Danielle - No Apology Book Reviews

Interview with Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (Meet Me in Monaco)

July 19, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb brings Grace Kelly back to life. Readers will take a journey to the Cannes Film Festival in 1955 as the authors intertwine the romance between the actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco and their characters Sophie Duval and James Henderson. These two authors, “Team H,” have a chemistry when writing together. They have a knack for creating an enchanting story written in …

Fortuna Sworn by K. J. Sutton

March 8, 2022July 19, 2019

Update 3/2/22: I finally got the audiobook from the library last week and had an opportunity to give it a listen. Alas, the book didn’t get better with age. It’s not a bad book by any means, it’s certainly ambitious, but I 100% stand by my criticisms in my original review below. I’m a little curious about the sequels, and I might check them out sometime when I need something to listen to, but they’re definitely not a priority. Ironically, …

Interview with Alison Gaylin (Never Look Back)

July 14, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin is a suspenseful psychological thriller. Her readers will not be disappointed with this latest novel based on a true murder crime spree. The plot delves into how, in 1976, teenage murderers April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy terrorized Southern California’s Inland Empire, killing a dozen victims before perishing in a fire. More than forty years later, a True Crime podcast gets an unexpected tip that April did not die …

Interview with Laurien Berenson (Bite Club)

July 5, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Bite Club by Laurien Berenson takes the bite out of crime with this fun cozy mystery. With a thrilling crime to solve, a likable amateur sleuth, poodles, a bulldog puppy, and interesting insider information about the world of dog shows, readers will enjoy her latest novel. The main character, Melanie Travis, is a dog-lover who welcomes a few friends to participate in a book club she names the “Bite Club.” But her opinionated, bossy …

Steel Resolve by B. J. Daniels

November 4, 2019June 28, 2019

Title: Steel Resolve Author: B. J. Daniels Series: Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy #1 Generic tale with more suspense than romance and underdeveloped MCs I would like to thank B. J. Daniels, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was a solid piece of work, but it lacked personality. It was well plotted and moved at a steady pace that didn’t let me get bored—though it slowed, sometimes a …

Interview with Amanda Flower (Toxic Toffee)

June 28, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Toxic Toffee by Amanda Flower is a delightful cozy mystery that will put a smile on readers’ faces while they try to solve the who done it mystery. As with all the books in the series, murder seems to find Bailey and she enjoys her role as an amateur sleuth along with her “hot” boyfriend Deputy Sherriff Aiden Brody. She divides her time between New York, where she films a cable TV show, and …

Interview with Hilary Davidson (One Small Sacrifice)

June 22, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson is a procedural mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very last chapter. Each thread of the detailed plot unveils one surprising revelation after another. With the compelling characters this story contrasts how good people can go astray with horrible people that have no conscience. The early chapters set the pace for the rest of the book with war photographer Alex Traynor apparently getting away with murdering …

Interview with Lauren Willig (The Summer Country)

June 16, 2019June 16, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Summer Country by Lauren Willig is a very potent story. It allows readers to transport themselves into the minds of the characters during the 1850s in Barbados. What Willig does best is to bring a story to life through heartfelt characters. This engaging tale of Victorian values has love, lies, jealousy, and rebellion. The story is powerful enough but Willig infuses into it a mystery surrounding the Peverills and Beckles sugar plantations. The …

Interview with Wendy Walker (The Night Before)

June 10, 2019

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Night Before by Wendy Walker is a first-class psychological thriller with a lot of twists. Interestingly the premise begins with on-line dating that creates a tension-filled, suspenseful mystery. The plot delves into childhood memories, family relationships, secrets, lies, and betrayals. The story alternates between three time periods. The day of Laura Lochner’s blind-date, the day after, which has her sister, Rosie Ferro, searching for her, and a few months earlier with Laura in …

Interview with Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Double Exposure)

June 2, 2019

Double Exposure by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of the TV series, “Smallville,” brings to life a unique storyline. Set in the 1960s to make the story believable, they explore the question, what if Hitler did not die in the bunker, and is still alive? The plot begins with a KGB Russian agent, turned CIA asset, smuggling a film canister over the Berlin Wall. Because the East Germans shot the agent as well as the canister the CIA …