Archives for April 29, 2026

* Review * THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori Foster

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori FosterThe Lake House by Lori Foster
Series: Firefly Summer #2
Published by Kensington Books Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

When Pixie Nolan first came to Bramble, Kentucky, the abandoned and desperate young single mother found hope, healing, and a fresh start. With the loving support of her best friends—Marlow Heddings and her handsome Marine husband, Cort—Pixie is now happily raising her toddler son in a cozy cottage, managing Marlow’s thriving boutique, and designing firefly logo t-shirts that are selling like hotcakes. The past is behind her, and life is good.

She never expected to make an electrifying connection with a summer renter, a retired Navy SEAL with his own complicated past . . .

A rugged warrior with scars both seen and unseen, Brogan Rafferty arrives with an adorable baby girl in tow and settles into the lake house next door. And while he’s a stunning addition to the gorgeous scenery, it’s his caring devotion that captures Pixie’s heart—the way he gently snuggles away the precious infant’s cries, or swoops Pixie’s delighted little boy high in the air with his tattooed, muscular arms.

But it’s no coincidence that Brogan has found Pixie, and his startling revelations make it clear she’s the key to healing old regrets and building new dreams. And when a hostile stranger turns up with shocking accusations against Bramble’s new hometown hero, Pixie must put her own fears and heartbreak away for good—and learn what it truly means to trust.

 

A story filled with heart and humor! Foster is delighting fans with a this heartwarming gem. Readers of the first in the Firefly Summer series will wholeheartedly remember Pixie and her friendship with Marlow and Cort. This book picks up her story several months after the prior book and has her quickly connecting with a vacation renter who steals her heart and ties her up in knots. Brogan is easy to like and comes with his own bit of drama and secrets that will change Pixie’s life yet again. I loved the connection between the two of them and the adorable kiddo scenes that the story delivered. This book has romance, drama and a bit of angst but most of all it has a good hearted couple finally finding the love and comfort they have always deserved. Loved every minute of them!

five-stars

* Review * THE LAST BOOK CLUB by Joanne Rock

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LAST BOOK CLUB by Joanne RockThe Last Book Club by Joanne Rock
Published by Crooked Lane Books on May 26, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Making friends in a new town can be murder, so when Jordyn is invited to attend a book club meeting in her new Saratoga Springs neighborhood, it’s safe to say she’s excited. But she has no intention of making friends with the tight-knit group—she has plans for revenge.

Jordyn’s foster sister was a member of the book club until she was killed in a hit-and-run after a meeting one year prior. Members of the book club had serious motives, and Jordyn is determined to read between the lines and find their secrets…and her sister’s killer.

When the book club hosts a murder mystery party, secrets begin bubbling to the surface—and the murder part of the game becomes stranger than fiction.

This bookish mystery will thrill readers looking for stories full of twists, turns, and tantalizing secrets.

 

I was intrigued! Rock is spreading her wings outside of her tried and true romance with her first mystery, and while it didn’t take my breath away, it did keep me reading to see what was going to happen and delivered on a major twist or two. The premise of the story was a good one that had potential to be top notch, but there were a lot of characters interwoven to get a handle on and keep track of and the story drug in several places. I wouldn’t name it as a fav by the author, but I would definitely say that I would give another mystery by her a try because there were good features in this one.

four-stars

* Review * WOLF.E by Paisley Hope

* Review * WOLF.E by Paisley HopeWolf.e by Paisley Hope
Series: The Soldiers of Bedlam #1
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on August 19, 2025
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five-stars

Hounds of Hell MC President Gabriel Wolfe is as jaded as they come. His motto has always been: Always ride faster than your angel can fly...But when Brinley Beaumont runs back to her hometown and right into his crosshairs, Wolfe begins to feel something he hasn't felt for as long as he can remember: alive.

Gabriel is the fallen dark angel and club president of the Hounds of Hell motorcycle club. His life has been infused with darkness and trauma since the day he was born, forcing more than just desensitization to violence and chaos. Forcing him to crave it to feel stable. Secure. Whole.

With only a handful of people he cares about, his family, the ones who don his cut, women are just a tool, a means to an end. Never to covet, only to use. Each one blending into the next.

The formula he lives by is simple.

Death is at your door. You are a soldier of bedlam.

Nothing more, nothing less…

Until the moment Brinley Beaumont flies into his crosshairs. She seems so down to earth and pure-minded, but he can see the dark desires that she's kept hidden for so long. Brinley isn't about to get involved with this brooding alpha male, no matter how attracted to him she may be. Until he starts calling her his "little hummingbird" and she discovers he can give her everything she's always craved.

 

This raunchy din of debauchery pushes all the right buttons! If you want a sweet, mild MC where the women are cherished and blood never crosses the door, this story is not for you. It’s dark, it’s deep and it’s intense … but man was I invested in every single minute. Brinley is sweet and innocent to the darker side of life when she finds herself in foisted unexpectedly into the realm of Gabriel and unable to resist the magnetic pull. He makes sure she knows the life she’s walking into well before he claims her as his, and boy does he claim her. There’s a side story of back stabbing that really hits hard and adds a twist we weren’t necessarily expecting. I enjoyed every minute of their story and am looking forward to diving further into the world of the Soldiers of Bedlam.

five-stars

* Review * NOWHERE TO HIDE by Carolyn Arnold

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * NOWHERE TO HIDE by Carolyn ArnoldNowhere to Hide by Carolyn Arnold
Series: Sandra Vos #3
Published by Bookouture on May 20, 2026
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

When a lone gunman takes an entire family hostage in a wealthy suburb, there is only one FBI negotiator he’ll engage with. Special Agent Sandra Vos hit the headlines for bringing a crisis incident at Founders Hospital to a close, but there’s no time to rest with a family’s life in her hands.

Arriving on the scene, Sandra discovers that Edward Hanson and his family are the hostages. Edward is the son of the late Timothy Hanson who left his entire fortune to his son. While it seems this may be all about money, the hostage taker makes a demand that is far more personal. Reopen an investigation into a fatal car accident from thirty-three years ago or he shoots the entire family. But how does this connect to the Hansons?

Sandra calls in her boyfriend, Detective Eric Birch, at the Metropolitan Police Department, and asks him to dig into the case. Eric works to untangle a web of lies which leads him straight to the heart of the police force. But can any of this help Sandra talk the hostage taker down and save the family? And how much will Eric need to sacrifice in the pursuit of the truth?

 

Attention grabbing intrigue from start to finish! Arnold is a master at nabbing a reader’s attention quickly and holding onto it throughout a tense standoff. I want to see more of a personal touch of more hands on time with Sandra and her boyfriend Eric, daughter Olivia and mom Margo going forward in the series, but the angst of a good case is already taken care of in each book. The case in this book is quick to heat up and was developed well. Major corruption is uncovered as it all plays out and we get to see if the key players will be taken down or not, no matter how personal it feels to some.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hostage storyline with a great team behind the scenes trying to dive into the background and talk the perpetrator down.

five-stars