A Body at Lavender Cottage - Dee MacDonald

 Nurse Kate Palmer is Cornwall’s answer to Miss Marple! But when a body turns up in her own garden can Kate solve the crime? Or is the murder a bit too close to home?

Kate Palmer is stunned when she wakes up one morning to discover the body of a man in the beautiful garden of Lavender Cottage. She’s spent the last few years renovating her cozy, clifftop cottage with its gorgeous views of the sparkling Cornish sea. And a death right under her nose is more than a little unsettling…

When Woody Forrest, Kate’s new husband and the village’s retired detective inspector, takes a closer look he realises the victim is none other than Frank Ford – Woody’s old nemesis. Now, Frank is lying dead amongst the daisies… strangled with Woody’s blue police tie.

Kate is certain the man she loves is not a murderer and is determined to prove his innocence. But who would want to kill Frank and frame Woody? As Kate investigates, Frank’s family seem to be the obvious suspects. Could it be Jason Ford, the youngest son, who has an odd obsession with birdwatching? Sid Kinsella, the angry father-in-law? Or Sharon Mason, the troublesome daughter?

When another member of the Ford family bites the dust while Woody is tending his allotment, it’s clear the killer is determined to bury Woody’s reputation. But when a chance conversation on Bluebell Road provides Kate with a clue, she must find a woman named Rose, who could hold the answers Kate is looking for.

But Kate needs to dig up the truth – and fast! – before poor Woody is thrown behind bars. Can she solve the case and save her husband before it’s too late?

If you love murder mysteries with a brilliant cast of characters, twisty plots and plenty of red herrings, A Body at Lavender Cottage will have you hooked until the very last page! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis.

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeeMacDonald

https://twitter.com/dmacdonaldauth

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Dee MacDonald here: https://www.bookouture.com/dee-macdonald

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0B7CLL4DSsocial

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My Review

A Body at Lavender Cottage: An utterly gripping cozy mystery novel by Dee MacDonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A body at Lavender Cottage finds our heroine and amateur sleuth, Kate Palmer, stumbling over another suspicious death. This time, not only is the body in her own back garden, but her husband, Woody, is in the frame. Of course, Kate can't do anything but try and work out who the killer is and why.
As with all good murder mysteries, there are plenty of twists and turns and while some of them are fairly easy to spot coming, there's still plenty here to keep you guessing. Kate doesn't stop at much to get to the bottom of things and while you might have to suspend your disbelief slightly, this is still a great read.
I hadn't completely figured out everything by the end, but I think that I was at least on the right track. If you enjoy classic murder mysteries, with lots of clues, a little misdirection and a body or two, then you certainly won't go wrong here.
I'm sure that this won't be the last adventure for Kate and I'm looking forward to revisiting soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

View all my reviews

Another Christmas From Hell - R.L. Mathewson

Another Christmas From Hell
R.L. Mathewson
(Neighbor from Hell, #13)
Publication date: November 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

The last thing that he wanted was to fall in love with his brother’s best friend.

From New York Time’s bestselling author R.L. Mathewson comes the next installment in the disturbingly funny romantic comedy series, Neighbor from Hell.

It was time to move on.

Granted, Cayley would have preferred to wait until after Christmas, but with her best friend somehow managing to get her fired and evicted in the same day, she had no choice but to move into the apartment across from the man that really didn’t seem happy to see her.

That was fine.

More than fine because if she could handle her best friend making her life a living hell and an ex-fiancé that was determined to get her back, then she could handle the man that was willing to do whatever it took to let the past destroy them both.

He couldn’t believe this was happening again.

For years, Bryce had been going out of his way to avoid Cayley, hoping that she would finally move on, but now that she was back, he realized that he no longer had a choice.

He was going to have to break her heart.

At least that was the plan until the little brat turned the tables on him, making him wonder how much longer he was going to be able to lie to himself even as one thing became painfully clear…

This was going to be the worst Christmas ever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Author Bio:

New York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.

Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.

Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.

If you’d like more information about this series or any other series by R.L. Mathewson, please visit www.Rlmathewson.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

My Review

Sometimes, reviews just aren't that easy to write. Another Christmas From Hell is one such review. Usually, I can either say that I liked a book or that I didn't. I can't with this one. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot to like here, but there was also quite a bit that I disliked and that's why I'm lost. 

Let's start with the positives. This was an engaging book. I liked the romance, I liked the characters and I liked seeing their love story unfold. It kept me reading and I really did want to find out what was going to happen. I'm I glad I read the book? Yes, I am.

On the other hand, would I read another in this series or by this author? Probably not. Although it's a good read, it could have been much much better and just with a bit of editing. The story and sentences jumped around so that more than once I had no idea what was going on or why. There's also a lot of repetition. Lots of different words that were used all the time, but 'heartfelt sigh' jumped out at me, just because it was used so much.

This is a good read and I did enjoy it. It could have been so much more though!

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Bratva Beauty - Sabine Barclay

Bratva Beauty
Sabine Barclay
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #4)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: November 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

She can pretend not to notice…

They say I’m the best looking in my family. I couldn’t care less.

But her…She takes my breath away.

Not everyone sees her the way I do. That’s fine by me because she’s mine.

I pity those who think they can come between us.

I won’t stop until she’s at my side. Mine to touch. Mine to love. Mine to push to her limits then bring her back.

She’s my everything. She’s my soulmate.

Bratva Beauty is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book four in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Newsletter / Amazon

My Review

I've read quite a few mafia romances over the past few years, but I think this is the first Rusian Mafia, also known as Bratva, I've read. It features pretty boy Pasha and accountant Sumiko's romance. They first meet while on holiday at the beach and find themselves almost irresistibly drawn to one another. Once they return home to New York, their paths cross again and things develop from there.
Sumiko and Pasha make a good couple. They are both the same age and although they have a power play element to their relationship, they do make a well-balanced and equal couple. Their romance moves quickly and Sumiko in particular has a lot to accept in Pasha's lifestyle and role in the bratva. They still work well together though.
I did find that the story was a little drawn out towards the end and I did think that it could have been slimmed out a bit without losing anything. It was still a good read though and one that I really enjoyed.

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Their Final Cry - Dea Poirier

 As the sheet was pulled away, Harlow started to get a picture of her victim. Looking down at her alabaster skin, flowing blonde hair and striking cheekbones, it was not hard to see why she was known as the sweetheart of this town. But as Harlow’s eyes scanned down to the purple bruising around her neck, it was clear that someone wanted her dead.

When the body of sixteen-year-old Mazie Winters is discovered on the site of an abandoned farm, the small and tight-knit community of New Paltz in upstate New York is rocked to its core and Detective Harlow Durant is called in immediately to investigate.

Harlow’s partner Lucas Park is already working at Ackert Farm on a cold case, identifying human remains found in a cellar. Looking out at the desolate farmland, Harlow can’t help but think that dumping Mazie’s body on the site of an active crime scene is a warning: leave the remains in the past or more innocent lives will be lost.

Searching old farm records and interviewing previous owners, Harlow discovers that no one ever stayed long: the ground appeared to be cursed and owners soon moved on. The only shred of evidence is of teens heading into the vast network of woods to hear the supposed cries of women, presumed to be the ghosts of the past. But were those screams real?

As Harlow pieces together a picture of Mazie: a loving daughter of the local pastor who spent her weekends singing in the church choir, she is called to an abandoned outhouse hidden in the woods. Forcing open the door, she is shocked to find the remains of two women. But the case soon becomes personal as Lucas recognises the necklace found on one of the bodies.

Could the remains be linked to the tragic disappearance of Lucas’s mother decades before? And when another teenager vanishes, Harlow senses history repeating itself. With a killer at large, Harlow knows that time is running out to catch the killer and bring justice to Lucas’s family. But how far will the killer go to cover up their darkest crime?

A completely gripping and pulse-pounding crime thriller perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni.

Author Bio:

Author Dea (D.H) Poirier is the author of NEXT GIRL TO DIE, which hit #1 in the Amazon charts. She was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she got her start writing in creative writing courses. She attended The University of Central Oklahoma for Computer Science and Political Science. Later, she spent time living on both coasts, and traveling the United States, before finally putting down roots in Central Florida. She now resides somewhere between Disney and the swamp. She spends her days at her day job as a President of Digital Marketing, and her nights writing manuscripts.

https://www.dhpoirier.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dhpoirier/

https://www.instagram.com/deapoirier/

https://twitter.com/deapoirierbooks

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Buy Link:

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My Review

Their Final Cry is the third book in the Detective Harlow Durant series. Like the previous books it deals with some pretty nasty crimes and it also reveals more of Harlow's turbulent childhood with her evil father and abusive mother. This time we also get a glimpse into the past of Harlow's partner, Lucas. The mystery surrounding his mother and grandmother's disappearance being thrown up.
I really enjoyed this latest instalment. There are a few things that I think you have to suspend belief with. I'm not sure that someone with a past such as Harlow's would be able to investigate crimes such as these, even if she were legally allowed, from a mental health point of view, it's far from ideal. Then there's Lucas' involvement in the current investigation, I'm sure that there's no way that he could possibly be involved and I think that with his closeness to Harlow, even that would be unlikely. It doesn't matter though, as their part in all of this is what really drives the story, both in this book and the overall story that we keep being given glimpses of.
I'm sure that there's more to come for Harlow, we certainly have plenty of questions about her story and it's clear that her father has still got a role to play. I'm looking forward to seeing how all of that unfolds.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily

Wicked Prince - Anya J. Cosgrove

 

𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬...

𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Cole Desirys now thinks he owns me, his psycho best friend hates me, and I loathe myself for the foolish promise I made.

From what I understand, breaking the terms of our agreement could have me killed, shunned, or turned into a slave of some kind. I’m still fuzzy on the details.

𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦.

𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨.

𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴.

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Universal: https://bit.ly/readWickedPrince

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3CCe9xx

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3wlBJKJ

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3dO3B3C

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3ChWD1e

In the Series - Forbidden Magic (Kindle Unlimited):

Universal: http://bit.ly/ForbiddenMagic

Author Bio:

Anya J Cosgrove lives in Québec with her husband, her beautiful son, and two mischievous cats. She works as a veterinarian by day. She’s a travel and Disney junkie and is passionate about her favorite paranormal series.

What would Buffy do? Kick ass!

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnyaJCosgrove/

Website: www.anyajcosgrove.net

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anya-J-Cosgrove/e/B07JLC18DW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19860932.Anya_J_Cosgrove

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnyaJCosgrove

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anyajcosgrove/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-j-cosgrove𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬...

𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Cole Desirys now thinks he owns me, his psycho best friend hates me, and I loathe myself for the foolish promise I made.

From what I understand, breaking the terms of our agreement could have me killed, shunned, or turned into a slave of some kind. I’m still fuzzy on the details.

𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦.

𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨.

𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴.

My Review

I was worried that it had been too long since I read the first book in the Dark Falls Academy, in an ideal world I would have re-read Forbidden Magic but I just didn't have the time right now. It didn't really matter, despite it being over two and a half years since I read book one, it didn't take me long to pick up the plot and remember everything that had been going on and the world that this all happens in.
Book two takes place a year after the first one. Our heroine, Jules, still finds herself drawn to fae prince Cole. Even though he seems to be completely wrong for her and she certainly can't trust him, there's something about Cole that just draws her to him.
I really enjoyed this second instalment in this series. Even better than that, we don't have to wait for too long before the third book is due to be released, which is excellent news. I can't wait to return to the Dark Falls Academy in the not-too-distant future.

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Universal: https://bit.ly/readWickedPrince

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3CCe9xx

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3wlBJKJ

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3dO3B3C

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3ChWD1e

In the Series - Forbidden Magic (Kindle Unlimited):

Universal: http://bit.ly/ForbiddenMagic

Author Bio:

Anya J Cosgrove lives in Québec with her husband, her beautiful son, and two mischievous cats. She works as a veterinarian by day. She’s a travel and Disney junkie and is passionate about her favorite paranormal series.

What would Buffy do? Kick ass!

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnyaJCosgrove/

Website: www.anyajcosgrove.net

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anya-J-Cosgrove/e/B07JLC18DW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19860932.Anya_J_Cosgrove

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnyaJCosgrove

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anyajcosgrove/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-j-cosgrove

Silent Vows - Jill Ramsower

 

 

 

 

 

♦ ♦ ♦

 

 

  

 

𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑓𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ, 

𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝐼 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑.

𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐼𝑟𝑖𝑠ℎ. 

𝐴𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒. 

𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒. 

𝑀𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒.

 

𝐼𝑛 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠, 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑢𝑠𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑑. 

 

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝐼𝑟𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠. 

𝐻𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠.

 

𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑚.

 

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑠, 𝐼’𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜. 

𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑒.

 

𝑨 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑽𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒇𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈!

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His cool stare held me captive, eyes inches from mine. “Is your father going to be a problem?”

My lips parted in surprise.

I’d expected innuendo and manipulation. Such a direct line of questioning hit at the very heart of my worries and unsteadied me.

I shook my head and tried to dart beneath his arm. Conner wedged his body in front of the door, blocking my path completely and bringing us chest to chest. I sucked in a shock of air, then narrowed my eyes defensively.

He wasn’t remotely unsettled by my display of irritation. If anything, his intensity only darkened further in the dimly lit basement hallway—a villainous storm threatening to crumble me to my foundations.

“Protective is one thing. I get the sense this is more, and I think I ought to know if it’s going to be a problem.” His eyes narrowed a fraction, the difference between tension and savage ferocity in one tiny twitch of a muscle. “He ever hurt you?” The words were deadly calm.

Oh God. Why was he doing this?

He needed to stop asking questions, and I needed to stop thinking his questions meant he cared. This was all probably about control and power, not me. I had to shut it down. Now. The best way to accomplish that was not to look like a scared little girl.

Taking a small step back, I opened my clutch and pulled out a pen, then took his hand in mine, palm up. It’s so much wider than I expected. Rough and solid muscle. Hands that knew hard work, like squeezing the life out of an enemy.

I mentally scolded myself to focus and wrote two letters across the full surface of his palm.

NO.

Releasing him, I peered up in challenge. Conner stepped forward, placing his leg between my thighs and swiveling us until my back was against the wall next to the door. I didn’t squirm or respond, knowing I couldn’t show doubt or weakness if I was going to shut down his questions.

“Not so fragile as they implied, are you?” he purred above me.

I took his tie in my hand, pulling him slowly lower until our noses almost touched, and shook my head slowly side to side. His hands came to rest on either side of my head as he brought his cheek to mine, his hint of stubble creating a delicious friction against my skin.

“Good, because I’m not remotely gentle.” The words were a black promise, raw and demanding and utterly intoxicating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Read the First Chapter HERE!

 

 

 

 

 

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Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she's a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.

With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 My Review

Silent Vows is the first in Jill Ramswoer's new Byrne Brothers series. Although this is a new series, if you've read any of her Five Families books, then you will spot some recurring characters here. These books, as you may guess from the Byrne name, are focusing on the Irish families that lurked around the edges of some of the five families' books.
Noemi hasn't spoken since the car accident that killed her mother, is it due to trauma, something that damaged her, or perhaps she's just unwilling to speak about what really happened? Whatever her story, this troubled woman doesn't seem to be the ideal candidate to help form an alliance via marriage with the Irish. Her father has no concerns about putting her forward and when Conner meets her, it's clear that there's more to this woman than meets the eye.
The romance between Conner and Noemi develops very quickly, but I still enjoyed seeing it unfold. There's plenty going on here with both Conner and Noemi learning things about their family that they never dreamt.
This was a great start to a new series and I'm looking forward to reading more about this Irish family.

 

 

 

Death Among the Diamonds - Fliss Chester

 Everyone in 1920s London knows the Honourable Cressida Fawcett: fiercely independent (though never apart from her little pug Ruby), lover of martinis and interior designer extraordinaire. She’s solved many crimes of fashion… so how about murder?

Cressida Fawcett is heading to the English countryside for a weekend of cocktails and partying at her friend’s glamorous mansion, the location of a recent diamond heist. But just hours after her arrival, Cressida is woken by an almighty scream. Rushing to the landing, she looks down into the great hall to find a trembling maid standing next to the body of Harry, the friendly young chandelier cleaner.

Everyone believes Harry’s death was an accident. But as Cressida examines the opulent hall and the beautiful grounds, she thinks something darker is afoot. Why clean a chandelier in the early hours of the morning? And who overheard Harry boasting about coming into unexpected wealth? A small piece of torn silk found near the body has Cressida looking at the guests’ elegant clothes with fresh eyes…

The short-tempered Detective insists that she keeps her curious nose out of the investigation, but it’s Cressida who realises the stolen diamonds were hidden in the sparkling chandelier. Convinced there is a connection between the theft and the murder, the case takes a sinister turn when a guest is killed in his sleep after a brandy-fuelled night of cards. With everyone unable to leave, can Cressida’s sharp eye for detail catch the killer before another life is taken?

An absolutely gripping and utterly charming 1920s murder mystery packed with wit, glamour and intrigue. The perfect whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Downton Abbey!

Author Bio:

Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.

https://www.instagram.com/flisschester/

https://twitter.com/SocialWhirlGirl

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Fliss Chester here: https://www.bookouture.com/fliss-chester

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0B5LNRLRYsocial

Audio Links:

UK: zpr.io/5TH6WL7X6AsX
US: zpr.io/CHm3wmGbN8AW

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https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/death-among-the-diamonds-by-fliss-chester-narrated-by-daphne-kouma

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My Review

I've loved Fliss Chester's Fen Churche series so I was really looking forward to getting into this new Cressida Fawcett mystery series. Although both are historical murder mysteries with female leads, I think that's possibly where the similarity ends. While the Fen Churche books are a little more serious, Cressida seems to be all about the fun, even with dead bodies popping up here there and everywhere. I didn't mind it being something a little different though, I still enjoyed it immensely.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the bottom of whodunit completely. I'd managed to work out a few bits and bobs, but the final reveal kept me guessing. It did all make sense though, which is all I demand in a murder mystery.
This was a great start to a new series. It took me a little longer to get into than I expected, but once I'd got my head around the various characters I was hooked. I'm looking forward to reading more of Cressida's adventures. I'm sure that there's plenty more to come.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.