Her First Mistake
Make no mistake about it, Her First Mistake is a gripping and thrilling book! Kendra Elliott takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Noelle Marshall’s life going from the present to the past and back again! I found Her First Mistake to be an engaging and intriguing book. It’s been a long time since I have read a book by Kendra Elliott, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read another one of her books! Thirteen years ago, Detective Noelle Marshall was left for dead when her husband, Assemblyman Derrick Bell, was murdered. The case has remained cold but now the FBI is looking into it once again! Noelle’s in-laws have always placed the blame for their son’s death on Noelle. Even though Noelle has tried to put the past behind her, the past has come calling. Will her husband’s murder ever be solved? Will Noelle’s memories come back from that night? This is the first book in a new series by Kendra Elliott. It is off to a great start with an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the tension while trying to do my own super sleuthing to determine whodunit as the plot unfolded. I also enjoyed how the book took readers back and forth from the present to the past. This doesn’t always work for me in books, but in this book it worked quite well for me. The time transitions gave readers insight and glimpses into the evolution of Noelle through the course of her life. There are also a few twists and turns along the way which kept things interesting and moved the plot along. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series while trying to catch up on some of Kendra Elliot’s previous books. Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Very Italian Wedding
Ah, a wedding in Italy! How lovely! The perfect setting, the scrumptious food, love in the air, and a villa in Tuscany sounds like a dream! But for Rose, the bride’s best friend, it’s a ball of worry and concern. Her best friend Luna only met Marco a month ago, fell madly in love and is getting married. Rose knows that Julie is making a mistake! On the way to Italy, Rose sits next to Ben the best man at the wedding. Ben is handsome, charming, and happy that Marco has fallen in love and is getting married. His reaction is the complete opposite of Rose’s reaction to the upcoming wedding! I always say, with romance novels it is all about the journey and this was a journey set in a lovely setting full of interesting characters. Rose, initially felt like an older woman to me. She is stodgy, set in her ways, unyielding, and felt cold at times. She really did come across as bitter. Even Coco, the dog, was a little uptight at first. Ben on the other hand is fun, happy-go-lucky, charismatic, and supportive. They are total opposites! I enjoyed their banter, the descriptions of the beautiful setting, the unique side characters and of course, Coco the dog! Coco just needed a little joy in her life to have her wagging her tail! Coco stole every scene she was in as did Marco’s Aunt Aurora who was a fun and interesting character as well! Plus, can you really remain stodgy and uptight in Italy? As I got to know Rose better and learned more about her backstory, I warmed up to her and began to understand her character. Rose goes on quite the journey in this book and it was a joy to see her character evolve. Not only did she go on an individual journey she went on a romantic journey as well! I found this book to be charming, fun, entertaining and heartwarming. I enjoyed Donna Ashcroft’s wonderful writing, her vivid descriptions, her interesting and unique characters and the journey all of the characters in this book took while in Italy for A Very Italian Wedding! The publisher may want to put a warning on this book that reading it may have you dreaming of Italy and Italian food! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Chasing Shadows
Detective Erika Foster is back!!!! Woohoo! I always get excited when I see Robert Bryndza has a new book coming out. The Erika Foster series is such a great and thrilling series!!!! If you have not read this series before, you are seriously missing out! I could not wait to dig in and Robert Bryndza did not let me down! I found this book to be gripping, tense, shocking and hard to put down! In Chasing Shadows Erika responds to a crime scene involving a dead woman in a bed. The killer left no evidence behind except for cocaine residue found on the ceiling. The investigation and drug dogs bring Erika and her team to a parcel locker and the owner – Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who seriously injured her and killed her husband, Mark and several other officers during a raid ten years ago! Talk about a blast from the past! When Erika gets over the shock, she arrests him, but he is adamant that he is Kieron Bagshaw. Her boss tells her to take some time off as the man in question comes up in the system as Kieron Bagshaw and his attorney vouches for him. Erika takes the break, but she is not backing down. Fans of the series know that backing down is not in Erika’s nature. She is determined, diligent, and on a mission! Only time will tell if Erika can get to the bottom of things in this tense and shocking book! As with his other books in this series, I found Chasing Shadows to be well thought out and wonderfully written. This book also has a nice amount of tension which I always love in books. The pacing is also very nice. There were no slow moments in this book. I enjoyed how characters work together and rely on each other as the danger mounts. This was an intense cat-and-mouse thriller! I enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters including the ones we are not meant to like. This made for great reading. Such a great series! Such a great book! Robert Bryndza has another winner on his hands! Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The River Is Waiting
Heartbreaking, gut wrenching, tragic, thought provoking and hard to put down! The River Is Waiting put me and its characters through an emotional ringer. The River Is Waiting explores themes of guilt, loss, addiction, anger, blame, forgiveness, bullying, choices, redemption, and marriage. This is not an easy read at all. It’s a pull out your heart and stomp on it kind of book/story. Yet, it is so beautifully written and told, that I could not put it down as I soaked up the heaviness of the plot. I appreciated how the author looked at guilt, blame and forgiveness. How do you forgive the unforgiveable? How do you forgive yourself? Is there redemption to be found? Corby Ledbetter is a father of twins who recently lost his job, is watching his toddlers while his wife works, and is secretly hiding his addictions. His marriage to Emily is strained and when a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy occurs it rips both of their worlds apart. Corby is responsible for the devastating loss and is sentenced to prison. There he will meet many men who will play a part in his life as he will play a part in theirs. He holds onto his hope of rebuilding his life with his wife upon his release…. Man, this book will kick you in the teeth. It is heartbreaking and I felt for both Emily and Corby during this book. We never get Emily’s POV and there were times that I really wanted to know her thoughts. But this is a book about Corby and his journey. This book also looks at the prison system and life behind bars. The bullying that takes place there, the treatment of inmates, the handling of mental health issues, the flaws in the system, and the treatment of inmates. There is so much to discuss with this book which makes it a great book for book clubs. This book evoked so many emotions for me and at times I needed to grab some tissues as my tears fell like rain onto the pages. This is a heavy, raw, and sad yet powerful book that may not be for everyone. In the bleakness of this book there are acts of kindness, expressions of love, supportive individuals, and moments of strength. This book earned every one of the stars and then some. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. Wally Lamb delivered his most powerful book to date. This book is raw from beginning to end. This is a book that is going to stay with me for quite some time. Beautifully written, well thought out, heartbreaking, tragic, and evoking emotion. I highly recommend this book but know that it might have some triggers for some readers. Thank you to Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Ghostwriter
There are secrets, and then there are SECRETS. Family secrets are a biggie in this gripping, hard to put down, and captivating book. I was fully invested in The Ghostwriter and wanted to know what happened all those years ago. I was intrigued and glued to the pages! I wanted to know if those rumors were true or if they would finally be put to rest. Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter whose career is circling the drain. She reluctantly agrees to be the ghostwriter for her father’s last book. Her father is none other than the legendary horror author, Vincent Taylor, who has frightened many also being the main suspect in his siblings, Danny and Poppy, murder.s It has been a long time since Olivia has spoken to her father and upon returning home, she finds her father struggling cognitively. As a child, her father would often leave her clues and puzzles so that she could solve mysteries to receive treasures or gifts at the end. This time will be a little different as the clues he gives may be affected by his Lewy body dementia. Olivia must use his recollections which may or may not be reliable, his dead sister, Poppy’s journal and films to piece together the truth. This book sucked me in and never let go. It was a little slow going initially but I didn’t mind it (which is a big deal for me as I struggle with slow burns) as I was so invested in the murder mystery aspect of the book. The Ghostwriter is as much about the murder mystery as it is about memory, recollections, secrets, relationships, tragedy, and drama. This one had some nice twists and turns, and the ending was a bit of a shocker which I always enjoy. I found this book to be wonderfully written, well thought out, thought provoking, and intriguing. This would make a great book for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss with this thought provoking and riveting book. I enjoyed the dynamics of Olivia and her father’s relationship. I also enjoyed the way in which Julie Clark utilized the past (1975) to tell the story. This book has a nostalgic feel paired with a great plot. The characters are flawed and there was a lot of interesting family drama/dysfunction in both timelines. Gripping, hard to put down, and wonderfully written! Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Hitchhikers
Gripping, shocking, thrilling, thought provoking, heartbreaking, and hard to put down! Chevy Stevens took me on a wild roller coaster of a ride with The Hitchhikers! Whew! I had a hard time putting this book down as took me on a journey of emotions, thrills, chills, and danger! I loved the tension, the sense of danger, the dread, and how this book had me on the edge of my seat turning those pages as fast as I could read!!! Its 1976 and Tom and Alice, are traveling in their RV hoping to not only mend their marriage after tragedy but to go on an adventure. They hope that this trip on a remote Canadian highway will bring them closer together. Unfortunately, it brings them into the path of danger. Jenny and Simon are on the run and have left a trail of blood and devastation in their wake. They are a young, troubled couple who come upon Tom and Alice and see an opportunity to not only get transportation but to take hostages! Holy Moly! This book had me feeling so many things. I felt sorry and had my fingers crossed for so many of the characters. The characters in this book went through so much before this book even started. Chevy Stevens does a great job of slowly telling readers the characters backstories making the characters feel more believable and real. Tragedy and pain affected all the characters in their lives. I went from disliking some of the characters to feeling for them and their circumstances. I thought the author nailed this aspect of the book. Reading The Hitchhikers was like being on an adrenaline ride of survival. Be warned, there are some acts of violence in this book. As I mentioned this book put me and the readers through the ringer. Matching the violence and the quest for survival was the pacing which never let up. This book kept me on the edge as the tension, dread, and danger mounted. There were a few twists and turns along the way until a shocking moment at the end of the book – a moment that I never saw coming! I love it when that happens! It has been quite some time since I have read a book by Chevy Stevens, and I am kicking myself. I forgot just how thrilling and shocking her books are! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, thrilling and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Her First Mistake
Make no mistake about it, Her First Mistake is a gripping and thrilling book! Kendra Elliott takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Noelle Marshall’s life going from the present to the past and back again! I found Her First Mistake to be an engaging and intriguing book. It’s been a long time since I have read a book by Kendra Elliott, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read another one of her books! Thirteen years ago, Detective Noelle Marshall was left for dead when her husband, Assemblyman Derrick Bell, was murdered. The case has remained cold but now the FBI is looking into it once again! Noelle’s in-laws have always placed the blame for their son’s death on Noelle. Even though Noelle has tried to put the past behind her, the past has come calling. Will her husband’s murder ever be solved? Will Noelle’s memories come back from that night? This is the first book in a new series by Kendra Elliott. It is off to a great start with an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the tension while trying to do my own super sleuthing to determine whodunit as the plot unfolded. I also enjoyed how the book took readers back and forth from the present to the past. This doesn’t always work for me in books, but in this book it worked quite well for me. The time transitions gave readers insight and glimpses into the evolution of Noelle through the course of her life. There are also a few twists and turns along the way which kept things interesting and moved the plot along. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series while trying to catch up on some of Kendra Elliot’s previous books. Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Very Italian Wedding
Ah, a wedding in Italy! How lovely! The perfect setting, the scrumptious food, love in the air, and a villa in Tuscany sounds like a dream! But for Rose, the bride’s best friend, it’s a ball of worry and concern. Her best friend Luna only met Marco a month ago, fell madly in love and is getting married. Rose knows that Julie is making a mistake! On the way to Italy, Rose sits next to Ben the best man at the wedding. Ben is handsome, charming, and happy that Marco has fallen in love and is getting married. His reaction is the complete opposite of Rose’s reaction to the upcoming wedding! I always say, with romance novels it is all about the journey and this was a journey set in a lovely setting full of interesting characters. Rose, initially felt like an older woman to me. She is stodgy, set in her ways, unyielding, and felt cold at times. She really did come across as bitter. Even Coco, the dog, was a little uptight at first. Ben on the other hand is fun, happy-go-lucky, charismatic, and supportive. They are total opposites! I enjoyed their banter, the descriptions of the beautiful setting, the unique side characters and of course, Coco the dog! Coco just needed a little joy in her life to have her wagging her tail! Coco stole every scene she was in as did Marco’s Aunt Aurora who was a fun and interesting character as well! Plus, can you really remain stodgy and uptight in Italy? As I got to know Rose better and learned more about her backstory, I warmed up to her and began to understand her character. Rose goes on quite the journey in this book and it was a joy to see her character evolve. Not only did she go on an individual journey she went on a romantic journey as well! I found this book to be charming, fun, entertaining and heartwarming. I enjoyed Donna Ashcroft’s wonderful writing, her vivid descriptions, her interesting and unique characters and the journey all of the characters in this book took while in Italy for A Very Italian Wedding! The publisher may want to put a warning on this book that reading it may have you dreaming of Italy and Italian food! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Chasing Shadows
Detective Erika Foster is back!!!! Woohoo! I always get excited when I see Robert Bryndza has a new book coming out. The Erika Foster series is such a great and thrilling series!!!! If you have not read this series before, you are seriously missing out! I could not wait to dig in and Robert Bryndza did not let me down! I found this book to be gripping, tense, shocking and hard to put down! In Chasing Shadows Erika responds to a crime scene involving a dead woman in a bed. The killer left no evidence behind except for cocaine residue found on the ceiling. The investigation and drug dogs bring Erika and her team to a parcel locker and the owner – Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who seriously injured her and killed her husband, Mark and several other officers during a raid ten years ago! Talk about a blast from the past! When Erika gets over the shock, she arrests him, but he is adamant that he is Kieron Bagshaw. Her boss tells her to take some time off as the man in question comes up in the system as Kieron Bagshaw and his attorney vouches for him. Erika takes the break, but she is not backing down. Fans of the series know that backing down is not in Erika’s nature. She is determined, diligent, and on a mission! Only time will tell if Erika can get to the bottom of things in this tense and shocking book! As with his other books in this series, I found Chasing Shadows to be well thought out and wonderfully written. This book also has a nice amount of tension which I always love in books. The pacing is also very nice. There were no slow moments in this book. I enjoyed how characters work together and rely on each other as the danger mounts. This was an intense cat-and-mouse thriller! I enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters including the ones we are not meant to like. This made for great reading. Such a great series! Such a great book! Robert Bryndza has another winner on his hands! Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The River Is Waiting
Heartbreaking, gut wrenching, tragic, thought provoking and hard to put down! The River Is Waiting put me and its characters through an emotional ringer. The River Is Waiting explores themes of guilt, loss, addiction, anger, blame, forgiveness, bullying, choices, redemption, and marriage. This is not an easy read at all. It’s a pull out your heart and stomp on it kind of book/story. Yet, it is so beautifully written and told, that I could not put it down as I soaked up the heaviness of the plot. I appreciated how the author looked at guilt, blame and forgiveness. How do you forgive the unforgiveable? How do you forgive yourself? Is there redemption to be found? Corby Ledbetter is a father of twins who recently lost his job, is watching his toddlers while his wife works, and is secretly hiding his addictions. His marriage to Emily is strained and when a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy occurs it rips both of their worlds apart. Corby is responsible for the devastating loss and is sentenced to prison. There he will meet many men who will play a part in his life as he will play a part in theirs. He holds onto his hope of rebuilding his life with his wife upon his release…. Man, this book will kick you in the teeth. It is heartbreaking and I felt for both Emily and Corby during this book. We never get Emily’s POV and there were times that I really wanted to know her thoughts. But this is a book about Corby and his journey. This book also looks at the prison system and life behind bars. The bullying that takes place there, the treatment of inmates, the handling of mental health issues, the flaws in the system, and the treatment of inmates. There is so much to discuss with this book which makes it a great book for book clubs. This book evoked so many emotions for me and at times I needed to grab some tissues as my tears fell like rain onto the pages. This is a heavy, raw, and sad yet powerful book that may not be for everyone. In the bleakness of this book there are acts of kindness, expressions of love, supportive individuals, and moments of strength. This book earned every one of the stars and then some. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. Wally Lamb delivered his most powerful book to date. This book is raw from beginning to end. This is a book that is going to stay with me for quite some time. Beautifully written, well thought out, heartbreaking, tragic, and evoking emotion. I highly recommend this book but know that it might have some triggers for some readers. Thank you to Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Ghostwriter
There are secrets, and then there are SECRETS. Family secrets are a biggie in this gripping, hard to put down, and captivating book. I was fully invested in The Ghostwriter and wanted to know what happened all those years ago. I was intrigued and glued to the pages! I wanted to know if those rumors were true or if they would finally be put to rest. Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter whose career is circling the drain. She reluctantly agrees to be the ghostwriter for her father’s last book. Her father is none other than the legendary horror author, Vincent Taylor, who has frightened many also being the main suspect in his siblings, Danny and Poppy, murder.s It has been a long time since Olivia has spoken to her father and upon returning home, she finds her father struggling cognitively. As a child, her father would often leave her clues and puzzles so that she could solve mysteries to receive treasures or gifts at the end. This time will be a little different as the clues he gives may be affected by his Lewy body dementia. Olivia must use his recollections which may or may not be reliable, his dead sister, Poppy’s journal and films to piece together the truth. This book sucked me in and never let go. It was a little slow going initially but I didn’t mind it (which is a big deal for me as I struggle with slow burns) as I was so invested in the murder mystery aspect of the book. The Ghostwriter is as much about the murder mystery as it is about memory, recollections, secrets, relationships, tragedy, and drama. This one had some nice twists and turns, and the ending was a bit of a shocker which I always enjoy. I found this book to be wonderfully written, well thought out, thought provoking, and intriguing. This would make a great book for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss with this thought provoking and riveting book. I enjoyed the dynamics of Olivia and her father’s relationship. I also enjoyed the way in which Julie Clark utilized the past (1975) to tell the story. This book has a nostalgic feel paired with a great plot. The characters are flawed and there was a lot of interesting family drama/dysfunction in both timelines. Gripping, hard to put down, and wonderfully written! Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Hitchhikers
Gripping, shocking, thrilling, thought provoking, heartbreaking, and hard to put down! Chevy Stevens took me on a wild roller coaster of a ride with The Hitchhikers! Whew! I had a hard time putting this book down as took me on a journey of emotions, thrills, chills, and danger! I loved the tension, the sense of danger, the dread, and how this book had me on the edge of my seat turning those pages as fast as I could read!!! Its 1976 and Tom and Alice, are traveling in their RV hoping to not only mend their marriage after tragedy but to go on an adventure. They hope that this trip on a remote Canadian highway will bring them closer together. Unfortunately, it brings them into the path of danger. Jenny and Simon are on the run and have left a trail of blood and devastation in their wake. They are a young, troubled couple who come upon Tom and Alice and see an opportunity to not only get transportation but to take hostages! Holy Moly! This book had me feeling so many things. I felt sorry and had my fingers crossed for so many of the characters. The characters in this book went through so much before this book even started. Chevy Stevens does a great job of slowly telling readers the characters backstories making the characters feel more believable and real. Tragedy and pain affected all the characters in their lives. I went from disliking some of the characters to feeling for them and their circumstances. I thought the author nailed this aspect of the book. Reading The Hitchhikers was like being on an adrenaline ride of survival. Be warned, there are some acts of violence in this book. As I mentioned this book put me and the readers through the ringer. Matching the violence and the quest for survival was the pacing which never let up. This book kept me on the edge as the tension, dread, and danger mounted. There were a few twists and turns along the way until a shocking moment at the end of the book – a moment that I never saw coming! I love it when that happens! It has been quite some time since I have read a book by Chevy Stevens, and I am kicking myself. I forgot just how thrilling and shocking her books are! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, thrilling and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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