Return to Sender

Title: Return to Sender
Author: Craig Johnson
Published: May 27, 2025 by Viking
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Western Police Procedural
Series: Walt Longmire #21

Blurb: When Blair McGowan, the mail person with the longest postal route in the country of over three hundred mile a day, goes missing the question becomes—where do you look for her? The Postal Inspector for the State of Wyoming elicits Sheriff Longmire to mount an investigation into her disappearance and Walt does everything but mail it in; posing as a letter-carrier himself, the good sheriff follows her trail and finds himself enveloped in the intrigue of an otherworldly cult.

My Opinion: At least there wasn’t the Mallo Cup woo-woo that pops up in some of Johnson’s earlier entries. This time around, he leaves the supernatural out of it and lets the oddball cult take center stage instead, which somehow feels more grounded, if no less bizarre.

Walt is brought in by a shirttail relative of his late wife to track down a missing mail carrier. She's eventually found, but Walt sticks around. Is it curiosity about the nearby cult? An excuse not to go back and face Cady? Or is there something deeper gnawing at him? Walt hates leaving a job unfinished, sure, but there’s something here that raises the hairs on the back of his neck. And Walt’s instinct rarely lets go until all the questions are answered.

Walt still sees Cady as a 12-year-old, which is understandable, maybe, but not a sufficient reason to resist the idea of her becoming Wyoming’s next Attorney General. When the truth finally cracks through, it’s sobering: Walt would do anything for his daughter, like she for him, but only if it is the best option for all involved. No threats, only personal choices. That moment of emotional honesty lands with weight, and then vanishes. Johnson never speaks about it again. A missed opportunity, perhaps, or a deliberate choice to leave some things unsettled for the next book.

Some of Johnson’s books require brute force to get through; woo-woo fatigue is real, while others make you wish for a few hundred more pages. But what makes this series an automatic buy for me is the dry, deadpan humor that threads through every page.

For me, the beginning ambled along, and then the second half is a full gallop. There are stretches where you forget to breathe, and then he drops a one-liner, about prairie poodles, and you snort-laugh before being pulled back under again. It’s that rhythm that makes Johnson so addictive. He reels you in, lets you catch your breath, then slams you with another twist.

And as this book ends, you assume to know exactly where the next Longmire story will pick up. Until then, Johnson will be off somewhere collecting local anecdotes, catching up on the history, and when he’s done, his own cult following will be there ready to follow Walt down whatever trail comes next.

The long-time readers of this series will be glad to see that all the familiar characters are here, along with a few others from previous books who pop in to see what’s happening and what kind of trouble is brewing.

The Love Haters

Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Published: May 20, 2025, by St. Martin's Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

My Opinion: The Love Haters was my first dip into Katherine Center’s world, and I was surprised since I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. What I found was a quirky, heartfelt, and emotionally layered story that blends classic romance tropes with genuine character growth and vulnerability.

At its heart, this is grumpy-sunshine done right. Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker with a knack for tripping over her own optimism, isn’t just looking for love; she is looking to keep her job and find something about herself that she likes. Enter Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a brooding, self-assured Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s genetically incapable of watching someone flounder and not stepping in. They’re mismatched in the best way. Hutch is steady and grounded, while Katie’s all sunshine and bungling. Between them is a chemistry that is less about sparks and more about a slow-burning beneath the banter.

What makes this story work isn’t just the romance (though it's adorably fumbly and sweet), but the deep emotional undercurrents. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, which is nudged along by her friend Beanie’s body-positive challenge and a self-help strategy she hilariously repurposes, is both funny and tender. Watching her fumble her way to empowerment and turn those insights onto Hutch creates some of the most unexpectedly moving scenes.

Family dynamics also bring real weight. Hutch and his brother Cole carry the scars of losing their parents far too young. Cole’s bitterness toward Hutch, who seems to glide through life with ease, is deep and painful. And when the truth behind their shared trauma finally emerges, it’s a moment that will squeeze a tear out of even the most jaded reader.

Rue, the caretaker who scooped up the broken boys and gave them a home, brings another layer of heart and color to this story. Her backstory? Gasp-worthy. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful.

Oh, and George Bailey, the terrified Great Dane and Lucky the frog, when you find a friend, you protect your friend. George might be odd in the way he does that, but a friend is a friend.

Katie and Hutch don’t have a traditional meet-cute or a love-at-first-sight trajectory. They stumble, they deflect, they dodge their own feelings until their personal walls start crumbling. It's in those cracked-open moments, full of awkward missteps and vulnerable truths, that they become not just lovers, but partners. Bandages to each other’s bruises.

Katie is hilarious. She could trip into an ant hill and still find a way to make it endearing. Her clumsy charm and resilient spirit carry the story. And Hutch, ever the stoic protector, is there to catch her, sometimes literally.

Amid all the laughs, there's genuine heartbreak and some deep family drama. But Center keeps it balanced, never veering too far from the feel-good vibe. By the end, with its quirky and oh-so-satisfying conclusion, you’re smiling through the sweetness. Who knew hating love would lead to their own love story?

No spice, all heart. A perfect pick for readers craving a warm, romantic escape that won't make them blush but will definitely make them feel.

An Ethical Guide To Murder

Title: An Ethical Guide To Murder
Author: Jenny Morris
Published: January 16, 2025, by Simon & Schuster UK
Format: Kindle, 400 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Thea has a secret.

She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out. Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead. Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.

Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.

Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.

But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.

How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?

My Opinion: When I first picked up this novel, I was expecting something else, maybe along the lines of Rupert Holmes’ How to Murder Your Employer. What I got instead was a narrative far more layered: imagine the moral tangle of Nickelback’s “Savin’ Me” video spliced with the eerie notes of Victoria Laurie’s When, then add an ethical dilemma at the top of each chapter like a philosophical pop quiz.

From the moment Thea realizes her ability to see how long someone has to live simply by touching them, you’re hooked. Then the questions start to creep in. What do you do with that kind of knowledge? Can you redirect lifespans? Can you steal years from the villain and hand them to the saint? And if you do… are you playing God, or just playing the odds?

Morris doesn’t hold back. Each chapter opens with a new ethical quandary that forces you to pause and ask yourself what you would do. The bright, cheerful cover may suggest cozy mystery vibes, but what waits inside is a moral tug-of-war. As Thea’s grandfather wisely warns: “Doing a wrong thing for a right reason is still a wrong thing. Especially if you're the one deciding what the right thing is.” That line? It lingers. Right up there with, “just because you can, should you.”

Now, that’s not to say it’s all doom and dread. There are moments of humor, irony, and even dry wit, as you find yourself muttering, “Come on, Thea,” while she ignores red flags that are practically neon. Thea’s desperation to be seen makes her vulnerable, and Sam swoops in with just enough charm to make the reader suspicious. I didn’t trust him from the start. He was moving too fast. The charm is too polished. He found Thea’s weakness and took full advantage of it. Come on, Thea, believe in yourself and stop using a hypocrite as a moral compass.

Watching Thea evolve and how power changes her is stomach-wrenching. As she slips deeper into her role as an avenging angel, wielding mortality as a weapon and justifying her choices, the tension intensifies. Is this still the Thea we first met, or has the power transformed her into something else?

Throughout all of this, Thea balances life math with emotional fallout and giving, taking, and never quite letting the reader know where her finish line is. And then come the reveals. A twist knocks the wind out of you. The answers that click into place are tender and devastating, especially for a girl who never truly felt she belonged after losing her parents.

The ending surprised me, not just once, but twice. Just when I thought the story had neatly tied itself up, Morris tugged on a thread that unraveled even more. And that final passage? Worth it. It reframes the entire story in a way that had me revisiting earlier chapters in my mind.

So don’t let your expectations or the cover steer you wrong; this one’s worth sticking with. An Ethical Guide to Murder asks what happens when moral clarity runs headfirst into personal grief and unchecked power. And long after the last page, you’ll still be chewing on the choices made. And the ones that weren’t.

Badlands

Title: Badlands
Author: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Published: June 3, 2025, by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Audio, Kindle, Hardcover, 355 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Nora Kelly #5

Blurb: In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and then died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods.

Is it suicide or… sacrifice?

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price.

My Opinion: If you’re planning a long drive and need something gripping enough to make nine hours feel like ninety minutes, Badlands delivers. I literally laughed out loud when one of the characters mentioned listening to a Preston & Child audiobook during a long trek. Felt like an odd full circle moment.

Once again, the writing team has pairs archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, two women with wildly different temperaments and skill sets who somehow make a compelling crime-solving duo using skill, sarcasm, and just the right field gear, as they navigate some seriously harsh terrain, both literal and moral, in their pursuit of the truth.

Yes, Homer Watt took his sweet time entering the scene, but once he arrived, the energy shifted in all the right ways. And Skip… Skip just can’t help himself. He’s the kind of character you root for while shaking your head.

Between cults, sacrificial rites, shadowy professors, priceless artifacts, and a buffet of ethically challenged individuals, this novel serves up plenty of intellectual insight, intrigue, and a splash of horror. One of the twists blindsided me in the best way. I’d given little thought to one particular character, and that was precisely the misstep the authors were counting on. Way to go, Preston & Child.

Their ability to describe grotesque scenes with vivid detail might test your gag reflex, but somehow, not including those moments would feel like cheating the reader out of the raw intensity their work is known for. It’s part of their signature that readers are expecting.

What I love most is how this writing team consistently introduces readers to concepts and histories that feel like secret chapters ripped from dusty archives. I left the book not only entertained but curious, diving into rabbit holes I hadn’t even known existed before page one.

When Nora and Corrie are driving the narrative (with Homer hitching a ride now and then), I’m in. The ending? Intense. It grabs you, shakes you, leaves you breathless, and doesn’t quite let go even after you’ve hit the last page.

A Lethal Engagement

Title: A Lethal Engagement
Author: April J. Skelly
Published: April 22, 2025 by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 336 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: 1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air’s maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she’s determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.

As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé’s wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won’t only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.

My Opinion: I knew I was in trouble from the first couple of chapters when nothing grabbed me. I switched to the audiobook, hoping it might redeem the experience, but instead it became white noise. This one was background static with delusions of more. Set in 1890, the book attempts to captivate the reader with a high-society mystery aboard an impossibly massive airship, but the atmosphere feels cardboard and cut-and-paste. It has been arranged that American heiress Cora Beaumont is to marry the son of a Duke, in thanks for some favor her father once arranged for getting the duke out of sticky situations. Predictably, she’s engaged to the unremarkable “spare,” Terrance, while the elder brother Nicholas slides into the brooding helper role and the obvious love interest slot. It’s paint-by-numbers romantic plotting.

The tone flip-flops at every turn. Cora is treated like a disposable ornament in one chapter, then suddenly equals the aristocratic men in the next, as if historical constraints and character consistency just weren’t worth editing for. The period language reads more like checked boxes, while modern vocabulary sneaks in, throwing off the immersion entirely.

Comparisons to Deanna Raybourn and Agatha Christie? Please. That’s wishful thinking. The mystery isn’t compelling, the twists come too late to matter, and by the time the “big reveal” happens, I’d already stopped caring. The writing felt clunky, overstated, and desperate to be clever. Honestly, this needed a ruthless red pen and some tough talk.

Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides

Title: Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audio, Paperback 170 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #7

Blurb: Everyone in Normal is excited for the Hoe Down to celebrate the opening of the new Old Train Station motel grand opening.

The evening comes to an abrupt end when a lightning storm knocks out all the power. At least, that's what appears to have knocked out the electricity. But things aren't always as they appear.

Mae West has a way of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong and finds herself in a dangerous situation when she finds a treasure map that leads to more than just treasure... a dead body!

My Opinion: Seven books deep into the Camper & Criminals series and it seems we’ve officially reached the land of rinse and repeat. I’ve enjoyed these cozy mysteries as breezy palate cleansers between other reads and think of them as light and fun popcorn. But this latest installment feels more like stale leftovers.

Kappas leans on her signature formula of quirky small-town, unexpected crimes, and Mae West running circles around local law enforcement, and boyfriend, Hank. This time, we get a Hoe Down, a motel grand opening, a suspicious bank robbery, a conveniently timed power outage, and, naturally, a murder. Sprinkle in some cute pups and the ever-gabby Laundry Club ladies, and voilà! Another installment wrapped up with a bow.

To be fair, the series does a solid job of random onboarding with quick introductions to key characters and town dynamics, so you won't feel lost even if you’re landing in mid-series. But for longtime fans, the narrative pattern is starting to show its wear. It’s like déjà vu with a southern twang.

Rumor has it Hallmark may be eyeing this for adaptation. That tidbit’s been floating around for a while, though, so it’s hard to tell if it's a real possibility or just wishful thinking.

Love on the Brain

Title: Love on the Brain
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Published: August 23, 2022 by Sphere
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Romance

Blurb: Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project - a literal dream come true - Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school - archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas... devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

My Opinion: It’s funny. It’s goofy. It’s grounded in glorious miscommunication and the delicious chaos of smart people who can’t read a room. That’s the best way to sum up Love on the Brain. Ali Hazelwood’s spicy dive into enemies-to-lovers with a STEM twist.

This was my second Hazelwood read after Love, Theoretically, and I’m happy to say it delivers the same sharp wit, swoony tension, and heart-squishing charm. Bee Königswasser, a petite neuroengineering nerd who might worship at the altar of Marie Curie if she weren’t busy trying to survive NASA bureaucracy, project sabotage, and the confusing signals coming from her broody co-lead.

Levi Ward is tall, handsome, and radiates frustration behind piercing green eyes. Compared to Bee’s petite, chaotic brilliance, and signature Target dress aesthetic. Levi’s is the epitome of quietly tortured intellect. Bee will poke all his buttons. That mismatch leads to some amusing physical logistics down the line, but Hazelwood makes the journey to that point fun. Their banter alone is worth the price of the book. The email chain between “Marie” and “Shmacademics” is heartfelt in the way that “if they only knew” tugs at you. It’s the kind of dialogue that’ll have readers grinning and shaking their heads.

Just as things begin to move in the right direction, the inevitable wrench is thrown. A failed project. A haunted past. One partner is ready to fight. The other is unsure if she’s even worth the battle. Cue drama. Cue longing. Cue Hazelwood’s signature ability to twist the knife just enough before healing the wound with warmth and connection.

Do I understand the science? Not a clue. Do I care? Nope. That’s not what this book is about, and frankly, that’s not why Hazelwood fans keep coming back. We’re here for the tension, the heart, and yes, the spice. And it’s all there.

If you're into rom-coms with brainpower, snark, and bite, Love on the Brain won’t disappoint. Consider me officially invested in Hazelwood’s STEM standalones.

This Book Will Bury Me

Title: This Book Will Bury Me
Author: Ashley Winstead
Published: March 25, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 475 Pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory.

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions. Something's not adding up, and they begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap.

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans.

My Opinion: This novel was my first introduction to Ashley Winstead, and if this isn’t considered her best, then I’m buckling up, because what’s in her earlier works must be phenomenal. From the first page, I was swept into a mix of memory, grief, digital sleuthing, and narrative trickery that pulled me deeper with each chapter.

Told in distinctive parts, the story is told from the perspective of Jane Sharpe (aka Searcher24), who enters the true crime world not out of voyeuristic obsession, but out of personal grief. Her plan was to learn more about her late father, whose past is knotted in shadows. That pursuit leads her to an underground collective of amateur sleuths, each with their own skills and motives: Lightly, the retired cop and father figure; Mistress, a retired librarian; CitizenNight, has a navy background; and Lord Goku, a high-level techy.

As the narrative shifts into co-ed murders that echo the recent Idaho Kohberger case and the Richard Speck case from the mid 1960’s, Winstead ups the ante. Relating a storyline to true events isn’t a bad idea, since Paula McLain did the same thing in her book ‘When the Stars Go Dark’ and the abduction and murder of Polly Klaas.

There are moments when you feel like you’re reading investigative journalism, but then Winstead reminds you that with fiction, nothing is safe. Even the structure itself is a sly deception: we’re reading Jane’s book, layered with footnotes and reflections that hint at motive, defense, and possibly guilt. A book within a book. A crime within a question.

The storytelling is laced with references to real-life cases and famous true crime voices. Ann Rule floated to the surface early for me, like a breadcrumb meant to be followed. It’s oddly satisfying how Winstead dances between homage and originality, grounding readers in familiar territory while leading us toward a disturbing and ultimately shocking ending. And let’s talk about that ending; yes, I spotted the twist early, but still, she managed to keep my interest all the way through. What I didn’t see coming was how satisfying and unsettling the final pages would be.

This book is for anyone who enjoys crime fiction that not only entertains but also raises questions about obsession, morality, storytelling, and the individuals who pursue ghosts in digital back alleys.

And with this book, Ashley Winstead earns her spot on my “be on the lookout for” list.

Broken Country

Title: Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Published: March 4, 2025 by Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction

Blurb: Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

My Opinion: I’m honestly puzzled, not by the storyline, but by the glowing reviews. A farmer dies, someone’s on trial, and there’s a slow-moving triangle that should have built suspense. But instead of a gripping mystery, the reader was given a meandering narrative that tiptoes around its revelations.

That’s not to say that the writing isn’t smooth since Hall knows how to craft a sentence and set a scene. I could see the farm, feel the heat of the summer, and sense Beth’s quiet unraveling. But the pacing? Painful. By a third of the way in, I still wasn’t sure what I was supposed to care about. The trial chapters tease just enough to keep you curious, but never offer the kind of breadcrumbs that make you lean in.

We get Beth’s before and after, Gabriel’s reappearance, and Frank caught in the middle, a brother’s anger, and the emotions at stakes, but other parts felt diluted by all the vagueness. I kept waiting for the moment that would hook me. It never came. Not really.

Things do pick up toward the end. The trial gains momentum, names are finally dropped, twists emerge, and it all ties together in a way that makes you reassess some characters. But it took too long to get there.

A love story, yes. One filled with broken promises, miscommunication, unresolved grief, and to be honest, more lies than insight. By the final chapter, I understood what the author was trying to do, but it didn’t hit me the way I’d hoped. I kept wanting more, but didn’t get it.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

Title: The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg
Author: Krista Davis
Published: May 27, 2025 by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle, Harcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: A Domestic Diva Mystery #18

Blurb: Stylish brunches are all the rage this autumn in Old Town Alexandria, and everyone’s posting their parties on social media. But while Domestic Diva Sophie Winston juggles her event-filled calendar, she’s approached by local designer Mitzi Lawson—who is afraid someone is following her. The very next day Mitzi loses her best friend and business partner, Denise. The two were renovating a generations-old house where Denise died unexpectedly, and Mitzi fears that it wasn’t a medical condition to blame, but murder.

It could just be the shock talking, but Sophie agrees to help Mitzi involve the police. Then she receives a panicked phone call from Mitzi, and when she rushes to the old house, Mitzi is nowhere to be found. Now Sophie’s appetite for investigation is piqued even more than her appetite for eggs Benedict and mimosas.

Could Denise’s death be connected to her viper’s nest of in-laws or the house she was working on which her husband just inherited? What of the self-proclaimed etiquette expert with some improper secrets, or the scheming mistress? Or does the old house harbor secrets of its own? There’s a generous buffet of suspects to keep the Diva scrambling for an answer . . .

My Opinion: Eighteen books in, and Sophie Winston is still at it in Old Town, Virginia. Solving murders, relying on gossip and rumor, and somehow always wearing the perfect seasonal outfit from her magic closet, since she rarely steps inside a boutique.

If you’re new to the series, don’t worry. Davis gives a friendly recap of the usual cast of characters (because who can remember seventeen books' worth of backstory?). That said, this installment throws in a whole batch of new names and you might need to reference a family tree, or at least a nap and a notepad, to keep them straight.

The setup is classic cozy: a historic mansion, a dead interior designer with complicated connections, and a whodunnit that hinges on hearsay and social slipups. With so much in the mix, Sophie is summoned, yet again, because being an amateur sleuth seventeen times gives you lifetime murder-solving privileges. And yes, on occasion, she lets the actual police do their job.

Aunt Faye’s maybe-haunted portrait (this was a plot point in an earlier book) gets a revisit in this book. The light is golden, the frame tilts, but alas, the supernatural subplot from previous books seems to have fizzled into little more than a nod. Still, that detail, plus a twisty discovery of bones from the late 1960s found behind a wall, and Faye’s journal, offers just enough surprise to keep things rolling.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg is exactly what you'd expect from Krista Davis: a cozy mystery that’s more about quirky charm and familiar rhythms than heart-pounding suspense. Is this groundbreaking? Nope. But it’s not supposed to be. This is your revisit with fictional friends who get the job done while never missing brunch.

My Friends

Title: My Friends
Author: Fredrik Backman
Published: May 6, 2025 by Atria Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 436 Pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of a wide expanse of sea. But Louisa, soon to be eighteen years old and an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise. She is determined to find out the story behind these three enigmatic figures.

More than two decades before, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up every morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that, after a chance encounter in an alleyway, will unexpectedly be placed into Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to discover how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more anxious she becomes about what she'll find. Louisa's complicated life is proof that happy endings are sometimes possible, but they don't always take the form we expect them to.

My Opinion: This is not a book you simply read, it’s one you endure, absorb, and carry with you long after the final page. The first chapters punch you in the heart so forcefully, it’s almost daring readers to continue. Yet those who continue will discover a master storyteller who weaves pain and longing into every moment.

Backman doesn’t write characters. He conjures souls. Louisa, the orphaned teen searching for belonging, holds the narrative in a fragile, fierce, and illuminating way. Her grief over Fish’s death lingers on every page. She’s forged herself a backstory to fill the void, and her desperation to avoid another foster home is palpable. Ted, drawn into her orbit, is both shaken and transformed. And then there’s the painter who cracks the veneer between art and truth, and is held tightly by those who believe in him.

What begins with a postcard and the quest for a painting becomes an emotional scavenger hunt through human suffering, reluctant hope, and the weight of memory. Backman’s style demands focus; questions are asked with no promise of immediate answers. But the journey between question and resolution is where the reader truly lives. Reaching for hope, but knowing that is not an option.

The writing is prophetic, often circling back to earlier seeds planted quietly between pages. Just when you think Ted and the others might catch a break, Backman holds back. There is no easy redemption, no tidy conclusion; only truth that is raw, devastating, and, at times, gorgeous.

Louisa injects chaos into Ted’s life, almost hilariously so. And while 40 absolutely isn’t “old,” she threatens to age him decades by sheer emotional force alone. Their dynamic adds a flicker of light in an otherwise dark tale.

I had to walk away from this book for a short time. Not because I didn’t love it, but because it created a sadness and wouldn’t let me go. Yet when I returned, it greeted me with wisdom I hadn’t seen before and proof that the most painful stories often require courage to finish.

As I reached the final pages, I found myself stalling. I didn’t want to say goodbye. And then, in a bittersweet twist, Louisa becomes someone else’s postcard. That full-circle moment. That’s where the tears come. If you reach the end and don’t feel it in your bones, I’m not sure you’re fully human.

A novel that will hurt you. It will haunt you. And you’ll love it for that.

Just Beachy

Title: Just Beachy
Author: Wendy Wax
Published: June 3, 2025 by Berkley
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: After losing her long-time acting gig on the hit show Murder 101, Sydney Ryan decides she needs a break from Hollywood politics. She heads to Treasure Island, Florida where her grandmother has been visiting and now refuses to leave. Sydney’s plan to lay low for a bit quickly goes awry though, as she is swept up in her grandmother’s now flourishing social life—Grand not only bought a new house in Casas de Flores, she’s also helping her neighbor Myra open a bookstore in Pass-a-Grille. But when someone breaks into Grand’s house repeatedly Sydney realizes her grandmother is keeping something from her.

Determined to ferret out the truth and protect her grandmother, Sydney enlists the help of the Ten Beach Road ladies and Luke, a local police officer who was once her high school crush. While Sydney puts her television crime solving skills to the test, she decides to act on the sizzling chemistry between her and Luke. And as Sydney spends more sunsets toasting to true friends and new romance, she begins to wonder if the sun is setting on her time in Hollywood and if this town could be the dawn of a new chapter.

My Opinion: I went into Just Beachy thinking I was diving back into the warm familiarity of the Ten Beach Road series, full of sunshine, friendship, fixer-uppers. What I got instead was... confusion. Sure, there are throwaway mentions of Pass-a-Grille and a nod to the ladies from the original crew, but this story is all Sydney Ryan. And wow, does her storyline stretch the boundaries of believability.

So, here’s Sydney: she’s been on a wildly successful, award-winning TV show for five years, winning Emmys and Golden Globes. But somehow, she’s broke? Because she spent it all on her dream home and personal maintenance? That math doesn’t math. Then the public supposedly confuses her with her character Cassie, a woman written into rehab, which leads to Sydney’s career collapse and a move to Florida to visit her grandmother and reinvent herself. As one does when they’re trying to reboot their Hollywood acting career. In Pass-a-Grille?

Let’s pause. Los Angeles to Florida as a career jumpstart? That’s not rebooting, that’s relocating to irrelevance. And the notion that people can't tell the difference between an actress and her character? Have we fallen into an alternate reality where basic media literacy no longer exists?

Then there’s the steamy scenes between Sydney and Luke, where I genuinely laughed out loud because they were written like an awkward improv sketch.

This book felt like one long misunderstanding between logic, plotting, and potential. Honestly, I should’ve abandoned ship early on. But instead, I popped in my earbuds, doubled the playback speed, and scrubbed the baseboards just to feel productive while waiting for something to happen that wasn’t as predictable as grandma’s secret and the gray fox.

I’m not saying I’ve broken up with Wendy Wax, but let’s just say we’re on a trial separation.

A Thousand Tiny Stitches

Title: A Thousand Tiny Stitches
Author: Stephanie Claypool
Published: November 12, 2024 by Atmosphere Press
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 313 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: After a hit-and-run driver tragically kills Lily's daughter and son-in-law, she is left with unspeakable grief, custody of her eight-year-old granddaughter Emma, and an impossible wish: to fulfill her daughter’s dream of opening a quilt shop in the old house in their small Western Pennsylvania town.

The house is in shambles, coated with years of grime, but Lily, unable to afford contractors on her late husband’s pension, tackles the job herself. As Emma’s emotional struggles deepen, the old house presents a barrage of increasingly costly obstacles. Worse, when Lily discovers a squatter living on the property, she fears for their safety. Only her unwavering belief that the shop is the best way to build a new life for herself and Emma keeps Lily pushing forward.

But not everyone in town is rooting for Lily’s success, and the line between helper and hinderer isn’t always clear, forcing Lily to make sacrifices she never imagined. She will need to prove it isn’t the patchwork that makes a quilt but the thousands of tiny stitches that bind the layers—and maybe hold a family together.

My Opinion: A Thousand Tiny Stitches opens with heartbreak. Widow Lily loses her daughter and son-in-law in a sudden car accident and is left caring for her eight-year-old granddaughter Emma. Both are quietly drowning in grief, each one afraid to crack the surface for fear of upsetting the other. And so, instead of sitting with their sorrow, they chase a dream: Amanda’s dream of opening a quilt shop in their small town. If they can focus on making something, they won’t have to look at the pieces of their life that shattered.

From there, it becomes less about quilting and more about mending the soul. The shop isn’t just a business; it’s a refuge. Lily’s circle of quilting friends rally around her, armed with comfort and tenderness. Doug, a homeless veteran living in a garage out back, shows up with his own story stitched in trauma and eventually, in kindness. And the café owner’s parents? They become another set of grandparents, helping with Emma as the community begins to form something beautiful and unexpected.

There’s just enough friction to keep things real—betrayal, financial struggles, emotional scars—but Claypool never lets the darkness take over. Instead, the story leans into second chances: love blossoms quietly, broken people find connection, and Lily rediscovers her strength one DIY project at a time. Everyone's navigating a new path, and somehow all those tangled emotions turn into something quietly triumphant.

Will you shed a tear? Yes. But it's also warm and affirming in that small-town-women’s-fiction kind of way. There's laughter tucked into even the saddest chapters, and moments where hope sneaks in through a dusty window. Lily and Emma’s grief doesn't disappear; it’s stitched into their new life softened by the people around them, and that’s what makes this story feel so gently uplifting.

The Day I Died

Title: The Day I Died
Author: Anne Frasier
Published: October 28, 2024 by Belfry Press
Format: Paperback, 294 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Series: Olivia Welles #2

Blurb: Detective Olivia Welles vanished into the shadows, faking her own death to shield the ones she loves. But now the clock is ticking and the danger she thought she'd escaped has come roaring back. Forced out of hiding, Olivia must confront her past, outsmart relentless enemies, and risk it all in a pulse-pounding race to save everything—and everyone—that matters. Hold on tight for this high-stakes, nonstop thrill ride!

My Opinion: Two and a half years after ‘The Night I Died’. Olivia is now working in a bar in the middle of nowhere, thinking she will stay there until her husband and daughter need her. This would be the same husband and daughter who think she has died.

Enter Alasdair “Father Love” Smith, a cult leader so unnervingly charismatic that it’s easy to understand how he amassed followers by the millions. He’s not just a villain in the traditional sense; he’s a reminder that manipulation stems from magnetism. When he targets Olivia, blaming her for the carnage at his compound, which took his wife and children, the stakes take on a sinister tone.

Frasier doesn’t throw her punches early. Instead, she plants quiet, seemingly unremarkable details that bloom into pivotal revelations. Those moments where the mundane becomes meaningful, hit with precision. You’re suddenly questioning everything -- who to trust, what’s real, whether Olivia herself is telling the whole story, and whether she can make it to the end.

But even as the plot becomes more demanding, what stood out most was the novel’s soul. At its core, this is a character-driven story. Horrific things happen, but it’s the people who carry you through. Olivia’s complexity and her fractured strength are compelling. Calliope might be too witty for a three-year-old, but her sass adds the emotional break you need. Will and Finn, each vying for Olivia, offer emotional tension grounded in sincerity. And Griffin... dear sweet Griffin, will quietly break your heart.

Frasier also slips in something unexpected: insight into the anatomy of cults. Not a deep dive, but just enough to make you pause. To wonder. To realize how charisma and planted ideas can shape and warp followers.

I often wonder why more readers aren’t talking about Anne Frasier. Her stories thread together suspense, nuance, and the kind of emotion that lingers. She has a devoted fan base, but her name deserves more recognition on the thriller aisle.

The Case of the Secret Spirit-Half

Title: The Case of the Secret Spirit-Half
Author: Lucy Banks
Published: October 11, 2022 by Chicago Review Press
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
Genre: Cozy Paranormal
Series: Dr Ribero's Agency of the Supernatural #5

Blurb: Kester is a wanted man.

After letting the daemon Hrschni escape, Infinite Enterprises are hunting Kester down, and the rest of Ribero’s supernatural agency swear they’ll never forgive him. But who can he trust, Hrschni or Infinite Enterprises?

While on the run, he reencounters the powerful daemon, who uses his powers to take Kester back and forth in time. As a spectre of the past, Kester must learn the truth about his mother while staying one step ahead of agents on his tail. But when Miss Wellbeloved and Ribero are seized by Infinite Enterprises, Kester uncovers a shocking truth, one that may change the course of the entire supernatural world.

In the last and final instalment of Dr Ribero’s Supernatural Agency, it all comes down to Kester and the secrets of the past.

My Opinion: After three years away from this quirky little gem of a series, I didn’t expect to slip so seamlessly back into its world, but I did, and it felt like I had never been away from this old group of friends who just so happen to deal with the spirit world for a living.

All the familiar faces are here: Hrschni, Ribero, Kester, Miss Wellbeloved, and the full, endearing, often maddening roster of colleagues, roommates, and not-quite-smooth love interests. The story flows in a “then and now” dual-timeline that stitches together the present-day chaos with Gretchen, Kester’s enigmatic mother’s, past, who once walked the halls of the School for Supernatural Further Education.

Through a risky time-travel experiment, Kester is given the chance to see the version of his mother he never knew. A woman who was vibrant, powerful, and deeply entangled in the lives of Ribero and Jennifer Wellbeloved. It’s part revelation, part reckoning, and more than a little heartbreak.

Kester has always been the most unlikely of heroes. A reluctant recruit and the softest in the Agency is now at the center of it all. It’s up to him to piece together what’s been hidden, carry forward what matters, and protect both the living and the spirits. And he rises to it, in the most Kester way possible.

This book doesn’t just wrap up the plot threads, but deepens them, weaving in an unexpected backstory that gives weight to the title and meaning to the journey.

Tone-wise, this falls firmly into what I’d call “cozy paranormal.” No grimdark shadows or graphic encounters, just warm, peculiar people navigating the supernatural with heart, charm, and dry wit. You won’t find blistering romantic tension or haunted house horror, but you will find characters you grow to truly care about.

This series deserves a brighter spotlight. And as finales go, this one hits the perfect notes of touching, funny, and quietly profound in the way only the best genre-crossing novels manage to do.

Slow Burn Summer

Title: Slow Burn Summer
Author: Josie Silver
Published: June 10, 2025 by Dell
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 352 pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Talent agent Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication. The book is a surefire hit, if only his agency can find someone to “play” author on its summer book tour.

Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.

When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script?

My Opinion: I don’t typically reach for romance novels, but I learned a while ago that when Josie Silver is writing, it’s my kind of romance, full of warmth, wit, and just the right amount of swoon.

Kate doesn’t just speak, she meanders, tangents, and spirals in the most delightful way. Her panicked, spiraling is pure gold, and when they ricochet off her sister Liv’s grounded pragmatism, it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Their dynamic is worth the read all on its own.

By chapter ten, you might think you’ve cracked the mystery of the ghostwritten book Kate’s been hired to promote. And you might be right… or maybe not. Silver plays with reader expectation just enough to keep you guessing, layering in small twists that tug at the rug beneath your feet right when you think you have it all figured out.

Then there’s Charlie. Ah, Charlie, with his “whiskey and cola” eyes and that simmering, buttoned-up demeanor that all good slow burns require. The professional boundaries are there. The spark is undeniable. And yes, eventually we get that scene, the one that hits just right and earns every wistful sigh. True to the slow burn promise, nothing comes easy. Even that scene is treated like a “deleted scene” tucked between complicated decisions and emotional restraint. Still, the embers linger... and maybe, just maybe, they get a second chance.

Just when you think the story’s comfortably coasting toward resolution, a reveal shakes everything loose. It’s not what you were expecting. It’s substantial. Kate has to decide what she’s willing to risk for the sake of someone else’s happy ending. And she does it with a kind of quiet courage that sneaks up on you.

Silver sprinkles in pop culture nods and literary Easter eggs give the book extra sparkle, making it a breezy summer read with heart and humor. This isn’t a story of fantasy spice levels, it’s a story of chemistry, conviction, and the little moments that matter most.

Bitterfrost

Title: Bitterfrost
Author: Bryan Gruley
Published: April 1, 2025 by Severn House
Format: Kindle, 336 pages
Genre: Thriller
Series: Bitterfrost #1

Blurb: Thirteen years ago, former ice hockey star Jimmy Baker quit the game after almost killing an opponent. Now, as the Zamboni driver for the amateur team in his hometown of Bitterfrost, Michigan, he’s living his penance. Until the morning he awakens to the smell of blood . . .

Jimmy soon finds himself arrested for a brutal double murder. The kicker? He has no memory of the night in question. And as the evidence racks up against him, Jimmy’s case is skating on thin ice. Could he have committed such a gruesome crime?

As his defence attorney, Devyn Payne and prosecuting detective Garth Klimmek race to uncover the truth, time is running out for Jimmy. Because all he can really be sure of is that he is capable of taking a life. The question is, in his blacked-out state, did he take two?

My Opinion: Bryan Gruley is one of those authors I’d read in the past and somehow let slip off my radar. That is, until Bitterfrost jolted him right to the forefront. This novel unfolds with a quiet intensity set deep in the heart of Midwestern Noir. An atmospheric blend of moral ambiguity, isolation, and hard truths.

Gruley builds a town that’s equal parts physically remote and emotionally stranded, where hockey isn’t just a sport, it’s the one fragile thread that might offer hope of getting out. That theme of escape, reminiscent of Fredrik Backman’s Beartown, echoes throughout the story as broken characters navigate corruption, trauma, the messy ethics of survival, and flickers of hope.

The pacing is deliberate, withholding backstory until just the right moment, then delivering a twist that feels both surprising and, in hindsight, inevitable. You don’t cheer for these characters because they’re perfect, you root for them because they’re real. Flawed, haunted, and trying.

This isn’t a story of redemption wrapped in a bow. Instead, it closes with an exhale and a sense of earned endurance. The people may still be broken. The town, still bleak. But something has shifted just enough for the reader to feel it.

This is the first in a series. I’m not sure when the second book will be released or where the story will go, but I know for certain I won’t let this author fall off the radar again.

Death Stake

Title: Death Stake
Author: Andrew Mayne
Published: October 29, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
Format: Kindle, 311 pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Trasker #2

Blurb: Retired intelligence operative Brad Trasker heads security at a remote aerospace facility when there’s a major breach. A photo of their top-secret AI-designed hydrogen engine has surfaced online. Trasker’s investigation into who did it soon leads to a start-up in Bangkok, where its three software developers have disappeared, along with nearly a million dollars in investment money.

Following their tracks, Trasker hits a dead end. The start-up’s HQ is a padlocked crime scene. No one—not the cagey locals, the mobbed-up gangs, or the Royal Thai Police—is keen on answering Trasker’s questions. But their message is get out of Bangkok or die.

Hunted by assassins, Trasker is drawn into the same complex high-tech underworld of cryptocurrency, digital espionage, and betrayal that swallowed up the runaway coders. As the line between ally and enemy blurs, and the stakes become life and death, Trasker must navigate the dangerous intersection of modern intelligence and old-school spy games to survive.

My Opinion: This novel took some time to find its footing. About a quarter of the way through, to be exact. At first, the usual high-intensity pacing I’ve come to expect from Mayne was missing, replaced by too much filler and a lack of the snappy banter that normally keeps the dialogue lively. But once the story opened, the stiffness faded, the unanswered questions started to resolve, and the momentum finally kicked in.

The technology, whether real or convincingly placed, is something I’d rather not dwell on. Some things are better left in the shadows, and the world of espionage is one of them. The mid-story twist saved the pacing from stagnating just as it was slipping into predictability, but the overall rhythm felt uneven. Lulls stretched too long, only for tension spikes to rush through like an afterthought.

Compared to the first book, this one felt a bit underwhelming. Where the debut was nonstop action, Death Stake moved in waves, starting with excess fluff before diving into a rapid, almost hurried conclusion. And let’s talk about the tangled web of Mayne’s interconnected series -- at this point, keeping track of them all is an exercise in patience. Maybe reading by publication date is the safest bet.

Then there’s Brad Trasker. A narcissist? Maybe. A man with just the right experience and just the right anecdote for every situation? Absolutely. I won’t say I don’t like him, I do, tremendously, but maybe I liked his mother more, and her absence here was a noticeable disappointment.

Trasker is the kind of protagonist who gets the job done, no matter the moral ambiguity. If you love thrillers and espionage with a central character who plays fast and loose with the rules, he’s your guy. Would I want to sit down for a meal with him? Not particularly. But if everything went sideways? He’d be the first call, right up there with Liam Neeson.

The Geographer's Map to Romance

Title: The Geographer's Map to Romance
Author: India Horton
Published: April 8, 2025 by Berkley
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Romantasy
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Love's Academic #2

Blurb: Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her--except her own personal disaster, that is: Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.

Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either--except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They've been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn't stopped him from stoically pining for her.

When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there's no navigational guide for the geography of the heart.

My Opinion: Whimsy. Pure, unfiltered, slightly chaotic whimsy is the heart of The Geographer’s Map to Romance. Sure, it officially falls under fantasy, historical, and romance, but really, this book plays by its own rules with its fair share of tropes that readers are looking for.

At its core, it’s the tale of Elodie and Gabriel, a mismatched pair. She’s a walking ray of sunshine, bursting with optimism and well-intended chaos. He’s the grumpy, growling, lurking in the shadows, who is secretly (and not-so-secretly) pining for her. And here’s the kicker—they’re already married. Technically. If only the whole “happily ever after” part hadn’t gone spectacularly off the rails right after their vows. Thus enters the second-chance romance trope, served up with a side of misunderstandings (another trope) and simmering tension.

But the humor? That’s where the magic really happens. It’s not just witty dialogue; it’s the sheer absurdity of the situations these two find themselves in. The comedy is woven into the fabric of the story, driving it forward even when the pacing wobbles in places.

For true romantics, this book has moments. The kind of swoon-worthy lines that make you pause, inhale deeply, and maybe even shed a dreamy tear. There’s no shortage of quotes you’ll want to tuck away for future rereading.

And while this is part of a connected standalone series, it reads effortlessly on its own. Characters from book one make only the briefest of appearances. Elodie and Gabriel had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in the first installment, yet this is where they take center stage. You don’t need any prior knowledge; simply dive right in.

Need one more trope? The lack of communication. It’s the very thing that fuels the book’s charm, creating a perfect storm of frustration, missteps, and razor-sharp banter, specifically during yet another (only one bed) trope.

By the end, while I adored the humor and the witty exchanges, this one didn’t quite capture me the way the first book did. But am I sticking around for book three? Absolutely. The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire, which will follow Amelia Tarrant, doesn’t have a release date yet, but I’ll be waiting. If there’s one thing India Holton does well, it's crafting stories packed with quirky characters, baffling magic, and romance that’s smart, playful, and never overly sappy.

Canyons, Caravans, & Cadavers

Title: Canyons, Caravans, & Cadavers
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audiobook, 182 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #6

Blurb: When the principal of Normal High School asks Mae West to teach a semester on small town economics, since she helped bring the thriving economy in Normal, Kentucky when she used her brilliant ideas to bring the Happy Trails Campground back to life, Mae is thrilled and happy to teach the young people. But when a fellow teacher and archery Coach Roger Carlson, is found stone-cold dead, facedown in one of Happy Trails Campground campers with an arrow sticking out of his back, it puts a damper on the thriving campground when tourists cancel their reservations and Mae's excitement to teach.

Mae's hankering to snoop into the coach's private life and find out exactly why he was renting a camper in Happy Trails and not living at home with his young wife. Her efforts don't leave her short on suspects. Especially, since Mae uncovered many unhappy parents who had relied on an archery scholarship as their child's ticket to get out of Normal and go to college. Mae has to be careful or she just might find an arrow with her name written on it.

My Opinion: Tonya Kappes delivers yet another adventure with the ever-popular Camper & Criminals Mystery series. With small-town charm, a tight-knit community, and, of course, a murder that shakes up the campsite, what’s not to love?

Right from the start, the book sets the scene with that signature Kappes touch: a mix of humor, intrigue, and just enough chaos to keep things lively. The oddball cast of characters feels like old friends, and the dynamics between them make for plenty of entertaining moments. And let’s not forget the mystery itself, which was layered with unexpected twists and turns that keep the pages turning.

The plot uses all the classic elements of a cozy mystery, including eccentric suspects, charming local gossip, and an amateur sleuth determined to uncover the truth. However, Kappes adds her unique touch, making the story feel fresh instead of predictable. The pacing maintains momentum, creating an atmosphere of suspense while preserving a lighthearted tone, which is perfect for a relaxing summer day.

The Amalfi Curse

Title: The Amalfi Curse
Author: Sarah Penner
Published: April 29, 2025 by Park Row
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Literary Fiction

Blurb: Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

My Opinion: At first glance, The Amalfi Curse had me debating whether I should even give it a shot. The opening pages weren’t promising. Filled with endorsements from BookTok influencers rather than established authors. It made me wonder: Are publishers shifting their priorities entirely, banking on influencers to sell books instead of engaging directly with readers? If so, what does that mean for the future of book publishing? That uneasy thought lingered as I turned the pages.

The first third of the novel left me feeling detached and uncertain if it would turn out to be another disappointment like The London Séance Society. I was hoping it would compare to the writing in The Lost Apothecary, which pulled me in from the start. It landed somewhere in the middle.

This time, I found myself waiting and wondering when the story would finally click. And then, around the 100-page mark, something shifted. The tangled threads of dual timelines and three distinct perspectives started to tighten into something more compelling. Sea witches, pirates, and fortune hunters are elements that should have been exciting from the start, but the book took its time, making me work for the payoff. It wasn’t until the latter half that I truly appreciated how Penner laid out the story, dropping clues rather than spoon-feeding the reader. That trust in her audience, allowing us to make connections without excess hand-holding, was refreshing.

By the end, I was surprised at how much I had come to care about the characters and the world Penner had built. What started as an uncertain read evolved into something unexpectedly satisfying. She redeemed herself here, crafting a novel that, despite its slow burn, ultimately rewarded patience. In hindsight, maybe that’s part of its charm.

FDR Drive

Title: FDR Drive
Author: James Comey
Published: May 20, 2025 by Mysterious Press
Format: Kindle, 336 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Nora Carleton #3

Blurb: A threat is building in the city, with far right extremism powered by internet demagogues and funded by shadowy organizations. Together with legendary investigator Benny Dugan and aided by colleagues at the FBI, Nora builds a case against the key players in this burgeoning movement, arguing before a jury that some speech is actually a deadly crime. But the menace taking root is far bigger than any courtroom, and as the militants target an upcoming United Nations rally, Nora and her team must race to disrupt the plans and minimize casualties.

My Opinion: FDR Drive is not a book you pick up for light, casual reading. It’s the kind you settle in for with a cup of coffee, ready to navigate the corridors of legal and political intrigue. And yes, I understand why some readers may balk at his work; the author himself carries enough baggage to trigger strong reactions. But setting that aside, if you’ve been following the Nora Carleton series, this one pulls you in from the first chapters. The tension is immediate, the stakes high, and before you know it, you’re flipping pages deep into the night.

Some criticize the book for being too complicated and too dense. That, I don’t understand. If you pick up a political-legal thriller from someone who’s been a power insider, it’s fair to expect complexity. Comey doesn’t spoon-feed; he expects the reader to keep up. And while I may not be a lawyer, I’ve watched enough Law & Order to hold my own and this book certainly tests that focus.

The real heart of FDR Drive, though, is the dilemma it presents: Where does free speech end, and culpability begin? The novel threads together real-world concerns about podcasters being charged with incitement, existential threats, and online radicalization. It forces the reader to ask tough questions: should a podcaster be held responsible for the actions of their audience? If someone names a name, drops an address, or expresses outrage, does that implicate them in the act that follows? And what about the puppet masters behind the scenes, the people who feed the information -- are they just as guilty? These are questions with no easy answers, ones that could spark heated discussions in a book club, assuming you’re all still on speaking terms by the end.

By the third book in the series, Nora Carleton, and the characters around her feel like people you want to see make it to the next day. This isn’t a simple read. It demands patience, attention, and a willingness to wade through moral complexity. But if you’re up for the challenge, FDR Drive delivers a thought-provoking, layered narrative that sticks with you long after the final page.

Motorhomes, Maps, & Murder

Title: Motorhomes, Maps, & Murder
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Kindle, Audiobook, 210 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #5

Blurb: Mae West, owner of Happy Trails Campground, never thought she would become an actress like her namesake. Calling herself an actress might be far stretch as she plays a minor role in the local Civil War reenactment BATTLE AT CAMP WILDCAT.

When the reenactment doesn't go as planned, not one but two of the town's folks aren't playing dead. . .they were MURDERED! Come to find out there was a prison break and the serial killer is believed to be in Normal and someone has stolen a motorhome from Happy Trails Campground.

Are these connected?

Mae lets boyfriend and hunky detective, Hank Sharp, follow all the leads about the murders and on the trail of the serial killer because she's got bigger s'mores in the fire.

The motorhome owners have filed a lawsuit and suing her for the deed to Happy Trails Campground. Mae has embraced Normal and there's nothing or no one going to take her campground. She's determined to find the motorhome and return it to the owners before she hands over any deed to anyone.

Mae just might find out that tapping into her namesake just might come in handy when coming face to face with a serial killer.

My Opinion: Tonya Kappes delivers suspense and small-town charm in Motorhomes, Maps, & Murder, packing a surprising amount into its 210 pages (5 hours of audio). From the very first chapter, chaos unfolds in Normal, Kentucky, as the town prepares for a Civil War reenactment, only for real battles to emerge when townsfolk turn up dead. The lingering question looms: Is the infamous serial killer to blame? Is he hunting down the jurors who sealed his fate? Or is there something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?

Against this backdrop of chaos, Mae West faces her own crisis, not just fighting for justice but for the very livelihood as well. Happy Trails Campground, her pride and joy, is suddenly at risk when an RV vanishes, threatening everything she’s worked for. This time, the stakes feel higher than ever.

But Kappes knows how to balance suspense with levity. Mae, her boyfriend, and the endearing residents of Normal infuse the narrative with humor and warmth, ensuring that the mystery never overshadows the novel’s lighthearted charm. The result is an engaging, page-turning blend of high tension and cozy camaraderie that is perfect for readers who love small-town drama served with a side of fun.

Gifted & Talented

Title: Gifted & Talented
Author: Olivie Blake
Published: April 1, 2025 by Tor Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 512 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.

Or at least, so they like to think.

Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.

Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.

On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top?

My Opinion: This isn’t just a book, it’s an experience, a ride through chaos, sharp wit, and unsettling family dynamics that leave you wondering what just happened. It moves fast, then slows down, then throws something at you that you didn’t see coming. It’s the kind of book that makes you pause, reread, and mutter, “Wait, what?” more times than you’d like to admit.

There’s no shortage of quotable lines, either. Some are funny, some are profound, and others just hit differently. If you go the audiobook route, do yourself a favor and speed it up a notch. It heightens the manic energy and makes the humor shine even brighter. Speaking of humor, it won’t be for everyone, but if it works for you, it really works.

The first few chapters are a jumble of confusion as Blake throws the reader headfirst into the tangled backstories of the Wren siblings. It’s overwhelming, but once things settle, the real intrigue begins. That is, until you realize you have no idea who Lou is and who’s telling this story. Let’s just say their identity is part of the fun. The reveal? Brilliant. And Lou’s identity? An unexpected twist that makes you rethink everything.

Now, about the world-building. The Magitech industry, with its roots in electromagnetic waves dating back to Tesla’s era, offers a fascinating backdrop. But despite being placed in the fantasy genre, magic isn’t really the driving force here. Sure, the siblings have their abilities, but this isn’t a story about spellcasting or grand magical battles. No, this is a story about deeply flawed people making bad decisions, tangled in dysfunctional family dynamics that steal the spotlight.

And let’s be honest: Gifted and Talented does not offer a single truly likable character. Some had potential, but you wouldn’t want to sit down to dinner with most of them; they’re either morally gray or downright terrible. That said, the morally gray ones would make for some fascinating conversation, but don’t believe a word they say.

This was my first Olivie Blake novel, and I completely understand the hype. It’s unpredictable, clever, and relentless. A book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.