Susan's Review of The First To Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Fascinating, suspenseful and emotional –are the three words that describe Hank Phillippi Ryan’s First to Lie. The novel is filled with interesting, multi-faceted characters and the plot is teeming with suspense, deception and retribution.

TV news reporter Ellie Berensen’s investigation of Pharminex drew me into the story. Health care is a touchstone topic for everyone. People think drugs will help them, not harm them. Ellie’s determination to pursue the truth about the Pharminex drug Monifan kept me reading. The cast of characters including Nora, the pharmaceutical rep, Meg, Ellie’s assistant, attorney Gabe and police lieutenant Rafel Monterio added to the suspense filled storyline. The characters lie to each other throughout the novel. I loved trying to sort through the lies to see if there was a hint of honesty behind the deceptions.

Hank Phillippi Ryan blends the perfect amount of conflict and drama in this book to create a nail biting, intriguing story. There were lots of plot twists and turns. I felt like the characters were playing chess as each character waited for the other to make a move. I was focused on Ellie’s sorting through the facts and clues that I fell for a few of the strategically placed red herrings. First to Lie kept me on the edge of my chair as it was filled with suspense until the very last page.

First to Lie is engaging and well written—I found it hard to put down. I recommend it to all mystery and thriller readers.

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC from publisher--All opinions are my own.

Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay - audio version

Paris is Always a Good Idea

by Jenn McKinlay

 ★★★★★

I want to start my review by saying the title first drew

me to the story. Then, I took a listen to the sample and

found the narrator to be pleasant. That is what it took

to get me to listen to Jenn McKinlay and her story,

Paris is Always a Good Idea. 

Chelsea Martin finds herself deep in hard feelings with

her family. We all find that happening sometimes. It's the worst.

It's even harder when you know you're behaving badly

and immature. You know you're doing it. But you just 

cannot help yourself. 

So Chelsea takes off on a trip. A trip full of mostly wonderful

memories. She is hoping that replaying the romance and

happiness from this trip will help her come to terms with the

family issues she is struggling with. 

She makes her way from Ireland to France to Italy. Only to 

find, of course, everything she is looking for is right back

where she started. At home. With her family.

The life she has built for herself. The people that make up 

that life. 

Great memories are good and all. But they aren't always

a part of your real long term life. It's a fun story. 

Constant fast pace. And of course, romance. 

I borrowed this from my library. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

Susan's Review of Can't Help Falling in Love-Samantha Chase-Magnolia Sound

Hunter Jones will do whatever it takes to make the best life possible for his son. Unfortunately, part of that requires relying on his now ex-wife—a woman who admits motherhood isn’t for her—to pull her weight for the sake of their boy. Yet when one of her erratic moments results in a missed daycare pick up, Hunter’s the one who gets accused of being a bad parent. He has nothing to prove to the opinionated stranger with the sassy smirk who openly berated him. Still, he finds himself irresistibly compelled to prove himself to her...

After growing up in the foster system, Violet Drake has zero patience for poor parenting. However, she’s the first to admit she was too harsh on Hunter when he arrived late to pick up his son... and that’s only partially because he’s insanely hot. It should have been an easy no when he asked her out. She’s constantly traveling for work, plus getting mixed up with a single dad is a monumentally bad idea. But the idea of spending time with him is too tempting to resist.

Their timing is wrong. They want completely different things. So why do they feel drawn to each other with each glance?

Can't Help Falling In Love is available at Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo | Google Play  

Can’t Help Falling in Love is a heartwarming story of a couple who at first glance appear to have little in common. Violet Drake and Hunter Jones are strong, independent people who want what most people take for granted-they want to be loved unconditionally. Samantha Chase wowed me with this charming novel set in Magnolia Sound.

Firefighter Hunter Jones is a stressed out, single dad who is trying to balance his job and caring for his three –year old son. He spends most of his free time figuring out who can help him take care of Eli when he has the night or overnight shifts at the firehouse. Hunter’s daycare anxieties are about to escalate because Katie, Eli’s primary care giver, is about to go on maternity leave.

Hunter and Violet’s first meeting can be best described as confrontational. She rips into him for forgetting to pick up Eli at daycare. Violet has no respect for neglectful parents and Hunter has not made a good first impression. Hunter arrives the next day with a peace offering to Katie and Violet; a dozen chocolate cupcakes.

Samantha Chase creates flawed, engaging characters that a reader can identify with. Hunter’s situation drew me into the story. He’s a single parent raising trying to juggle work and childcare. His life is pretty structured and he has no time for himself. Violet is the total opposite; she’s a travel agent who loves her job and the perks that go with it. She loves to travel and has a positive attitude. Growing up in the foster care system taught her not to get attached to anyone or any place.

I am enjoying Samantha Chase’s Magnolia Sound Series. The past few novels have focused on the Jones family and I am enjoying the family vibe between Domenic Jones and his children. The camaraderie between the Jones brothers makes me smile-especially the conversations between Kyle and Hunter. The importance of family and closeness of the brothers reminds me of Ms. Chase’s Shaughnessy Brothers series.

Can’t Help Falling in Love takes it up a notch because the couple has a deadline-they have six weeks before Violet returns to Nashville. The timing is all wrong and they are two very different people… but their attraction, their feelings for each other are very, very real. Hunter and Violet’s story is poignant, emotional and filled with love and hope.

If enjoyed Samantha Chases Shaughnessy Brother’s series—as much as I did—then this is the perfect book for you. Settle in with a glass of wine and corgi in your lap and enjoy every word!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the author

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
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