Review: Slay Bells Ring (The Wedding Bell Mysteries #1) by Nancy Robards Thompson

It's one thing to write a mystery, but when your daughter is the suspect -- you solve it.

Wedding planner Jenna Bell doesn’t panic when the groom is a no-show to the ceremony – even though he is her former high school sweetheart and this wedding is the small town's event of the year. However, when he turns up dead and she is falsely accused… well, yeah, now it’s the time to panic.

Jenna’s mother, Maddie, puts her cozy mystery writing skills to use to try to clear her daughter’s name, stepping on by-the-book Chief of Police Jackson Bradley's toes in the process. No matter how enticing he finds her, he doesn’t want this writer-turned-amateur-sleuth interfering with his murder investigation.

With nearly all of Hemlock, North Carolina, picking sides and the town's own Gossip Brigade churning out the rumors, Maddie discovers the mystery isn't very cozy when it hits this close to home.

My Review:

Addictive and entertaining.

Sometimes a review is hard for me to write without giving away too much of the story.  This is one of those books.  But I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the story.  This book really kept me guessing.  I enjoyed Jenna and Maddie’s mother/daughter dynamics and seeing how they worked together to solve the murder of a man who was Jenna’s high school boyfriend.  The author did a great job with the plot and keeping the characters interesting while holding my attention throughout the story.   I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a cozy mystery.  

 

Review: Holidays in Manhattan (The McKinnon Brothers #5) by Jennifer Gracen

They didn’t believe in holiday magic… until it happens to them.

Anna McKinnon is a free spirit. As a bartender in New York City, she answers to no one, keeps what she calls “vampire hours” – and likes it that way. She secretly wishes to find real love, the forever kind her brothers have all found. But love has not only eluded her, it’s burned her badly. Keeping things light is how Anna copes.

David Beren is a high-powered, intense investment banker in the heart of Manhattan. His 80-hour work weeks took over his life long ago, but now, at 35, he’s ready for something more. But what? And then he meets Anna. She’s unexpected – full of light, color, and laughter. Anna knocks him off his game and his feet, and he’s never been happier.

Can total opposites – a feisty, bold girl from Ireland and a quiet, straight-laced Jewish guy from New Jersey – find love at the holidays? With the double whammy of a Hanukkah miracle and some Christmas magic, they just might.

My Review:

An electrifying holiday romance.

Anna McKinnon and David Beren are as opposite as they come.  Anna is a sassy tattooed bartender and David is an investment banker, professional in every way.  Anna is Catholic and David is Jewish.  With these differences, they shouldn’t work, but they do.  And they work well together.  But one thing holds Anna back.  She was hurt by a man in her past and she hasn’t been able to let it go.  It’s up to David to help her realize how good they could be together and that he is in the relationship for the long haul. 

Anna and David are a couple characters I won’t soon forget.  They had real world problems and obstacles to overcome, but when they finally realized they were in love, nothing could tear them apart.  New York City played a big part in this book too.  I could easily visualize the locations that Anna and David visited and picture how the scenes played out.  I also enjoyed the combination of Christmas and Hanukkah together in one story.  It made for a unique tale.  This book really put me in the mood for the holidays.

Review: Royally Abandoned by Sarah Fischer and Kelsey McKnight

A seat on the throne or a place in her heart?

Greyson Montgomery dreams of a simple life, but as the crown prince of Aldora, simple is not in his future. Before ascending the throne on Christmas Eve, Greyson is given one month to explore how the other half lives. Armed with a few hundred dollars and a fake backstory, Greyson flies to Savannah, Georgia, to see if he has what it takes to chase the American Dream.

Scarlett Calhoun is a Southern Belle with a heart as big as a Georgia peach. When she meets the charming construction worker, Greyson, it isn’t long before she is embracing the holiday cheer. Soon, she’s teaching him how to cook, falling for his exotic accent and soulful eyes, and joining him on picnic lunches where they talk for hours.

With Christmas Eve nearing, Greyson must fly back to Aldora and either abdicate the throne, or take his rightful place as king. Will he ignore his birthright to remain with Scarlett or will she be royally abandoned?

My Review:

Charming and sweet.  This book played out like a Hallmark movie in my mind. 

The only thing Greyson wanted was to be like other men.  He was tired of the royal lifestyle.  He didn’t want to become king of Aldora.  So, he picked up and moved to America where no one would know who he was.  He settled in Savannah, Georgia, where he became a construction worker. 

Scarlett was a true southern belle, right down to her high society family who wanted her to marry in their circle of friends.  Scarlett didn’t want any of it.  She wanted to live her life and didn’t care if that life had a man in it or not.  But, when she meets Greyson, everything changes.  He was definitely not the kind of man her mother would approve of, but he was a good man, and that’s what Scarlett wanted.  When Greyson reveals his true identity, Scarlett is blown away.  She accompanies Greyson back to Aldora to meet his family over the Christmas holiday and everything seems to be perfect.  But, is it really?    

I just wanted to crawl into the pages of this book and live.  It was that good.  The characters felt like people I could be friends with and the descriptions of the castle and the Aldora countryside blew me away.  I hope there will be another book following this one because I am already ready to go back to the castle.  This is a sweet, clean romance that anyone who loves a good fairy tale will enjoy.