowes will tell.

 

Review by Lisa Hutson



Susan"s Review of Slay Bells Ring By Nancy Robarts Thompson

It’s one thing to write a mystery, but when your daughter is the suspect — you solve it.

Wedding planner Jenna Bell doesn’t panic when the groom is a no-show to the ceremony – even though he is her former high school sweetheart and this wedding is the small town’s event of the year. However, when he turns up dead and she is falsely accused… well, yeah, now it’s the time to panic.
Jenna’s mother, Maddie, puts her cozy mystery writing skills to use to try to clear her daughter’s name, stepping on by-the-book Chief of Police Jackson Bradley’s toes in the process. No matter how enticing he finds her, he doesn’t want this writer-turned-amateur-sleuth interfering with his murder investigation.
With nearly all of Hemlock, North Carolina, picking sides and the town’s own Gossip Brigade churning out the rumors, Maddie discovers the mystery isn’t very cozy when it hits this close to home.



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Slay Bells Ring is the first book in Nancy Robarts Thompson’s new cozy mystery series. The novel features Maddie Bell and her daughter Jenna. The close relationship between Maddie and Jenna drew me into this fast- paced mystery which is set in Hemlock, North Carolina.

Jenna Bell has returned home to start an event planning business. She shares an office with her Mom who runs a bridal shop. Loved that Maddie wrote cozy mysteries and had a crush on the town’s new police chief. Loved the mother- daughter conversations which showed how much they cared for each other. The author’s dialogue between Maddie and Jenna is spot on; at times their conversations are laugh out loud funny, caring and thoughtful in nature—all of the elements of a real mother daughter relationship.

Slay Bells Rings has all of the elements of a novel that I adore. It is set in a small town, filled with fun characters (think Gossip brigade!), entertaining dialogue, friendship, love. Slay Bells Ring has a bridezilla, a reluctant groom, two corgis, a missing Rolex and a murder!I have been a fan of Nancy Robarts Thompson books for several years. I love the characters and the small town settings in her novels. Am so glad she decided to write a cozy mystery and can’t wait to see if Maddie and Chief Bradley go out on a date, if Jenna and Ian have a friends to lovers relationship, and to learn more about Val and Alicia.

To keep my review spoiler free, I am not going to reveal who was murdered or whodunit. I loved how they story played out. Each detail, each fact added to the big reveal. Nancy Robards Thompson does a fabulous job balancing the intrigue and keeps the reader in suspense. I will admit that I did not figure out the identity the killer.

If you are looking for a fun, enjoyable read filled with fabulous characters-pick up Slay Bells Ring!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Book Purchased on Amazon

Susan's review of Thankful in Good Hope by Cindy Kirk

Keeping this secret could cost him everything…

Trinity McConnell came to Good Hope expecting to reconnect with a former colleague, not a former fling. But within hours of arriving in the picturesque small town, she’s face-to-face with Ryder Goodhue, the man who gave her the hottest, most romantic night of her life.

Ryder has never believed in fate, yet there’s simply no way to explain Trinity’s appearance in Good Hope other than meant to be. Since the night they met, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Now, he’s determined to show Trinity how perfect their relationship can be.

The connection between Trinity and Ryder is as powerful as ever, and soon they are swept up in a whirlwind romance. But when an orphaned eleven-year-old girl with Ryder’s name on her birth certificate turns up, their newfound romance is put on hold. A former foster child herself, Trinity knows what it’s like to be a little girl alone in the world. She’s happy to help Ryder make his new daughter his top priority. But there’s something Ryder isn’t telling her. While revealing the truth could have disastrous consequences…keeping this secret could cost Ryder the one woman he can’t live without.



<

Trinity McConnell and Ryder Goodhue’s story is a powerful story of compassion. Cindy Kirk’s choice to write about child abuse and the way she crafted this piece of the storyline drew me into this novel. The writing is fantastic and I could not put the book down.

Trinity and Ryder were introduced in Sparks Fly in Good Hope. They met and had a brief affair. Months later, they meet at an election party in Good Hope. Trinity sees Ryder across the bar and walks over to talk to him. The couple has an intense connection—and this is noted by Gladys and Oaklee, two of the town’s matchmakers—and spend the night together.

The couple’s romance is interrupted when Ryder learns that his friend Jenna has died. He is shocked to learn that she has a daughter, he has been named as her guardian….and that Ryder’s name is listed on Zoe’s birth certificate. Ryder is put in a difficult position and he keeps a secret to himself.

I loved the plot choices that Cindy Cook made in this story. As a reader-I was torn. Trinity and Ryder faced many difficult situations in the novel. Trinity understood Ryder’s decision to bring Zoe to Good hope. After her mother died, she spent time in foster care—Trinity emphasized and showed compassion towards her. Zoe becomes Ryder’s priority and the secret he’s keeping is in danger of being revealed. Could the secret tear the couple apart?

Thankful in Good Hope is the perfect book to read as the holidays approach. The characters and their journey made me appreciate my family and friends who share our table during the holidays. Thankful in Good Hope features many of my favorite characters and the storyline presents a serious issue in a thoughtful, relatable way. The novel is filled with compassion, love, hope and forgiveness.

Cindy Kirk’s engaging characters and their journeys make each of the Good Hope novels unique. The author balances love, family and drama in each story. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the author