Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston

 

I just love the romance stores set in small towns. I love this one. Made me wish I could live in a place like Splendid Lake. Spendid Lake is the setting from a previous book by Amy Clipston but this is a stand alone book. I don't recall if the previous characters from Splendid Lake were mentioned in this book. In this book Emily has always been in love with Jake but they always remained in the best buddies category. Jake's family has an orchard business and when the orchard starts to decline because of a large scale competition m
oving in that undercuts their prices Jake calls on his best friend Emily to come help him out. Jake has had an of again and on again relationship with the beautiful Claire, currently an ex. Jake and Emily might have a chance to be more than friends if Claire doesn't get in the way. I could not put this book down. This author usually writes in the Amish romance genre but I really do like her contemporary romance stories. She is such a good writer that I might read some of her Amish novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opions are my own.

More than Friends by Denise Hunter

 

Jenna Greene had to return to her hometown of Chincoteague, Virginia after she lost her job working at her boyfriend's dental office. He was humiliated after she rejected his very public proposal at a restaurant. I liked it that she rejected it outright and not give in. She showed her strength there. She returns to her hometown for rest for a couple of weeks before she resumes her unsuccessful job hunt. She finds that her mother had just returned from a cruise and found a boyfriend there. She is immediately suspicious of him and recruits her best friend Tyson Parker to check him out to see if he is legit. During this time of being together they find they are more than friends. Tyson is a salt-water cowboy, a volunteer fire fighter and helps with his parents B&B. It is is job as a fire fighter that bothers Jenna as she lost her father several years before as a fire fighter. I loved this developing romance between Jenna and Tyson. There are also enjoyable side stories involving a crazy woman who he dated a couple of times.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch

 Gwen McDaniel along with her husband and baby moved to Cold Water Maine to start over.  He is a doctor and she is a former detective. 

Trigger warning: This book deals with some dark matters such as child abduction, grooming, child SA, miscarriage and mental health.

I could not put this book down. Stayed up way too late reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Something happened in the former place they lived but the reader is not given much information at first.  They moved into an area where she remembers visiting as a child.  They purchase an older home which is downright creepy.  She hears noises in the night but her husband doesn't hear those noises.  I am wondering when I start reading this book if her husband is gaslighting her. Also a femur bone is found on the property but the local officials says it is an animal bone. Gwen questions that and so does Cady a new friend she made in town.  More strange things keep happening. There are so many twists and turns. Around 70 percent into the book the twists start coming and they don't stop until the end.  I keep thinking the book was going into one direction and then I realize I am wrong.  So many twists in this book. 

 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Through Each Tomorrow by Gabrielle Meyer

 Through Each Tomorrow is installment 6 in the Timeless Series. To get full enjoyment from reading this book I suggest that you make sure you have read all previous books in the order they are written. The author mentions characters from several of the previous book. There is so much I liked about this book. I have enjoyed all of Gabrielle Meyer's books and look forward to each release. This one kept me turning pages. It was that suspenseful.

This book features two male characters who are best friends and both are time crossers and share the same two paths. One path is the mid 1500s when Queen Elizabeth is on the throne. The other path is 1883. In the 1500s Andrew is just a physician and Charles is an Earl. In the 1883 path Andrew is weathy with a father in the shipping industry. In the 1883 Charles is a farmer trying to support his mother and sister. Both men suffer angst as to which path they will chose when the time comes. Both have loved ones in each path they feel they need to support. One finds love in 1500s and the other finds love in 1883 but social norms at the time may prevent this from being with them.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves time crossing novels and anyone who love a good clean novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Prowl by Colleen Coble

 

Prowl is the second installment in the Sanctuary series. A young woman is found dead on the compound and her death was not caused by any of the large exotic animals who reside there. Someone is sabatoging the compound and wants them shut down to obtain the valuable property. Twists and turns happen in the story before we find out the culprit who I never suspected. There is also the story of the murder of Paradise's parents but that is not resolved yet but more pieces of the puzzle was revealed. Can't wait to read the rest of the story in a future book to unravel this mystery.

I received a compliment copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

 When Justice Comes is the third and final book in The Tupelo Grove series. I suggest that this series be read in order starting with the first book Where Secrets Lie. This excellent spell-binding series is co-written with Rich Acker.  In this book Hez and Savananah Webster are in the final stages of planning their wedding. They had been previously married and divorced but realized they are still in love and plan to remarry.  They want to adopt Savannah's nephew. It was her dying sister's wish that her child be adopted by them but they are running into obtacles in adopting the child. Seems like the child's evil grandfather wants to adopt him also. He has powerful ties in the town and the court is leaning toward him.  This book was filled with twists and turns and a couple of surprises here and there.   People who enjoy romantic suspense thriller type books will enjoy this book.

I received a compliment copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter

 Shelby Thatcher loved working in the bookstore that was owned by her beloved Gram. When her Gram suddenly died Shelby assumed that Gram would leave the bookstore to her. She was shocked to learn that Gram had left her only half. The other half was left to Gray Briggs. I suspected the reason Gram had left Gray part of the bookstore and i was not wrong. Gray and Shelby had been sweethearts in high school but broke off when they went different directions for school. Gray had a rough life. His mother was not in his life and his father was sent to prison for killing someone. Gray had a loving grandmother who raised him after his father was sent to prison but the stigma of having a parent in prison left a stigma on Gray. He was mistreated by the town people and was mistreated by his fellow classmates. He lost a scholarship due to someone telling a lie about him. I normally like small towns in books. They are my favorite setting but the way Gray was treated was almost unforgiveable. Even Shelby's family did not treat him right. They disliked him because they felt he had hurt Shelby. Eventually Shelby and Gray rekindled their friendship but the town still mistreated Gray even after all the years that had passed. I can't give too much away. Don't want to spoil it but keep reading. You won't be disappointed even though you experience frustration with the way people treat Gray.

I received a compliment copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own