authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
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Article and Interview by Elise Cooper An Unquiet Peace by Shaina Steinberg brings back the partners Evelyn Bishop and Nick Gallagher, who are now engaged. Not only are readers treated to the cases Evelyn and Nick are working on but also see the role their wedding will play in the story. The first book, Under the Paper Moon, shows how Nick and Evelyn fell in love during the war while working together as OSS partners, only to break up over …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates is two stories in one novel. There is the modern western and it also takes readers back to the Wild West days. The Wild West was known for its bank robbers, stage robbers and the shootouts as well as the Gold Rush. In the town today they still believe what was told to them about outlaws’ vs lawmen. The journal entries made by the ancestors of a fictional town …
Title: Bull Moon Rising Author: Ruby Dixon Series: Royal Artifactual Guild #1 MUCH thanks to Ruby Dixon, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m a recent Ruby Dixon fan, and I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I first read the premise and saw the pretty cover last year. Life happened and I wasn’t able to read it right away when it came out last fall, …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Dark Rising is the fourth book by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson in the Shepherds Series. Brian, a former submarine officer and Jeff, a former combat surgeon, use their experiences to write riveting novels, this one no different. Readers are never disappointed when they pick up one of their series, whether Sons of Valor, Tier One, Four Minutes, and the Shepherds along with the Tom Clancy series. What sets this series apart from the …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Amish Bride’s Secret and Uncovering Her Amish Past by Patrice Lewis both have female leads that appear to have deceived the male lead. The Amish Bride’s Secret plot has Cara Lengacher needing to start over after a broken engagement and an out of wedlock pregnancy. She decides to accept Matthew Miller’s advertisement for a mail order bride and move to Montana. But she must navigate her pregnancy and hope it will not affect …
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Spring 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: Perfect Fit Author: Clare Gilmore Series: n/a Thank you to Clare Gilmore, RB Media, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t intentionally DNF at 82%, but life interrupted and circumstances are preventing me from finishing it. I enjoyed what I did read, though. Josie and Will are wonderful, sympathetic characters with relatable …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Only Light in London by Lily Graham is a heart-wrenching story. It delves with loneliness, love, endurance and compassion. The plot has a Jewish journalist, Sebastien, in Germany, needing to escape to London before he is captured. He must leave behind his sister and parents, hoping that they will join him soon. Alone and grieving his family left behind, he joins a local amateur dramatics group. When Sebastien enters the meeting place, he …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson is a fast-paced roller coaster ride of deceit, espionage, and danger inspired by real historical figures. The setting of Lisbon plays a significant role because Portugal was a neutral country filled with espionage, romance, and friendship. The main characters are two Boston librarians, Selene Delmont and Beatrice Sullivan, who are trained by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (precursor to CIA) and assigned to work in Lisbon. …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Two of Us is a novella anthology that includes The Odd Couple by Lori Foster and Force of Nature by Maisey Yates. The plots focus on rescue dogs and how they brought together two meant-to-be couples. Elise Cooper: Idea for The Odd Couple? Lori Foster: The idea originated with the first book in a series of guys connected by close friendships that have fostered a sort of brotherhood. There will be four books …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Last Fashion House in Paris, by Renee Ryan, is a companion novel to both The Widows of Champagne and The Paris Housekeeper. This story is more historical suspense than romance and the relationship in this book between the lovers takes a backseat to the platonic relationship between the women. It is about women community where the characters are mentors, friends, sisters, and mothers. They show strength, tenacity, solidarity and resilience in WWII Nazi …