Carries Book Reviews

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

The Game Changer
Aurora Paige
(Hot Streak Series, #1)
Publication date: June 18th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Celine

Being a sports psychologist for pro baseball is my dream. There’s nothing I love more than working for the Chicago Angels helping players that need someone to get their mind in focus and back on track.

The minute the Angels pick up playboy superstar Alaric King as their first baseman, I knew he’ll be trouble: hot, charming, and irresistible. Getting involved with an athlete is already a bad idea, but getting involved with a player that’s also your therapy patient? Absolutely forbidden.

I work hard to be where I am, and I’m not going to let my dream career shatter to be with a heartbreaker—no matter how tempting he is. Am I strong enough to not let him into my heart?

Alaric

Ever since my rival purposely threw a baseball at my head, my game has been off and I end up being traded to the Chicago Angels. My plan is to show my face at mandated therapy sessions so I can get back on the plate. What I didn’t plan is to be blown away by Dr. Celine Pineda: intelligent, successful, and sexy as hell. She’s only here to help me fix my swing, but what I didn’t intend is for her to fix my heart.

I knew that we couldn’t be together. Being with her could cost both our careers, but I didn’t care. I am going to risk it all, but would she?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

There was a knock on the door and then Alaric strolled through the doorway. I sat behind my desk, needing some barrier between Alaric and me. He was like a magnet, and I gravitated to him—which was dangerous.

Alaric’s gaze met mine, then he paused for a moment. He shook his head and flashed his perfect, white smile.

“Now who’s hiding?” he said teasingly.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I huffed out.

“Celine, you can lie to yourself, but don’t lie to me. Your fear is as transparent as the blouse you were wearing the first time we met.” His gaze never left mine.

I pretended not to feel my cheeks burning. “Look, people think I’m a goody two-shoes, and they’re right. I never broke the rules—” I tried explaining to him.

“Well, I’m something of a bad boy and I could definitely teach you about breaking the rules.” He winked and a mischievous grin curved on his face. “Come to the dark side, Celine.”

“I can’t.” I needed to stand my ground. It was difficult though when he was only a couple feet away from me. He looked sexy as fuck, even when wearing the most casual of clothing. His voice sounded sensual, and his eyes captured me.

“You can. All it takes is one kiss,” Alaric said confidently. “I know that you want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss you. You can’t deny the connection we have—I’m positive you felt it to the moment we met.”

 

Author Bio:

Aurora Paige is a healthcare professional by day and a Filipina-American writer of steamy contemporary romance with sassy heroines and sexy heroes at night. Each Aurora Paige story delivers a variety of Curvy Heroines, Multicultural relationships, Alpha Heroes, Steamy Heat, and a Guaranteed Happily Ever After.

Join Aurora’s mailing list to get exclusive updates on releases, events, & freebies!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok / Newsletter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Take the Honey and Run
Jennie Marts
(A Bee Keeping Mystery, #1)
Publication date: July 18th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Mystery

The town is all abuzz when a murder occurs in Jennie Marts ’debut cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Amanda Flower.

As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the founder of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Briggs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold—which is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a bad fall.

A broken foot doesn’t stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny’s book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired products. But when Bailey’s grandmother’s infamous “Honey I’m Home” hot spiced honey turns out to “bee” the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime suspect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to help solve the murder and “smoke out” the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey’s witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feisty members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but there’s no way she’s backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Like dead-dead?” she whispered, trying to keep her anxiety in check and not hyperventilate.

Sawyer arched an eyebrow. “Yes, Bailey. Like that.”

Her hands fluttered to her mouth as she slumped to the floor next to Werner. Praying he was wrong, she picked up Werner’s hand, just as Sawyer had done to her the day before and tried desperately to find the flutter of a beat.

“Just breathe, Bailey,” Sawyer said, firmly cupping the side of her shoulder, the same way he used to when she’d had panic attacks back in high school.

The pressure of his hand calmed her, just as it always had, and she matched her breathing with his, taking in a deep breath, then slowly letting it out. “I’m okay, but we’ve got to call someone,” she said, pulling her phone from her pocket and stabbing at the screen as she tapped 9-1-1.

“It’s okay, Bailey. I’ve got this.”

She shook her head. How was he so calm? “No, we need an ambulance. Or a fireman. Or the police.” Her heart rate climbed even higher. “Oh my gosh, do we need the police?”

“Yes, but—” he started to say, but Bailey cut him off as the line was picked up.

“Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?” The operator’s voice sounded familiar.

“Yes, hello. We just found Werner Humble on his dining room floor, and we think he might be dead.”

“He is,” Sawyer confirmed. Again.

Bailey shot him a quick glare as she heard the operator say, “I’m sending an ambulance now.”

“Tell her there are suspicious circumstances,” he instructed.

Suspicious circumstances?

“Well, shoot fire,” the dispatcher whispered, then recognition set in as she said more clearly, “I heard him. I’ll contact the sheriff now.”

“Linda? Is that you?” Bailey asked.

“Yes, this is Linda Johnson.”

“This is Bailey Briggs.” She and Linda had gone to high school together and been lab partners for chemistry. Linda had been notorious for diving in without reading the lab notes, and Bailey had heard that whispered “Well, shoot fire” many times as their experiments literally went up in smoke.

“Oh hey, Bailey, I heard you were back in town. Hold on, I’m ringing the sheriff.”

Bailey turned toward Sawyer as she heard the theme song of Mission Impossible coming from his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “Dunn here.”

Bailey heard Linda say, “Hey, Sheriff, you need to head over to Werner Humble’s house. I already sent an ambulance, but apparently he’s dead and they think there might be suspicious circumstances.”

“Thanks, Linda, I’m already at the scene.”

“How’d you get there so fast?”

“I’m the one who discovered the body.”

“I thought Bailey Briggs did.”

“She’s here with me.”

“Oh, then why did I need to call you?”

Bailey spoke into the phone. “Because he didn’t tell me he was the sheriff.”

Sawyer shrugged as the corner of his lip tugged up in a grin. “I tried.”

“Not hard enough,” she muttered.

“Why don’t you call off the ambulance, Linda,” Sawyer told the dispatcher. “And send the coroner instead.”

“I’m on it, Sheriff. But he was doing a lecture at the hospital in the next town over today, so it may take him a half an hour or so to get to you.”

“That’s fine. I’ll wait here.”

“Okay, well, I’ve got another call coming in,” Linda said. “Welcome home, Bailey.”

What a homecoming.

“You’re the sheriff?” Bailey asked as she pushed her phone back into her pocket.

He nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me that yesterday?” “Didn’t come up.”

And why hadn’t her grandmother or her so-called best friend informed her of this fact? Oh yeah, Evie thought it was just so much more fun this way.

I ’ll be sure to let her know how much fun I’m having.

“Why does he look like that?” She pressed her fingers together and tried to rub the tackiness of them on her jeans. “And why is he sticky?”

“I’m assuming he’s sticky from the honey-slathered biscuit it appears he was eating.” He nodded to the evidence lying on the floor a few feet from his outstretched hand.

It was partially under the table, so she hadn’t noticed it before, but now she could see the biscuit had a large bite out of the side. “There’s no way Werner was eating that. Granny Bee just told us he’s deathly allergic to honey. And that’s not something you eat by mistake.”

“I’m not the medical examiner, of course, but the way his lips are swollen, the hives, the . . .” He waved his hand in a circle around his head. “The way he looks leads me to believe he died from anaphylactic shock, presumably from eating that honey we know he was allergic to. It’s hard to see around the hives, but it looks to me like there are also traces of the honey on his chin and around his mouth.” He furrowed his brow as he leaned closer and sniffed at Werner’s face.

Bailey drew back, wrinkling her nose. “What are you doing?”

“I know this scent.” Realization lit his eyes, then his expression changed to dread as he leaned back and gazed around the room.

“What is it?”

His shoulders slumped as he shook his head. “I sure wish I hadn’t heard Granny Bee threaten to kill this man yesterday.”

“Why? What does Granny Bee have to do with this?”

He pointed to the jar of Granny Bee’s signature Honey I’m Home hot spiced honey sitting open on the table, a spoon covered in the amber substance next to it. “Because it looks like it was her honey that killed him.”

 

Author Bio:

Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the

“perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”

She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.

Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.

Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at http://www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

The Rose of Florence
Angela M. Sims
Publication date: March 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Prologue (1460):

Gianetta is born in a farmhouse in Fiesole. Her mother dies in childbirth. The unnamed father is distraught but leaves her in the care of her grandmother and returns home.

The Story (1478):

Gianetta grows up and moves to Florence, where she is in service to a wealthy family of textile merchants – the Rosini. They are friends to and supporters of the powerful Medici clan. In the small, tight-knit group of staff, we meet Eleonora (cook), Luigi (Signor Francesco Rosini’s private assistant), Antonio and Lucia and our hero, Matteo. Gianetta and Matteo are in love and have a happy, peaceful life with the kind and generous Rosini family. They enjoy entertaining at Palazzo Rosini, where the Medici and Botticelli are frequent visitors.

Following the suspected poisoning of Lorenzo de ’Medici and near death of Giuliano de ’Medici, both within the Rosini family home, there is suspicion that there is a traitor in the house and speculation as to who it might be.

In Botticelli’s workshop (where Matteo worked previously), there is discussion about unrest in Florence with rumours in the city that Medici days in power are numbered, and there may be trouble at Easter.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Setting the scene: Matteo is a manservant in Palazzo Rosini, and Cesare Conti is a guest at the family banquet that night, but clearly, they have come across each other before…

Matteo remained behind to make sure that all the guests ’cloaks were hanging neatly and away from the fire, so that they didn’t smell of smoke by the end of the evening. He hadn’t noticed a figure standing quietly behind him until he heard a slight cough. Turning round, he almost bumped straight into Cesare Conti. He had been half expecting this but had hoped to avoid a direct conversation with him.

“Signor Conti,” he said, with a small bow. “Can I help you?”

“Oh, I think you have already helped me enough, don’t you?” The young man’s piercing green eyes looked directly at Matteo. Then, as if the sun had come out, Cesare broke into a beaming smile and put his arm around Matteo.

“I just wanted to thank you…for last week. What a coincidence that you should be passing, just as I was leaving that place.”

“I have to pass it occasionally when I am running errands for Eleonora. What goes on there is no concern of mine, ser.” Matteo was uncomfortable and hoped that was the end of the conversation. He made to move towards the stairs, but Cesare’s grip tightened.

“We are grown men…er…”

“Matteo, ser.”

“We are grown men, Matteo. Women serve a purpose from time to time. Indeed, some are very beautiful, but some of us also have other needs, which must be satisfied. Sadly, the city looks on some of those needs as vices, the “Florentine vice”, I believe some call it.” He shook his head, sadly. “Whatever the rights or wrongs of the situation, I could have been arrested that day. You could have turned me in to the guard, and the life I have now would have been over. But you didn’t, and I wondered why.”

“It’s none of my business, ser. As I said, I pass that place often, and who I see going in or coming out is no concern of mine.”

Cesare raised an eyebrow. “I suspect you hold many secrets, Matteo.” He paused, as if deciding his next words carefully. Then he shone his beaming smile at Matteo. “Thank you, Matteo. Your discretion is noted and appreciated. I…” He paused, “…won’t forget it.” With a last glance, Cesare turned on his heel and bounded up the stairs to the dining room.

 

Author Bio:

The Rose of Florence is my first novel, borne of a love for the history, art and city of Florence, grown over many years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it.

My background is in healthcare, and I have been a University lecturer since 2010. My writing experience was limited to a Masters dissertation, purely academic, but the research skills I learned during that process were soon put to use in researching my favourite topic, the Italian Renaissance. It didn’t take long before the seeds of a story began to germinate, and The Rose of Florence blossomed.

I joined the Romantic Novelists ’Association (RNA) and the New Writers ’Scheme (NWS) in 2020 and found the encouragement and resources available taught me so much about the process and skills needed to write fiction. I have been lucky enough to have the support of the same NWS reviewer since joining, and her advice and guidance has proven invaluable, and I am now a contender for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2023 for debut authors.

I am also a member of the Society of Authors.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Heartless
Grace Goodwin
Publication date: June 27th 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

Warrior. Doctor. Spy. I am Commander Helion, a heartless terror, relentless and unforgiving. Merciless.

My destiny is not to claim a female, to have a family, to be rendered helpless by love.

Despite this, I am matched. A beautiful human female is now mine. Despite my warnings, she is determined to leave her mark on me, body and soul.

Honor demands I resist. I tell her the truth. I will not place a mating collar around her neck. I cannot protect her—especially from me—my choices—the horrors I face every day.

Just one moment of weakness and she gets under my skin, makes me want things I cannot have. She is everything I am not—and the most dangerous creature I have ever faced.

Claiming her—keeping her—is not possible with my pivotal role in this never-ending war. There is no place in my duties for desire. For need. Too many innocents count on me for protection. Too many lives are at stake, including hers.

The enemy is always ready and waiting, but I never expected her to be among them.

For the first time in my hardened life, I question my sanity. My dark soul. I begin to understand exactly what my enemies have stolen from me—and realize there is no limit to what a heartless warrior will sacrifice for love.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Oh, heck yes. I was ready for lots of mind-blowing private time with two hot mates. Sooooo, ready. My body had been willing for a while. My mind had taken its sweet time catching up.

Now every part of me was fully on board. Heart. Mind. Body. Two mates? So very, very naughty. I squirmed, just a bit. I couldn’t keep the restless need from escaping. I hadn’t been touched by a man in so long. I tried to recall the last time—before the—before that. I couldn’t remember clearly, but I was pretty sure it had been years.

“The transport window is closing, my lady. If we wait much longer, I will need to delay your departure.” The Prillon warrior in control of the transport pad interrupted our long goodbye.

“Of course. So sorry.” I gave Makayla one final, super-tight hug, and walked up the few stairs to join my soon-to-be transported suitcase so we could be flung across the galaxy.

The officer nodded, his large hands moving competently over the controls.

Would my mates touch me with that level of intense concentration?

Were their hands that big? That skilled?

What was wrong with me? I was thinking like a horny teenager.

“Are you ready, my lady?” The transport officer had kind eyes. He knew where I was going. And why. I nodded. The hum of the transport pad rose up from the floor like an electricity bath. The extra energy building up for my jump through space made me squirm like a shelter puppy about to be released from its cage. Finally free.

Oh, yes. I was ready to meet my new mate.

Commander Zarren Helion.

Even his name sounded formidable.

I just knew he was going to be one hundred percent perfect.

***

Commander Zarren Helion, Intelligence Core, Black Fleet, Sector 438

The Prillon warrior sitting before me bled from multiple wounds, none fatal, each strategically placed to inflict maximum pain. Lieutenant Oberan Arcas of Prillon Prime.

I have to break him.

 

Author Bio:

Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace’s titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. They are both mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

So this is the sixth week in a row that I’ve managed to stay below my goal number for new addictions. This week’s post is a little longer than last week’s one lonely book though with seven new reads to add to my ever towering TBR. These look like some lovely new titles though so I’m excited to get to them!

As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**

New additions from Netgalley July 9th – July 16th

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts—a tale of tragedies, loves found and lost, and a family haunted for generations.

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about—and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth—and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease—and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Sometimes the past we leave behind leads us right where we belong.

Talulah Barclay doesn’t like complications. Unfortunately, they seem to love her. Fourteen years after leaving her fiancé at the altar, Talulah returns to her hometown of Coyote Canyon, Montana, to settle her great-aunt’s estate. As she’d feared, her “runaway bride” reputation is waiting right where she left it, and her ex’s best friend, Brant, isn’t about to let her slip by unnoticed.

Brant has always been a loyal friend, but Talulah’s decision to run isn’t the only thing he hasn’t forgotten. He remembers more about Talulah than he cares to admit. Vividly. And it’s increasingly difficult to ignore her now, especially when they find themselves in close quarters. Talulah has no plans to stay in town after she fixes up her aunt’s Victorian farmhouse, even if the unbridled sparks with Brant give her a good reason to linger. Besides, bailing on relationships is kind of her thing. But a lot has changed since Talulah last turned tail—maybe her heart has changed, too?

For fans of Fable by Adrienne Young or To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo, this romantasy debut is filled with sirens and mysterious magic, swoony romance and cutthroat betrayal.

This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.

On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the truth: that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.

When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.

With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is this: The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.

The third in the charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series by Diane Kelly, in Snow Place for Murder, the weather at the Mountaintop Lodge is truly frightful…

International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.

But locals are at odds over the idea, and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty, and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.

Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.

Who put the developer on ice and why?

If you’re looking for the perfect feel-good Christmas novel, then look no further than Annie England Noblin’s newest novel. This book will absolutely delight any reader looking for a sweet and sassy read—and not to mention enchant the fans of Annie’s signature canine characters. Perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis, Sarah Morgan, Lori Wilde, and Susan Mallery.

Rosie Reynolds had come to lakeside Corgi Cove as a lost, lonely girl abandoned by her own mother, but there she discovered a true place to call home. She loves her Corgis, Bonnie and Clyde; loves the lakeside life; and loves her aunt and uncle most of all. But when she discovers their struggling inn is about to be bought out by some big city chain, she hatches a plan: to win a contest naming theirs the best Christmas-themed inn in the USA. It’s a long shot, but she knows if the whole town pulls together that they can do it.

But she didn’t count on Everett St Claire, who emerged from his gleaming, black BMW, straightening his tie and asking himself how did a big-city guy like him find himself in a speck on the map like Corgi Cove? And how fast could he get back to the city? After all, it couldn’t be that difficult to convince one elderly couple to take the money to retire.

He didn’t count on getting sucked into life on the lake. Sure, the people might be…eccentric, and Rosie might seem like a pain in the backside, but there is something alluring about the place. And with the holidays nearing, and the deadline looming, Rosie and Everett are about to discover the magic of a Christmas at Corgi Cove.

For fans of The Midnight Library and One Day in December who love a dash of Dickensian magic, One Christmas Morning is a heartwarming debut novel about a woman’s self-discovery, the strength found in friendship, and the promise of second chances.

Eva has spent the past three years burying herself in her work, trying to forget the heartbreaking events of the Christmas that ripped her world apart. This year, the last thing she wants is to attend her friend’s weekend-long Christmas party. But at her husband James’ insistence, here they are.

When Eva—overwhelmed by bittersweet memories—tries to sneak back to London in the middle of the night, she is visited by the ghost of her beloved grandmother. Gran tells Eva that if she doesn’t face her fears head-on and stop shutting out her loved ones, she risks losing them all forever.

When Eva wakes on Christmas morning, she finds herself living not her own life, but that of her hardworking assistant, Diana, whose overflowing inbox isn’t the only secret she’s been keeping. The next day, she wakes on Christmas morning again, this time in the body of her best friend’s little sister. As Eva lives the same day again and again through the perspectives of her friends, she is offered a glimpse into the lives of those she has been pushing away. With each Christmas Day comes a new lesson—and an insight into the secrets and struggles her loved ones have been hiding. To move forward, Eva must let go of the past. But is it too late to fix her future?

Perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Lucy Burdette, reporter-turned-barista Lana Lewis is back on the case when a body is dug up in the community garden.

Lana Lewis is brewing up new concoctions at Perkatory, a popular café in Devil’s Beach, when she decides she wants to try her hand at growing her own coffee. She secures a gardening plot in the community garden, thanks to her father and the garden’s owner, Darla. Darla’s list of rules is long, but that doesn’t stop someone from leaving Jack Daggett’s body amongst the gardening plots.

Jack, an environmental activist, had been banned from the garden previously, because of his many fights with Darla about organic produce. Lana promises her boyfriend, police chief Noah, that she’s going to stay out of this case, having been too involved in previous cases. But when she learns that Jack died from an accidental overdose, and Darla is the top suspect because of her shady past, Lana can’t help but poke around in an attempt to clear Darla’s name.

As Lana dives deeper into the case, she learns that Jack had more enemies than she realized. When Darla turns up dead, Lana has to turn up the heat on her investigation. With Lana on the case, it won’t be long before someone spills the beans to crack this case wide open. But will she able to find the killer before they strike again?