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Where the Guilty Hide–#1 in a good mystery series
Where the Guilty Hide
by Annette Dashofy
Faced with multiple home invasions where the residents were present, but captive, Detective Mattias Honeywell relives old pain. His partner, the older Cassie Malone, makes a good foil for him as he navigates life and work as an investigator. The other main character is Emma Anderson, a freelance photographer who appears to be hiding out from something or someone in a small trailer in Erie, Pennsylvania.
This novel is full of twists and turns and plots that overlap. I enjoyed playing detective along with Honeywell and Malone. I liked Emma and hoped for the best for her as she tried to unravel trauma from her past, stay alive, and find her missing sister.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery
Notes: #1 in the Detective Honeywell Mystery Series. I have an ARC of the second book in the series that I will read next, but knowing that I enjoyed Annette Dashofy’s Zoe Chambers Mystery Series, I chose to read the first in this new series before I moved my attention to #2, Keep Your Family Close. This is not a cozy mystery, but I anticipate seeing some of the characters again.
Publication: 2023—One More Chapter (Harper Collins)
Memorable Lines:
Emma’s bruises and scrapes were almost healed. The trauma to her heart and soul hadn’t even begun to mend.
Caught in the Traminette–NY winery mystery
Caught in the Traminette
by J. C. Eaton
I am by no means a wine connoisseur and had never heard of “traminette.” Learning new things is part of the fun of reading. Traminette is a variety of a grape hybrid and also the name of a type of white wine made from that grape. It is popular among wine growers in the northeast of the U.S.
In Caught in the Traminette there are a head spinning number of plot threads. The setting is Seneca Lake and Penn Yan in New York. Norrie, a screen writer, is part owner of Two Witches Winery and at her sister’s request is managing the winery while her sister Francine is in the Philippines with her entomologist husband. While reading this fun series you’ll find a lot of information about how a vineyard is managed and the wine is made and marketed. Hint: it’s a lot more involved than squishing some grapes and bottling the juice!
Norrie can jump into an investigating mode at the drop of wine bottle, and she does just that when a body is found wrapped in a tarp at a neighboring winery. To help Madeline, a fellow winery owner who has been arrested for the murder, Norrie puts on her detective hat. There is some self-interest (OK, a lot of self-interest) involved because neither Norrie nor any of the other winery proprietors want to take on Madeline’s role as facilitator of WOW (Wineries of the West), the promotional group for the wineries in their area.
On Norrie’s to-do list, besides discovering the murderer, is protecting the traminette at her own winery, improving the security at the winery and at her house, and stopping a developer from bringing high rises to the lake ruining the popular view currently part of the attraction of the area. Some days just getting from her house to the tasting room on the same property is a challenge given all the snow and ice storms.
On a professional level, Norrie has a rocky relationship with Deputy Hickman because of previous encounters where she just won’t leave mysteries alone. She has even caused Eugene, a technician in the forensics lab, to get a prescription for anti-anxiety medicine.
On a personal level, Norrie has lots of friends including her next door neighbors, Don and Theo, who own the Grey Egret Winery next door. Theo frequently gets roped into sleuthing with Norrie into illegal, dangerous, and sometimes disgusting adventures including “mud” on a cow farm. She has a great and supportive staff at the winery. One of her employees, Glenda, is involved in the paranormal and invites her friend Zenora to ward away evil. When this happens there is a lot of eye rolling at the wine tasting room. Zenora’s “day job” is research librarian at the University library and in that role she can provide some valuable information.
Norrie is dating a lawyer who frequently has to travel. When Bradley is away, she finds her eyes wandering to her dismay. So far, she has controlled her impulses in that area although she does manage to keep all of the men who want to date her content to be friends and serve as resources in her investigations. She is always upfront with potential suitors about her exclusive relationship with Bradley.
One important thread involves entomologists who are devoted to their research in a nerdy sort of way. Another focus is evidence of a break-in at Norrie’s house. Why would anyone rummage through her refrigerator without eating anything? Norrie sometimes does outlandish things, but this is a fun mystery with a lot of humor. Everything gets sewn up with a surprise ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery, Humor
Notes: #9 in the Wine Trail Mystery Series. Like many series, you’ll want to read more if you read this one,but it could be enjoyed as a standalone.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Beyond the Page Publishing
Memorable Lines:
Every winter day is a bad hair day in New York’s Finger Lakes. And those cute little snowflakes weren’t as adorable as they were back in November. By the beginning of January with the holiday decorations down, the dreariest part of the season was about to unfold.
“I’m eighty-six years old. I don’t act fast,” Rosalee said. “I only move at two speeds—slow and slower.”
“You snooped on the chitchat ladies?” “Didn’t have to snoop. They spread the gossip like fertilizer on a field.”
Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
with A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior
What do you think of when you hear the word “Frankenstein?” For many, that name conjures up an ugly monster pieced together from the flesh of others. A quick Internet search of images associated with that name bring up iconic pictures that are a part of our popular culture. Many movies have been made of the book Frankenstein as well as versions and spin-offs of the Gothic novel. In truth, Victor Frankenstein is the name of the scientist who created the monster who was never named in the book, but may be referred to as “The Creature.”
Clearly a classic, Frankenstein, was the creation of 18 year old Mary Shelley as a result of a dreary day’s writing contest with a small group of men, that included her husband the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. The little group fought to overcome the ennui of the season. Mary Shelley won and her story was first published anonymously.
The structure of the story is initially a little confusing, but it becomes clearer as the tale progresses. Captain Robert Walton’s narrative frames the story with his recounting, as his ship headed to the North Pole, of the sighting of an unknown creature and then the rescue of a man who was pursuing the creature. Much of the book is epistolary as Walton shares the story of Victor Frankenstein’s life with his sister in England.
The reader is also given the Creature’s viewpoint. At eight feet tall and very different looking, he is viewed as a threat. At times the reader might feel some sympathy for him as he wants love and acceptance, but he also reveals a murderous side. When he realizes he will never be integrated into human society, he approaches Victor with the idea of creating a woman to be his wife. This request ignites another ethical dilemma for Victor who has already ignored his moral obligations when he gave life to the Creature and then abandoned him. His bad decisions turn his life and that of his loved ones into tragedies.
The editor of this volume, Karen Swallow Prior, is a Professor of English and Christianity and Culture. She states that the major themes of Frankenstein are “creation, creator, guilt, ambition, reason vs. emotion, nature vs. nurture, friendship, sexuality.” She points out that Shelley does not write from a biblical point of view, but that these themes are timeless. This is obviously a complicated book and important in terms of its effects on our culture. The editor Prior attempts to make it more accessible in her introduction and in the background she presents about the time in which it was written. Not an easy read, Frankenstein offers a lot of food for thought. The reader will probably argue with the characters over their motivations and actions and will be hard pressed to find a likable character among them. Victor Frankenstein, in particular, proves over and over again that he is self-centered. His own happiness and a fulfilled ego are so important to him that his emotions swing wildly and greatly affect his health while he disregards how his actions hurt others.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Gothic, Classic, Christian
Notes: 1. The editor ends each section (volume) with Reflection Questions which are a wonderful resource for individuals or groups studying Frankenstein. She also includes Questions for Further Reflection which address the whole book.
2. The appendix adds the introduction to the 1831 edition.
3. Prior has helpful footnotes on the appropriate pages to define words that are unfamiliar to readers in the twenty-first century.
4.Frankenstein is subtitled The Modern Prometheus pointing to the tension between a creation and its creator.
5. Although Frankenstein is not a Christian novel, Prior’s goal is to show readers how to approach it from a Christian viewpoint and to the glory of God
6. Prior has a series of classics that she has edited in a similar way. I have read several of these with my Book Club. Some have been more enjoyable than others, but all have resulted in good discussions.
7. This was written during the transitional period from Enlightenment to Romanticism.
Publication: 1818—Original publication
2021—(as edited by Prior) B&H Publishing
Memorable Lines:
I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher’s stone and the elixier of life. But the latter obtained my most undivided attention: wealth was an inferior object; but what glory would attend the discovery. If I could banish disease from the human frame, and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death!
I was benevolent and good: misery made me a fiend. Make me happy and I shall again be virtuous.
“Hateful day when I received life!’’ I exclaimed in agony. ‘’Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred.”
A Killer App–an AI mystery
A Killer App
by Linda Lovely
Someone called “The Chameleon” is out to do evil using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Through The Chameleon’s voice we get insight into the creative mind of this computer expert: “My app lets ordinary folks channel their anger and frustration into make-believe violence, thereby obtaining relief and staying out of jail.” But will The Chameleon be satisfied with this goal or take it a step further to actual violence? In the first chapter we become aware of this AI persona, but in subsequent chapters, the reader is gradually introduced to the person behind The Chameleon.
The point of view of the various chapters bounces back and forth between Kylee, a security consultant and retired U.S. Coast Guard officer, The Chameleon, and Grant, the teenage son of Ted Welch who owns Welch HOA Management Company. The whole series is based on real estate properties in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
As written, the reader gets to see the deranged thinking process in The Chameleon’s mind as well as the way The Chameleon’s actions are interpreted by Kylee and Grant who are actively trying to figure out the crazy things going on in the communities.
Not a fan of AI, I found the first part of the book somewhat confusing, but I think the author did that on purpose so the reader could experience the mystery in the same way the characters did. Although not a funny book, there are lighter moments where the author shares family gatherings and glimpses into some romances. There are humorous quips as well as very dangerous moments, especially for Kylee and Grant.
A Killer App is a decent mystery. It showcases some of the advances in AI (e.g. deepfake) which have the potential to control the minds of those susceptible to manipulation through realistic audio and video.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #3 in An HOA Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone because there is a helpful list of characters and Homeowner Associations at the beginning of the book and the author introduces them within the text as they appear.
2. Includes a short section of definitions of some AI terms.
3. There is some swearing.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Level Best Books
Memorable Lines:
I’m always shocked by such ugliness in a community where well-off residents have so little to complain about. These people must be successful to afford their homes. Yet they squabble and name-call like kindergarteners.
Grandma’s sort of like Mighty Mouse. She may be tiny enough for a big wind to blow her away, but you better watch out when she blows her stack.
“I never cease to be amazed at how cruel gossips can be—especially when they don’t have to look whoever they’re abusing in the eye.”
Her Secret Hope–Amish friendships
Her Secret Hope
by Shelley Shepard Gray
In the course of reading the Amish trilogy, A Season in Pinecraft, the reader is taken on a trip to Pinecraft, Florida, where a lot of Amish visitors like to go during the cold winter months. Englisch tourists come as well, but with so many Amish, the Amish stand out less and have more accommodations for their lifestyle. Three girls who don’t have friends among their hometown peers, end up together in Pinecraft where they develop a strong friendship with each other. Her Secret Hope focuses on Lilly Kurtz who moves to Pinecraft two years later to be with her friends and begin a new independent life working in the Marigold Inn cleaning rooms.
There she meets Eddie and his grandmother who becomes friends with everyone she meets. Eddie has taken her to Disney World, but after that adventure she is ready to rest, have meals brought to her, and (gasp!) watch DVD’s in her room. She is quite taken with the hardworking, kind Lilly and tries to do a little matchmaking. There is already some attraction between Eddie and Lilly. In trying to make conversation and get to know Lilly, Eddie pushes too hard as Lilly has a secret that she doesn’t want to share for fear it will cause Eddie to reject her as she has been looked down on so often in the past.
When there is a traumatic accusation at the inn, Lilly’s friends and co-workers stand up for her, but unfortunately her boss does not. This dramatic twist brings climactic change for Lilly and Eddie. Secrets are shared and hard decisions are made. Read this novel to see if all of the friends remain in Pinecraft and if love can survive the worst of times.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Fiction, Christian
Notes: # 3 in the Season in Pinecraft trilogy, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
Lilly was beginning to feel like she’d asked for a hot fudge sundae and had been served a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead. The treat was good and she appreciated it, but it wasn’t what she’d hoped for.
Everything didn’t need to have a reason or be a big deal. She really did need to stop overthinking every little thing. All that mattered was that she was making a friend, and she’d learned that one can never have too many of those. It was better to count her blessings instead of worry so much.
No, she still wasn’t falling in love, but what she was experiencing was really good. She was making friends and gathering great memories. Both were things to be grateful for.
Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home–Christmas at the Dog Rescue
Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home
by Sarah Hope
This author seems to specialize in romances set in Cornwall. Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is a sweet, clean romance. If you like dogs in general or rescue animals in particular, you will be attracted to this book. Poppy had bought a city home with Ben, but they are ending the relationship, and Poppy’s job as a supply teacher is on a holiday break. So, she packs a bag and heads to West Par where her beloved Aunt Flora has a dog shelter.
Poppy eventually realizes she has just been existing in her life with Ben. She has even gotten grouchy over the very idea of the Christmas spirit. She soon meets Mack, the new veterinarian in town. He is very nice to both people and animals. He buys expensive things, but says he is unable to keep up the former vet’s policy of only charging for medicines. Of course shelter animals often require medical assistance, and the shelter depends on donations and volunteers for its existence. Mack and Poppy are attracted to each other, but they both have childhood and more recent baggage to overcome.
There are lots of likable characters, and the community spirit is outstanding from sing-a-longs at the town center to visits to the local Christmas Market. There are lots of fundraisers for the shelter that are also fun for the community. Percy is a special friend of Flora’s who helps at the shelter and repairs various things as breakdowns arise and Flora is too frugal to hire the work out. The money needs to go to the dogs. Included in the story is a dog hoarder: Mr. Thomas has taken in many animals over the years, but he is too old now to take care of them or clean up after them. Flora spends a lot of time trying to convince him to put them in her shelter. Mack has two younger siblings that he has raised. The younger one, Spencer, is convinced that Percy, who has a white beard, is Santa Claus. It’s easy to see why—he looks like Santa and is always helping someone. Spencer is an enthusiastic Christmas lover and cute too. The story behind Mack and his brothers helps Poppy and the reader understand his attitude towards money.
The Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is in serious trouble. Read this gentle romance to see if the shelter can survive and what happens to certain special dogs. Also, you’ll want to see what develops between Mack and Poppy and how Poppy manages her house sale. The shelter’s future as well as Poppy’s and Flora’s are all tied up in the finances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home Series. I read it as a standalone. Although I enjoyed it, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first in the series as there are many delightful characters, but it is hard to jump in with the community spirit that they share without knowing more about them.
Publication: October 25, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Ralph was a complete softie with them, but was terrified of other dogs and reacted when scared, so it was best he was walked at times when the likelihood of running into another dog was low.
“She’s the miniature poodle, isn’t she?” “Oh yes, although she may be miniature, she has the personality of a young boisterous Labrador.”
This was what Wagging Tails was all about, community, the coming together of like-minded people for the greater good. It sounded deep, but it was true. Each and every person here, staff members and volunteers alike, turned up each day or once or twice a week to give their time to the dogs. She’d missed this feeling of belonging.
The Exchange–a kidnapping
The Exchange
by John Grisham
John Grisham’s second book, The Firm, was published in 1991. Two years later this legal thriller was made into a movie that guaranteed Grisham’s success. The Exchange is a sequel to The Firm revisiting lawyer Mitch McDeere and his wife Abby fifteen years after they escaped a very dishonest law firm that the FBI investigated. They bounced around a bit, and we meet up with them in New York City where Mitch has become a partner in Scully, a worldwide law firm with over a thousand lawyers.
Mitch is assigned an international case in which a Turkish construction company is trying to get Gaddafi to pay what he owes them for work on the Great Gaddafi Bridge in Libya which has become an embarrassment to Gaddafi because the predicted waters never arrived. It is essentially a bridge to nowhere.
The starting point for Mitch’s work is in Italy where an old friend Luca, who runs a branch of the law firm, convinces Mitch to bring his daughter Giovanna along on an exploratory visit to the bridge. Giovanna is a lawyer working for Scully’s firm in London. Unfortunately, Mitch ends up in the hospital with intestinal distress. Giovanna goes out to the bridge with a security team anyway, but is kidnapped.
The rest of the story details the convoluted multi-country effort to get Giovanna back safely. It involves politics, banks, and terrorists. The story was entertaining, and it was good to catch up with Mitch and Abby. It was not of the same caliber as The Firm and was not engaging enough to make me wish for a followup. I appreciated the way Grisham let the reader know the terrible things the terrorists did without sharing gruesome details. I was disappointed in the ending because there was closure for the characters without revealing the motivation of the villains. Mitch had an ethical decision to make in The Firm and again in The Exchange. I liked that he maintains his strong moral base, not caving to greed in either book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery and Thriller, Fiction
Notes: 1. Although this is a sequel, it could be read as a standalone as Grisham provides enough information and really little is needed to enjoy the current plot.
2. Some swearing, no sex.
3. Unless you are a thriller aficionado, this probably would not make good bedtime reading.
Publication: October 17, 2023—Doubleday Books
Memorable Lines:
For thirty years he had waged war on behalf of cold-blooded killers who were guilty of crimes that often defied description. To survive, he had learned to take the crimes, put them in a box, and ignore them. The issue wasn’t guilt. The issue was giving the state, with its flaws, prejudices, and power to screw things up, the right to kill.
“This is the Great Gaddafi Bridge in central Libya, over an unnamed river yet to be found. It was and is a foolish idea because there are no people in the region and no one wants to go there. However, there is plenty of oil and maybe the bridge will get used after all. Lannak doesn’t really care. It’s not paid to plan Libya’s future. It signed a contract to build the bridge and held its end of the deal. Now our client wants to be paid”
The story itself was certainly newsworthy—an associate in the London office of the world’s largest law firm kidnapped by murderous thugs in Libya—but the scarcity of real facts did nothing to throttle the breathless headlines, photography, and speculation. If the facts were insufficient to carry a story, others were simply created on the fly.
Rediscovering Christmas–finding joy after tragedy
Rediscovering Christmas
by Mindy Obenhaus
What does it take to weaken a Christian’s faith in God? In the case of Tori Stallings it was the death of her husband and her mother and the complete destruction of her home by fire. These sequential catastrophes in just a few years time left Tori devastated despite the support she had from friends, family and co-workers.
Tori had learned to be independent over the years as her confident and dashing husband Joel devoted more time to his country than to his family. His quiet brother Micah quit the military when his brother died to try to pick up the pieces for Tori and her son Aiden. His secret is that his friendship with Tori was more than that when they hit their teenage years, but he kept his crush hidden when she was obviously attracted to Joel.
Tori and Micah are thrown together when she loses her home and she and Aiden move into the family home Micah shares with his mom. Aiden, an adorable six year old, never really knew much of his dad, and Uncle Micah became the father substitute in his life, a relationship Micah and Aiden both enjoyed.
Although there is a growing attraction, Tori and Micah need to get over the feeling they are doing something wrong since Tori is his brother’s widow. Also, Tori is angry with God, and Micah knows that he can’t pursue a relationship with her until she works through her anger and realizes she needs to put her trust for the future in God’s hands.
There are multiple obstacles to be overcome and lots of good people to help them as they face the issues that come when disasters strike and faith is tested.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. It was only when I reached the notes at the end of the book that I realized that this book (#6) is the last of the Hope Crossing series, so it certainly could be read as a stand alone.
2. This was my last Christmasy book for 2024 and it made a fitting ending. Faith and having the heart of a servant were threads all through the book. In the process of righting her relationship with God, Tori also rediscovered the joy of the Christmas season with help from Micah. Christmas decorations and traditions reestablished for their first Christmas after the fire helped Tori rediscover Christmas as well.
Publication: November 26, 2024—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
None of them spoke because there’d been nothing to say. There was no room for platitudes at a time like this. He was certain Tori would hear her fair share of those over the coming days, weeks and months. But he and his mom cared about her too much for that. Sometimes the best thing you could do was to let someone cry.
“…you’ve faced more than your fair share of loss in recent years. It stands to reason that you’d be hurting and angry. But be aware, my friend, while you might try to run from God, you can’t outrun Him. And I know this for a fact because He loved me enough to pursue me even when I chose not to trust Him.”
“We’re not called to understand everything that happens in our lives. We’re called to trust Him with our lives, come what may.”
A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands–echoes of Cinderella
A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands
by Donna Ashcroft
With a Christmas backdrop, we meet the talented Ella McNally who left art school to take care of her father. After he passed away, she took on the failing family house cleaning business. She is exhausting herself trying to pick up the load for her helpless stepmother and her selfish stepbrothers who frequently claim illness when it is time to work. Ella is too kind for her own good as she tries to fulfill a promise to her dying dad that she will keep the business afloat.
Alex is sent by his father from the family business in Edinburgh to the town of Mistletoe on a sabbatical of sorts to pursue his art interest under the world renown Scottish watercolor artist Henry Lockhart. He expects Alex to return with a landscape for the company’s main lobby. Alex can not remember a time when he has met his father’s expectations.
Ella and Alex get off to a rocky start, but they have to work together under Henry’s tutelage. He demands they look inside for their “truth” and put that into their art. Henry involves Alex in painting the set for the Christmas pantomime which will be “Cinderella” with Ella playing the part of Cinderella. When the actor playing the prince breaks both his ankles, they need to find a replacement quickly. By the way, Alex’s last name is “Charming.” There are fun, subtle echoes of the Cinderella fairy tale sprinkled through the book.
There is a nice subplot as the artist Henry tries to reconcile with Mae, Ella’s godmother who owns an art gallery. Henry learns a lesson about “truth” in art. Alex has never had a pet or been around children. In Mistletoe he finds that a little Yorkshire terrier is very attracted to him as is the housekeeper’s grandchild, Hunter. Hunter is like Alex in that his father doesn’t appreciate his interest in art and is disparaging of anything he does. Alex reaches out and tries to be an affirming father figure to the enthusiastic little boy.
Both Ella and Alex try to help each other with their respective domestic issues. but sometimes those efforts can backfire. It doesn’t help that Alex’s father is very much like The Grinch, and Alex himself has been raised under a philosophy reminiscent of Scrooge. You’ll need to read this romance to watch their attraction to each other blossom and discover how they attack the hurdles life throws at them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: As the book is a romance, one can expect a relationship between Ella and Alex. It starts off as enemies and progresses to a slow burn. Then the connection plummets off to an open door scene that was not necessary to the plot. Ashcroft is a good writer, but she missed the opportunity to be discreet and avoid an intimate descriptive passage. Is innuendo a lost art?
Publication: 10/18/2024—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
He was used to proving himself—but for the first time in a long time, he wondered if he’d ever reach a point in his life when he wouldn’t have to. Whether he’d ever be enough just as he was??
“No one is irreplaceable, not even you.” Alex nodded, numb to the ‘pep talk’ which was designed to make him feel insecure.
Alex mulled what to say. He knew every word counted, mere syllables had the power to snap a spirit or build it. His father had always had the same choice—why had he chosen to break it every time?
Mistletoe Season —Three Christmas Stories
Mistletoe Season —Three Christmas Stories
Return to Mistletoe
by Kathleen Fuller
Emmy Banks owns Mistletoe Antiques in the little town of Mistletoe, Missouri, where she grew up. Her 21 year old adopted daughter Carina and Emmy’s best friend Sheryl help out in the shop. At Christmas time Mistletoe is even more magical than ever.
A Christmas surprise is in store for Emmy, Sheryl, and Sheryl’s mother Maggie when Kieran shows up after a twenty-two year absence from the U.S. Kieran is Sheryl’s older brother. Emmy had a crush on him in high school, but he left for Ireland immediately after he graduated. There he acquired an Irish accent and spent 15 years renovating the family castle. Did he feel anything for Emmy fifteen years ago? Is there anything left to be rekindled? Will he just escape again when life gets hard?
Novellas are hard to write as there is so little time for character development. Fuller made me happy with this one. She filled in all the blanks, solved some problems, and provided a clean, gentle romance all the in the space of one short novella.
A Mistletoe Prince
by Pepper Basham
Most little girls at one time or another want to believe in the fairy tale future of marrying a prince and becoming a beautiful princess. Hardworking Charlotte Edgewood, despite having been told all her life by her druggie mother that she wasn’t good enough at anything, had held on to the dream of a rescue by a prince—until she couldn’t anymore. Raised by her father and an extended family of Edgewoods in the Appalachian mountains, she became an introverted carpenter with the nickname Charlie. She is forced into a leadership position when the manager of the annual Christmas fundraiser for The Wish that raised funds for children who would have no Christmas had to step aside. Charlie had worked with the program, but not in a capacity that would require speaking and managing.
Prince Arran of Skymar arrives in the U.S. to work with Luke Edgewood, Charlie’s cousin who is married to Arran’s sister. His parents want to expose him to carpentry work and service with The Wish to pull him out of a disastrous two year slump with outrageous behavior in response to a failed romance.
When their paths cross, Arran is certainly not the prince of Charlie’s dreams. I’ll let the author tell you how they met and if they were able to overcome their initial inauspicious meeting.
A Mistletoe Prince is a fun, Christmas romance that will leave you smiling and wanting to read more by Pepper Basham.
Say No to Mistletoe
by Sheila Roberts
Hailey Fairchild feels like a fraud because she has a blossoming career as a romance author, but she doesn’t have a stable relationship in her own life. As she says, mistletoe is her kryptonite; a kiss under the mistletoe dooms any possible romance to failure going all the way back to her sophomore year in high school when her neighbor Carwyn kissed her under the mistletoe. Extremely shy and introverted, bullied at school, and crushing on Carwyn, Hailey is totally embarrassed.
Many years later, when Hailey returns home for the Christmas celebration, she still has feelings for Carwyn who remains both handsome and nice, but how does he feel about her? Hailey is feted as the hometown hero with a book signing and speeches. She is stunned to learn that her brother Sam is dating Gwendolyn, her high school mean girl bully who hasn’t changed. Hailey is a very likable protagonist, trying to get along with her brother’s girlfriend, but Gwendolyn is everything a nemesis should be. Still mean. Still vindictive. Still out to belittle Hailey.
Roberts tells the story with flair from Hailey’s point of view. We get to hear what Hailey says in conversations, but also what she thinks. There is also some insight into the workings of a romance author. Say No to Mistletoe is a fun short read. It is the perfect length for this story with its interesting plot. It doesn’t require a lot of background to set up the story, and there is sufficient time and space for all of the elements of a good tale without lengthy character development.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: As a rule, I find novellas lacking, usually in the area of character development. There is just not enough time.I expected Say No to Mistletoe, as the last of the three novellas in Mistletoe Season, to be the one I didn’t like because the other two were so good, but I was certainly wrong. When the publisher chose these three authors for a mistletoe theme, they selected three authors known for their work in romance. These ladies created success with their well-written stories with good plots and lots of fun.
Publication: October 8, 2024—Harper Collins Christian Publishing (Thomas Nelson)
Memorable Lines:
Return to Mistletoe: Her cheeks reddened, and he would have thought it was cute if the tension between them wasn’t as thick as a castle wall.
A Mistletoe Prince: But deep inside, she wondered if her tomboyishness had something to do with the fact that if she put forth effort to look attractive or poised, and failed…then she was only proving Mama right. That Charlie wasn’t enough. And proving her mama right was the last thing she ever wanted to do.
Say No to Mistletoe: Moving away and adulting is all well and good, but their excitement over welcoming me back into the nest, knowing they love me and always will, no matter what? That makes me go all mushy inside and happy to have flown back.
education pathways 