contemporary - No Apology Book Reviews

Interview with Patricia Johns (Her Amish Country Valentine)

April 7, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Her Amish Country Valentine by Patricia Johns blends Englishers within an Amish community. Readers will have fun seeing how a romance can bloom from strangers to friends to falling in love. What also makes the plot interesting is how the author has set up not one, but four different relationship stories. The story opens with Jill Wickey coming to Danke Pennsylvania for her younger sister’s wedding. She is staying with her Amish great-aunt, Belinda, …

Interview with Lenora Worth (Pinecraft Refuge)

March 25, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Pinecraft Refuge by Lenora Worth allows readers to get to know the real-life community of Pinecraft, Florida. It delves into family values and how family can be a burden and a blessing. Both the hero and the heroine’s mom have a lot in common. Both wanted to cuddle and smother their children, being overprotective and overbearing. The heroine, Eva, is frail, shy, blunt, feels she is a Plain Jane with self-esteem problems. She can …

Interview with Patrice Lewis (The Mysterious Amish Nanny)

February 4, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Mysterious Amish Nanny by Patrice Lewis is a very uplifting book. It has readers understanding how someone needs to change their lifestyle for their emotional well-being, preferring to have family come first. The heroine, Ruth Wengerd, quits her lucrative job on Wall Street and impulsively leaves behind everything to go on a cross-country trip. Unfortunately, her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and she needs to be rescued by an Amish …

Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan

January 31, 2023

Title: Murder at an Irish Castle Author: Ellie Brannigan Series: An Irish Castle Mystery #1 Poorly written Much thanks to Ellie Brannigan, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudiobook in exchange for an honest review. If you’re looking for a juicy mystery, you won’t find it here. This is primarily a women’s fiction story about a woman who not only loses everything but who also has to move to Ireland or she’ll destroy hundreds …

Interview with Freya Barker (High Mountain Tracker series)

January 28, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The High Mountain Tracker four book series by Freya Barker has characters people will root for within a very suspenseful plot. The characters are strong, mature, and range in age from their late thirties to middle age with both the hero and heroine having histories and hang ups to navigate. In each book there are strong independent women facing off against alpha-males. It is a modern-day western suspense with added doses of romance. The …

Don’t Open the Door by Allison Brennan

January 19, 2023

Title: Don’t Open the Door Author: Allison Brennan Series: Regan Merritt #2 Loved this installment Much thanks to Allison Brennan, Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA, and Netgalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Justine Sha for providing the link to the galley. I’m relieved to say I greatly enjoyed this book! I’ve only read a handful of Brennan’s work, but so far it seems to be hit or miss—there’ll be a …

Interview with Amanda Flower (Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous)

January 14, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous by Amanda Flower is a fabulous cozy mystery that takes place in Harvest Ohio. The duo of Millie Fisher and Lois Henry are back. They are the Odd Couple since Millie is Amish and Lois is English and very flamboyant. Beyond this, readers also learn a bit about the Amish culture, beliefs, and problems. In this story Flower delves into the drug problem among the Amish. As in all the …

Interview with Susan May Warren (Sundown)

January 7, 2023

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Sundown by Susan May Warren is the last book in the trilogy about three brothers. Each brother served in a different branch of the military. The oldest, Dodge, was in the Air Force as a helicopter pilot, the middle brother Colt served as a Delta operative, and the youngest, Ranger, was a Navy Seal. The relationship between the brothers is a central theme after all came home to their ranch in Alaska. Each is …

Review Roundup Fall/Late 2022

January 5, 2023

A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in late 2022. Beware of spoilers! Title: A Sinister Revenge Author: Deanna Raybourn Series: Veronica Speedwell #8 Great thanks to Deanna Raybourn, Berkley, and Edelweiss for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Overall this was a good addition to the series. Not exceptional, but good. I love that Veronica and Tiberious have developed a deep fraternal bond, and I loved the interesting dinosaur …

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

January 5, 2023

Title: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six Author: Lisa Unger Series: n/a Slow, too much head-hopping Much thanks to Lisa Unger, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Boo to Harper Audio for denying me the audio edition. *raspberry* This book is a slow burn for sure; the only thing intriguing in the beginning was the DNA tests from Santa in the prologue. Scratch that, the book’s just slow …