THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES is from a new-to-me author Heather Marshall and is filled with two storylines that will take the reader from 2010 tTHE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES is from a new-to-me author Heather Marshall and is filled with two storylines that will take the reader from 2010 to 1938 Germany at the start of World War II. The author does an amazing job in capturing the reader's imagination right from the first page. I was drawn into Kate's heartbreak and loss as well as her hope of a new beginning as she traveled too the border of Scotland. Audrey is a complex and intriguing character that held her own secrets that drew not just Kate in but also myself. It was an interesting way to capture the reader's attention and the way the author delves into Kate and Audrey's past was masterful in how it was entwined in the contemporary setting as well as the past. The story flowed swiftly and the author does an amazing job capturing the characters as well as the setting wonderfully within the pages of THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES.
We meet Kate Mercer when she is dealing with loss and more at the beginning of the book. Her heartbreak comes over the first few pages so eloquently and you can't help but feel for her. When we meet Audrey James, she's a cranky old woman who doesn't want anyone there with ehr but you get a sense she needs kate just as much as Kate needs her as they settle in and get familiar with one another. I particularly enjoyed how these two women, young and old, adapt and eventually become friends. I found the characters very well written, complex and intriguing. The secondary characters are just as enjoyable and I loved the intersecting past storyline of Audrey as it connects to Kate's present day. The author knows how to weave a spell around her readers in this contemporary/historical fiction that will capture your heart and not let go.
The story doesn't get bogged down by details and the author does a great job in capturing both Audrey in her past self and her present self perfectly. I enjoyed seeing how the two storylines meded together in a cohesive storyline that kept me riveted till the very end of the book. If you enjoy dual storylines that have intriguing characters, historical ramifications and more, then don't hesitate to grab THE SECRET HISTORY OF AUDREY JAMES by Heather Marshall today. I am looking forward to seeing where the author goes next in their next book.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement....more
**spoiler alert** James Rollins delivers another thrilling installment in his Moonfall series with A Dragon of Black Glass. It picks up right when boo**spoiler alert** James Rollins delivers another thrilling installment in his Moonfall series with A Dragon of Black Glass. It picks up right when book 2, The Cradle of Ice, ends and keeps gathering steam as the cast of characters race against time to stop Moonfall even at the detriment of their lives. With each book in this series (The Starless Crown (book 1) & The Cradle of Ice (Book 2), A Dragon of Black Glass continues Nyx and her friends & allies trek to the next piece of the puzzle in order to stop the moonfall that is propecized to doom their world if it happens. James Rollins signature writing style is here & this reader was thrilled to discover how thrilling this latest book continues the adventure of Nyx and the gang that started in The Starless Crown. With some twists and turns I so didn't see coming, some losses and new allies, the reader is delved even deeper in this world James Rollins created and I know I am not the only one wanting to see where the final adventure will take them as the urgency really picks up in book 3, A Dragon of Black Glass. If you enjoy epic fantasy stories filled with unique and intriguing characters, a world that is similar to our own yet so very different and much more. I just hope book 4 doesn't take forever to get here....more
**spoiler alert** A brave woman deals with life, love and heartbreak as she fights for France against the Nazis in a story that will leave you breathl**spoiler alert** A brave woman deals with life, love and heartbreak as she fights for France against the Nazis in a story that will leave you breathless.
THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE is a story filled with intriguing characters that fill the pages of the book that are both human and real. Natasha Lester is one of my favorite historical fiction authors to read and she always brings her subjects to life within her books. Marie-Madeleine Meric is a woman who when we are introduced to her, is newly married and is in Morocco, dabbling in intelligence to help her new husband in 1928. It's both exotic and intriguing to her and for the reader, you feel everything she is feeling and then some. Marie is a woman who finds her voice and purpose years later when she is back in Paris, her marriage in tatters, raising her kids alone. The author delivers a story full of highs and many lows at a time in history where you can't help but wonder how those who resisted the Nazis survived the way they did. The story flows smoothly, keeping the reader entertained and glued to the pages, with a bated breath to see what would happen next for Marie and the rest of her Alliance network.
When we meet Marie-Madeleine, we find a young woman who is finding her place ina world in flux. Natasha Lester does a really amazing job breathing life into a person who I never heard of nor of the risks she took with her resistance network that was the biggest in Europe. Everytime I read one of Ms. Lester's books, I find myself learning about these unsung heroes of WWII that time seemed to have forgotten. WWII was a time in history that, if you don't learn from, you are doomed to repeat it and in THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE, we find many unsung heroes of this resistance network. From MArie to Leon Faye, her heart and second in command in the Alliance Network as well as so many others, it's amazing how they got information to the British for their attack on Normandy. Ms. Lester delivers a story that needed to be told, to let these heroes actions, words and deeds be known to a new generation of people who may not have known what these brave men, women and children did for France and yes, for the world in WWII France.
Natasha Lester has shined a light on a woman who is one of the many heroes of Word War II in France that made many daring deeds and had many losses within her life during the war but she also had a deep love for France and freedom so her children and many others can experience that once again. THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE is a story with many highs, lots of lows and story that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end. I can honestly say this story was full of twists, turns and laughter and tears and an ending I so didn't see coming. This a story that needed to be told of a person who made history at a time when you never knew if you were going to live or die from the moment you woke up to when you slept that night. The brave men and women of the Resistance are the heroes alongside the military might of the Allies and these regular people fought for their country, their families and for freedom. If you haven't read one of this author's books before I highly recommend THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE as your introduction into this author's writing and storytelling. Ms. Lester delivers a sweeping story that takes you from Morocco to France to England and beyond. With each book I have read from this author, I have learned of people who were just like you and me, regular folk who did amazing things at a time when those feats were needed desperately. I look forward to seeing where Ms. Lester goes next in her next book and hope I don't have a long wait to see where she goes next.
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**spoiler alert** Suan Mallery delivers another wonderful story filled with family, romance and more with her new release, BEACH VIBES. I absolutely l**spoiler alert** Suan Mallery delivers another wonderful story filled with family, romance and more with her new release, BEACH VIBES. I absolutely love this author’s books and her latest book, BEACH VIBES, is full of her signature writing style and captivates the reader with family drama, romances and more within the pages of BEACH VIBES. The story flows smoothly with a lush and intriguing setting that makes me want to visit. I really enjoyed the varied and complex characters she introduces the readers to. From Beth and Jana to their families & friends, each is unique and has its own unique voice. Meet Beth and Jana. Beth is recently divorced and trying to move on. She’s content with her life owning and running a local sandwich shop, Surfside Sandwiches and finally made a new friend, Jana, who volunteers with her at a local shelter. Even if she longs for more in her life, she feels stuck and is content not to move forward. Jana is a bubbly single mom determined to better her life for herself and her daughter. Living with her brother and his kids has helped and she is enjoying her classes for her degree as she works at the local doctor’s office. Both Beth and Jana are intriguing and captivating characters. It took me several pages to warm up to Beth as she comes across, initially, as standoffish and rigid compared to Jana, who comes across the pages as bright, sunny and open-hearted. Both characters bring something to one another’s lives, and I love how their friendship continues to grow and evolve with all its ups and downs. Their respective families are fun and had me flipping the pages to see what they would do next within the story. The romances for both women also kept me glued to the pages and when Beth finds out some things about her brother, Rick, that will affect Jana and Beth in ways she doesn’t anticipate, it was interesting to see how Beth reacted to all that. The characters in BEACH VIBES are well written and kept my attention through the whole book. I loved Beth’s Aunt Agatha and Jana’s brother Teddy and his kids were so much fun and they’re responses within the story had me laughing at times in delight. BEACH VIBES is a complex story filled with warmth, family drama and relationships that range from friendships to romantic ones to family relationships. I loved how the author delivers a story filled with a few twists that had me gasping in shock even as I rooted for Beth and Jana to get their happy ever after. If you are looking for a great spring or summer book to devour, then BEACH VIBES is the one for you. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for her readers next. ...more
Detective Amanda Steele and her partner, Trent Stenson are up against a killer who is skilled at keeping hidden and as more bodies drop, they are on tDetective Amanda Steele and her partner, Trent Stenson are up against a killer who is skilled at keeping hidden and as more bodies drop, they are on the hunt for answers even as Amanda's personal life explodes.
Her Deadly rose kept me guessing till the very end. Who I thought was the killer wasn't and the twists and turns had me guessing. I really like this series from Carolyn Arnold and can't wait for the 13th book to get here in early 2025. Ms. Arnold is a entertaining storyteller who keeps getting better with each book I read from her. I do enjoy how complex and unique her MC's are and I love how Amanda and Trent continue to grow with each book in the series. If you haven't tried this series and Crime Fiction is your jam, then this series will give you all that and more. Now I am eager for the next case Amanda and Trent tackle because I am sure it will be a doozy....more
**spoiler alert** DESOLATION CODE is the next installment in Clive Cussler’s NUMA Files series and is one wild ride from start to finish. What I love **spoiler alert** DESOLATION CODE is the next installment in Clive Cussler’s NUMA Files series and is one wild ride from start to finish. What I love about Clive Cussler’s books is how he incorporates history and contemporary issues seamlessly together. With author Graham Brown driving the story as well, he does a masterful job in keeping Clive Cussler’s creation of NUMA Files Characters intact while giving the readers a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Meet Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, two of NUMA’s agents as they help in the Indian Ocean trying to get the beached marine life back out in the ocean before they perish. But when their research is stolen and a high-speed chase ends in more questions, Kurt, Joe and the gang have to figure out just who doesn’t want their findings to be known. What I love about the Numa Books is how the characters are so lifelike, they just flow off the pages into the room. I love how Mr. Brown keeps the core of who these characters are while also giving them more danger to deal with in a high stakes game that is deadly to the core. Clive Cussler was a wonderful author who created these characters among others, and I am thrilled to see his legacy continue his work with other authors helping to keep the series going. DESOLATION CODE delivers lots of twists and turns, a loss of a beloved character that was hard to deal with and more.
DESOLATION CODE has everything I love-advance technology., a storyline that weaves a spell around the reader and an ending you don’t see coming. Clive Cussler and Graham Brown deliver another exciting installment in the NUMA Files series that will surely deliver a bang to the reader. I can’t wait to see what happens next for the NUMA crew in the future. This is an Objective Review and not an endorsement....more
**spoiler alert** RaeAnne Thayne is one of my favorite authors to read as her books are captivating, heartwarming and fun to read. THE DECEMBER MARKET**spoiler alert** RaeAnne Thayne is one of my favorite authors to read as her books are captivating, heartwarming and fun to read. THE DECEMBER MARKET is another winner that this author has given her readers. Set in her new series, Shelter Springs, this next installment gives readers another look into the town and its residents around the happiest time for the year, Christmas. With two main characters who are determined to ignore all the hoopla that surrounds the holiday season and with paths crossing all the time, Amanda and Rafe became one of my favorite characters to root for., Both are wounded in ways readers can relate to and feel for as they navigate their grandparent's blossoming relationship, which, by the way, was so much fun to read. I loved that part of the storyline so much as it shows how romance doesn't stop at any age.
THE DECEMBER MARKET is a perfect accompanist to the upcoming holiday season and if you haven't read this author's books before I highly recommend this series plus other books by this prolific author. Her books are relatable and entertaining with a diverse cast of characters you fall in love with. This is a stand alone romance that you don't need to read book one, Christmas at the Shelter Inn. I can't wait to see if this author continues in this series and what else she may have in store for this sweet and lively town....more
**spoiler alert** For Sherriff Bree Taggert, a brutal double murder brings back bad memories of her past when she gets a call that a teenager found he**spoiler alert** For Sherriff Bree Taggert, a brutal double murder brings back bad memories of her past when she gets a call that a teenager found her parents dead when she got home from work. Bree teams up with investigator Matt Flynn to try to figure out the twists in a complicated case that seems to make more questions than answers. With time running out, Claire, the teenage daughter of the murdered adults is targeted by the killer and if Bree, Matt and the rest of the Sherriff’s office can’t figure out what the past has in common with the crime, Claire will be gone and possibly dead.
TRACK HER DOWN is one wild ride from start to finish. With tight writing, captivating characters and a mystery that seems to have so many twists and turns the reader is on the edge of their seat trying to figure out what just happened and why. I have loved Melinda Leigh’s books since I discovered her a few years ago in her Morgan Dane books.
For Sherriff Bree Taggert, this case brings up memories of her parent’s murder-suicide and she empathizes with the teenager, Claire Mason, and tries to help her get answers even as the case makes so many questions as they investigate that Bree and Matt have no idea what is going on or why the Mason’s were targeted. The characters are what makes this series so good. With each book, they grow and evolve. This makes reading these books in the series so enjoyable. I love how the author knows her characters so well, she lets them all shine, regardless of if they are the MC’s or secondary ones. All deliver fine performances in TRACK HER DOWN.
The latest installment in the Bree Taggert series is an entertaining and enjoyable whodunit that kept me glued to the pages till the very end. I didn’t even know who the killer was until that last chapter and even then, I was shocked by who it was. I love books that keep me guessing till the end and this one had just enough red herrings to keep me guessing alongside the characters. Ms. Leigh is a fabulous storyteller and in TRACK HER DOWN she delivers a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and cheering when the final reveal of who was the bad guy(s). I can’t wait to see what else is in store for Bree and the gang in upcoming books, I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for it.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement...more
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