Friday, June 23, 2017


A Crime of Passion Fruit (A Bakeshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
St. Martin’s Paperbacks (June 27, 2017)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250088079
E-Book ASIN: B01MRU56AS
Torte―everybody’s favorite small-town family bakeshop―is headed for the high seas, where murder is about to make a splash. . .
Jules Capshaw is trying to keep her cool as Torte gets set to make its transformation from quaint, local confectionary café to royal pastry palace. Meanwhile, Jules’s estranged husband Carlos is making a desperate plea for her to come aboard his cruise ship and dazzle everyone with her signature sweets. She may be skeptical about returning to her former nautical life with Carlos but Jules can’t resist an all-expense-paid trip, either. If only she knew that a dead body would find its way onto the itinerary . .
“A warm and inviting atmosphere, friendly and likable main characters, and a nasty murder mystery to solve!” ―Fresh Fiction
Now, instead of enjoying tropical drinks on deck between whipping up batches of sea-salted chocolates and flambéing fresh pineapple slices in the kitchen, Jules is plunged into dangerous waters. Her investigation leaves her with more questions than answers: Why can’t anyone on board identify the young woman? And how can she help Carlos keep passengers at ease with a killer in their midst? Jules feels like she’s ready to jump ship. Can she solve this case without getting in too deep?
“A perfect mix for fans of Jenn McKinlay, Leslie Budewitz, or Jessica Beck.”
―Library Journal
About The Author
Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.
Author Links

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Tuesday, June 20, 2017


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THE BELOVED HOPE CHEST by AMY CLIPSTON

What a beautiful ending to an emotional series. This one really tugged at my heart and I believe it is the authors best book to date. She wrote with such compassion as the characters experienced pain, disappointment  grief and loss of trust. When the hope chest is opened we are swept back to a time  when Mattie was on top of the world. She slowly began to tell her story that had long been a secret . As the items from her hope chest are revealed her children begin to hear about their mom's past. Is Mattie ready to relive the past? Is the pain still fresh as she begins to share her memories?

Mattie was a woman in love . She had found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. But in one instant everything changes for Mattie. She begins to realize her husband has been gone along time. He went to the bank but that was hours ago. A knock on her door will send her into despair and grief. How will she deal with the sudden death of her husband ? I loved how the author showed readers that Amish are just as vulnerable as anyone else when we go to public places. Mattie is told that her husband died a hero but that doesn't make her pain any easier. What will she do now that she is alone and pregnant?

I have to say that Leroy was my favorite character. He is a very good , honest and caring man. He has known Maddie since they were kids. Leroy has always loved Maddie but stepped aside when her heart fell for another. He hates to see her in pain and decides to step in and marry her. He wants to do everything he can to help Mattie and the baby she is carrying.  Will they be able to handle anymore  tragedies?  Will Mattie turn to Leroy for support? What a wonderful man  Leroy is. He reminded me of my husband so much. We had a lot of problems through out early married life. My husband continued to stand by me and pray for me even when I hurt him emotionally. He showed  me what unconditional love was and helped me find my way back to God.

 This story is about forgiving, trusting God and letting go of the past. I loved how the author used a basket from one of the earlier books in the series. It will play a pivotal role in Mattie and Leroy's relationship. Throughout the book we see how hard it is for Mattie to let anyone in as she griefs  . Do we push people away when we are hurting? Do we forget that God is there waiting to comfort us? One of the things I loved the most about this book was how Leroy would not give up. He knew that God had chosen Mattie to be his wife and he held on to that promise. I encourage you to grab some tissues as you read this emotional story of grief and unconditional love.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Fiction Guild.  The review is my own opinion.
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Monday, June 19, 2017


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WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED? By WILLIAM E. COMBS

I really enjoyed how the author told the story of Adam and Eve and brought out points that made things clearer . It is one of the Bible stories that most people have heard, but not really broke down into sections that help readers understand the significance of this story. I loved how the author said that instead of looking at what they did wrong " it might more appropriately be viewed as separation or alienation." When we sin do we feel naked? I thought about that question a lot. For me, when I do something that is not of God I do sense a feeling of nakedness. I feel vulnerable and not covered in His protectiveness.

The author goes into depth about other people in the Bible who had gone against God. I loved how he explained the scriptures and gave examples to help readers visualize what the Word is saying. The author does explain that he has taken some liberties in the retelling of some of the stories in the Bible. I found it refreshing to look at a different point of view and understand about where sin came come. So many of us do wrong things  and then try to blame someone else for the deed. What would it be like if we owned what we did wrong ? What freedom would it bring?

One of my favorite chapters is when the author talks about anxiety. I have suffered from PTSD for a long time. Anxiety and depression is part of living with PTSD. It can keep you locked away so no one can get close to you. "Anxiety is  signal we do not have a solution for a given situation." When the author talked about Christ's peace and that it "remains in our hearts and minds, guarding and protecting us from the worry and anxiety normally accompanying a stressful environment," it reminded me that I'm not alone. We try to solve things on our own instead of calling on Jesus to help us.

I loved that the author included study questions at the end of every chapter. It helps readers go deeper into the Word and reexamine the chapter and apply the questions to our  walk with Christ. The book was well written and I found it to be very helpful. I look forward to more books from this very gifted author.

I received a copy of this book from the author and The BookClub Network. The review is my own opinion.
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Fatal Facade
by Wendy Tyson

Tyson had us on a twisty trail to figure out this mystery and I loved it.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book 
Fatal Facade was a fun fast paced suspenseful thriller. That will keep the reader on the edge of the seat.
~My Reading Journeys

Fatal Facade (An Allison Campbell Mystery Book 4)
Cozy Mystery/Suspense
4th in Series
Henery Press (June 13, 2017)
Paperback: 278 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112238
E-BOOK ASIN: B06XP2QG4P
Allison Campbell accepted a dream assignment: a visit to the Italian Dolomites to help Hollywood socialite Elle Rose reinvent herself. A guest cottage on the grounds of Elle’s historic castle promises to be a much-needed respite from Allison’s harried life on the Philadelphia Main Line, and the picturesque region, with its sharp peaks, rolling pastures, and medieval churches, is the perfect spot from which to plan her upcoming wedding.
Only this idyllic retreat is anything but peaceful. There are the other visitors—an entourage of back-biting expats and Hollywood VIPs. There’s Elle’s famous rock star father, now a shadowy recluse hovering behind the castle’s closed doors. And then there’s Elle’s erratic behavior. Nothing is as it seems. After a guest plummets to her death from a cliff on the castle grounds, Allison’s trip of a lifetime turns nightmarish—but before she can journey home, Allison must catch a killer.
Books in the Allison Campbell Mystery Series:

About The Author
Wendy Tyson’s background in law and psychology has provided inspiration for her mysteries and thrillers. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Wendy has returned to her roots and lives there again on a micro-farm with her husband, three sons and three dogs.  Wendy’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals, and she’s a contributing editor and columnist for The Big Thrill and The Thrill Begins, International Thriller Writers’ online magazines. Wendy is the author of the Allison Campbell Mystery Series and the Greenhouse Mystery Series.
Author Links
Twitter: @WendyTyson
Purchase Links
Amazon  B&N  kobo


Review.jpg

I definitely liked the setting right away. Who wouldn't want to go to Italy and stay in a castle. The castle sounded really amazing and the details were so vivid. The story is pretty straightforward and I did like Allison. She seemed to be very smart and excited about her new client. As an image consultant, Allison will have her hands full with Elle. Talk about a flaky person. Elle is rude at times, out of sorts at times and in another world the rest of the time.

I think I really liked all the different people staying at the castle because it made the suspects so intriguing. As you can guess there is a murder or maybe it was two murders.  I can't give that away, you need to read the story to find out all the plot twists. I don't know why I kept thinking about the game clue, but with so many people staying at the castle it did remind me a bit of the game. I i really liked how the author used the murder to give readers a very interesting and hard to figure out killer. I always think when the killer is a surprise the author has done a great job of making her characters realistic.

The logical assumption would be that the killer had to be someone staying at the castle. Well at least that was my reasoning. My question to you readers,  is am I right? Did I guess the killer? Was it someone staying at the castle?  The twists and turns in the story are very creative and I really enjoy how the author keeps readers on their toes. I have really become a huge fan of the author with her writing that is somewhat of a Hitchcock  type mystery with seemingly uncaring visitors at the castle and a hostess that is not all there. I hope you pick up a copy and get comfy as you read a story filled with secrets and unsavory characters .

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.


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Tour Participants
June 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
June 14 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
June 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
June 17 –  Nadaness In Motion – INTERVIEW
June 18 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
June 19 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
June 20 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 21 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
June 22 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
June 23 – Books,Dreams,Life – INTERVIEW
June 24 – Lori’s Reading Corner – SPOTLIGHT
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