Review: The Next Chapter Bookshop (Leafwood Falls Book 1) by Brooke Skie

 

 

A heartwarming cozy romance filled with warmth, community, and a touch of bookshop magic.

When Manhattan attorney Charlie Whitmore inherits her aunt’s century-old bookshop in the small town of Leafwood Falls, she plans to stay just long enough to settle the estate. The Oak & Ink Bookshop has always been beloved by locals for its uncanny habit of placing exactly the right story into a reader’s hands… but Charlie isn’t here for charm or magic. She’s here to get back to her high-powered life.

Except nothing in Leafwood Falls goes to plan.

There’s Hemingway, the opinionated orange cat with impeccable literary taste.
There’s the shop itself, with its creaky floors, shifting shelves, and quiet hints of something more.
And there’s the community, warm, welcoming, and far too easy to fall for.

As Charlie uncovers her aunt’s secrets and settles into the rhythm of small-town life, she finds herself drawn into a world she never expected… and to two very different men. Lawrence, a polished developer who represents the life she’s always known. And Ethan, the steady local contractor whose quiet reliability feels like home.

With her heart opening in ways she never planned, Charlie must choose between the future she built, and the one that’s quietly building itself around her.

 

My Review:

Charming and unforgettable. 

When Charlie inherits her aunts bookshop, she had no idea it would change her life. The store seems to know just what everyone needs, whether it’s a book or in Charlie’s case, helping guide her to a fuller happier future.  This book drew me in for the very start.  It is well written with a great plot and characters. I enjoyed seeing how the story played out and what would happen to Charlie and how she would save The Oak & Ink Bookshop. 

 

Review: Long Lost Winter (A Western Edge Mystery Book 3) by Nicole Helm

A stranger with no name. A family with too much to hide. And a storm that could bury the truth forever.

Private investigator Samantha Price thought winter in Marietta, Montana might slow things down. But with the high-profile trial of Benjamin Bennet dominating headlines, and her agency, Honor’s Edge Investigations, busier than ever, there’s no rest in sight. Especially when a rugged John Doe—who looks alarmingly like Nate Bennet—walks in seeking help to uncover his past.

DNA says he’s family. But there’s no record of who he was before. No name. No past. No trail to follow.

The deeper Sam and Nate dig into the tangled branches of the Bennet family tree, the more disturbing the picture becomes. As long-buried secrets come to light, their search for answers draws unwanted attention—and someone will do anything to keep those answers hidden.

When a dangerous storm descends on the mountains, Marietta is cut off—and so are Sam and Nate. Now, the clock is ticking. Can they uncover the truth in time to give a man back his name…without losing their lives in the process?

 

My Review:

Intriguing and entertaining. 

This book was hard to put down.  I admit I did not read the previous books in this series, so it took me a couple of chapters to really get into it.  I am glad I stuck with it.  The story was well written with interesting characters and a great plot.  I really enjoyed this book and I am ready to go back and read the rest of the series that I missed.

 

 

Review: Resolute Security (The Protectors of Boone County, Texas Book 5) by Leslie Marshman

 He’ll get up close and personal…

to keep his charge safe

Jaded security expert Matt Franklin doesn’t believe in second chances—not for his murderous father, and certainly not for ill-advised Texas heiress Erin Montgomery. But the horse trainer has worked years to repent for her past crimes and put her controlling criminal ex behind her. When her violent ex returns, demanding the missing loot from their heist, Matt vows to neutralize the threat. But will Erin’s stubborn insistence to make good compromise her safety, or will the search be their destruction?

 

My Review: 

A fast paced romantic suspense. 

A stalker ex, stolen jewels, a hot bodyguard and lots of action make this book hard to put down. 

When Erin Montgomery’s ex is released from prison, her mother hires Matt Franklin, a bodyguard to look after her.  All Erin wants to do is get rid of him.  Little by little they start to fall for each other.  This could jeopardize the job and Matt’s dream of buying into Resolute Security.  But love is a risk worth taking. 

Review: A Kiss of Southern Magic (Southern Love Spells Book 4) by Sinclair Jayne

She’s given up on love, but her matchmaking sisters have a scheme. He’s a single dad needing a fresh start and a touch of magic to help his little girl…

Pediatrician Sarah Maye moved back home to Belmont, North Carolina years after being widowed, but everything’s changed. Her family’s hit by scandal, her sisters are loved up, and her beloved grandmother has passed. Feeling isolated, Sarah searches for a new purpose—a way to honor their grandmother’s legacy of giving. When the man her sisters tried to set her up with enters her clinic holding his sweet daughter’s hand, Sarah grieves for all she’s missed.

Single dad and history professor Luke Raimy is new to town with a short-term contract and a burning determination to create stability for his daughter as he builds a meaningful career. He’s mortified when he arrives at his daughter’s wellness check to see the elegant woman whom he thinks recently hit on him.

The timing and so much more is wrong, but can a little girl and a possibly enchanted cook book make it right?

 

My Review: 

A great addition to the Southern Love Spells series. 

This is an emotional and heartwarming story about starting over and finding love when you least expect it.  This book has lots of southern charm, sisterly love and a magic cookbook that seems to bring people together.  In this book, Sarah Maye finds her true love with single dad, Forster Raimy, the new professor in town.  I enjoyed watching their love story unfold.