Book Review: HOT SEAL MIDNIGHT MAGIC (SEALS in Paradise Series) by Teresa Reasor

About the Book

Navy SEAL Gage Fontenot is home for the first time in two years because his grandmother, who raised him, is in the hospital after a brutal assault. He has four weeks to get the lay of the land, find who’s responsible, and guarantee the attacker gets the punishment he deserves. When he’s met at the airport by Mia, the woman he jilted six years ago, his visit becomes much more complicated. Because his reasons for leaving New Orleans all lead back to her. 

Psychic Mia Blanchard knows there’s always a price to pay for the best things in life, but she’s shocked by the dramatic change in Gage. Gone is the lighthearted Cajun who played guitar in the New Orleans clubs. What has happened to make him cut himself off from his home and family? She needs to find out, because she can’t move on until she puts their past behind her. 

But there is more than their personal history in play. She sees danger ahead for them both. But Gage never believed in her gift in the past. How can she convince him to trust it now? 

Review 

Gage's first priority is his grandmother's safety, but seeing Mia brings back memories, guilt, and the pain. With his own sense that something's not right, when Mia has another of her episodes, he's more open to her gift. With his protective instincts and the love he still has for her he's determined nothing will happen to Mia or his grandmother. 

Reasor tells a tale that has all the markings of a second chance romance, all the while building the suspense that someone is out to get Mia, and Gage may be in danger as well. The characters are well-developed and I liked both Mia, Gage, and his grandmother. An enjoyable and engaging page-turner, the plot speeds up and intensifies as the story continues. 

AMAZON

About the Author New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Teresa Reasor was born in Southeastern Kentucky, but grew up a Marine Corps brat. The love of reading instilled in her in Kindergarten at Parris Island, South Carolina made books her friends during the many transfers her father's military career entailed. The transition from reading to writing came easily to her and she penned her first book in second grade. But it wasn't until 2007 that her first published work was released. 

After twenty-one years as an Art Teacher and ten years as a part-time College Instructor, she's now retired and living her dream as a full-time Writer. Her body of work includes both full-length novels and shorter pieces in many different genres, including Military Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance and a Children's Book.

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Book Review: PUPPIED TO DEATH (A Dog Lover's Cozy Mystery - Barkview Mysteries Book 9) by C. B. Wilson

About the Book 

A Murder, an Ancient Secret, and a Puppy You Can’t Help but Love 

A desperate call from her sister sends investigative reporter Cat Hawl on a rescue mission to Hawaii. But when she arrives, it's more than she bargained for. Not only is a tea sommelier found dead, but a mischievous puppy has turned the crime scene into a dog’s breakfast. And to top it off, Cat’s sister, Lani, has gone missing. Is she a witness or on the run? 

With local police suspecting the worst, Cat takes matters into her own hands. Armed with the help of the sharp-witted Miss Marple Mahjong Mamas, she starts uncovering clues that point to a centuries-old mystery tied to the Forbidden City. Could a thousand-year-old legend be the key to the mounting body count and chaotic puppy mayhem? 

Review 

Cat leaves her mostly normal habitat of Barkview, CA to return to Hawai where she hasn't lived in many years. She doesn't have any choice, when a professor is found dead and her sister, Lani vanishes. Aside from helping out the professor, Lani also dog-sat and now Cat's  Mahjong-loving mother is stuck with two puppies and an ornery cat, convinced the dogs will help find Lani. Cat goes from kidnapped and treated to a special tea, to keeping the Mahjong mothers out of trouble. Her husband, Russ, joins her and is the sanest of the bunch. Besides, he's FBI and has contacts.

Leaving Barkview behind and weaving culture and ancient treasures, the result is a well-orchestrated mystery with unexpected surprises. True to form, the French Bulldog adds to the sleuthing. The quirky characters and the rivalries for the secrets to the special tea further add to the novelty of the book. It was hard to guess at the killer until the very end - always a good thing for a mystery. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.  

AMAZON

About C.B. Wilson  

C.B. Wilson is the award-winning author of the Barkview Mysteries series. Her love of writing was spurred by an early childhood encounter with a Nancy Drew book where she wrote what she felt was a better ending. She later studied at the Gemology Institute of America, where she developed a passion for researching lost, stolen, and missing diamonds. 

C.B.'s love for dogs and their owners inspired her to create Barkview, California--the dog-friendliest city in America. Her books perfectly blend mystery, dogs, and passionate owners, making them a must-read for all mystery lovers. 

When she's not writing, C.B. enjoys playing pickleball and traveling to participate in tournaments. She currently resides in Peoria, AZ, where she continues to write captivating mysteries that keep her readers on the edge of their seats.

AUTHOR LINKS

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Book Review: A CHRISTMAS CORPSE ( A Christmas Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by Kate Forrest writing as Mona Maple

About the Book

Welcome to Candy Cane Hollow, where every day feels like Christmas! 

Holly Wood (yes, that's her real name) is driving home for Christmas and not feeling too happy about the empty house waiting for her. When her car skids into a snow bank, she's rescued by a sweet old lady who promises her name is Mrs Claus.

Holly is taken to Candy Cane Hollow to recover, and finds herself in a genuine winter wonderland. As Christmas Day approaches, the grouchy medical receptionist appears to have been poisoned by a mince pie. And to Holly's surprise, Mrs Claus is the prime suspect. With Mrs Claus under suspicion, Holly vows to return the woman's generosity by clearing her name. Maybe it will impress Mrs Claus' dimpled dish of a son, too? 

Review 

From the character names, the magical surroundings, and the romance budding between Holly and Nick who is hiding his own kind of magic and the busy night ahead of him, this was a fun read. It has all the feels of a Christmas cozy, with the requisite mystery - and everyone knows Mrs. Claus isn't guilty - and a side of romance. 

Mona Maple's writing is flawless and the pace is steady. A major problem with Candy Cane Hollow is that it's hard to quickly identify who the killer is. They are all magical. I enjoyed this one - it's a great start of a series. I'll return to Candy Cane Hollow to enjoy more of this light, magical, world Maple has created.

AMAZON

The Christmas Cozy Mystery Series

A Christmas Corpse

Slay Bells Ring

A Lost Clause

Mistletoe Murder

Candy Cane Killer

Yule Be Sorry

About Mona Marple 

ONE PENNY A STORY, I called across the playground.  

Entirely unusual, given how shy I was (and still am), for me to be shouting anything across a playground. But there I was, a double-sided sheet of narrow ruled paper (I've always been kind of particular about the paper I like. Back then, narrow ruled. Now, grid.) in my hand, selling stories I hadn't yet wrote. 

Every line featured a different title. I'd lay on my bed the night before thinking of them all, probably singing along to Boyzone songs as I did [hey, don't judge... I see you over there like you never thought you were destined to marry a boy band singer...]. My school friends could buy a Mona original for one penny. One penny! 

They'd pick the title they liked, hand over their sweaty penny, and I'd write the story for them. And I've never grown out of writing stories. Now, I write cozy mystery stories from my den in the Peak District, and when I'm not writing them, I'm reading them.

AUTHOR LINKS

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Book Review: DEAL BREAKER (The first book in the Myron Bolitar series) by Harlan Coben

Taking a walk on the wild side with a fantastic author...

About the Book (from Amazon)

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend—a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead—the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed. 

Review

This one caught my eye and, as with other books by this author, I was not disappointed. Myron is a sports agent, but also a lawyer with a military background, and an athlete. He partners with Win, who has his own business, and is working as a sports agent - in effect his love of sports and understanding of how young men could be manipulated added to his knowledge of law. It all makes sense. But more importantly, he is a wiseass PI up there with Mike Hammer, Spenser and others. 

This is the first in the series - and now I have to go back and find the others. There was tension, danger, humor, and romance. Three murders, all woven in a tangled web. Hard to put down and a great read but not exactly cozy.

The first chapter is provided at the Amazon site.

About the Author (from Amazon)

Harlan Coben is the winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony awards. His critically acclaimed novels have been published in thirty-three languages around the world and have been number one bestsellers in more than half a dozen countries. In addition to the Myron Bolitar series (Deal Breaker, Drop Shot, Fade Away, Back Spin, One False Move, The Final Detail, Darkest Fear, and the upcoming Promise Me), he is also the author of Tell No One, Gone for Good, Innocent, The Woods, and Hold Tight.

Myron Bolitar 12-Book Series

Website

Book Review: SECRETS, SONGBIRDS AND SUCCULENTS: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Book 3 by Iris March

Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents: 

A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery Cozy Mystery 

3rd in Series 

Setting – Ohio 

Publisher ‏ : Wandering Gingko Press (January 23, 2025) 

ABOUT THE BOOK

The annual Buckeye Trail Town Festival. A trail construction site. And one dead naturalist. 

The charming town of Hawthorn Heights is celebrating its connection to the Buckeye Trail with a weekend-long town festival. When a local naturalist is found dead at the bottom of a ravine off the trail, amateur sleuth and garden center manager Molly Green finds herself tangled in a murder investigation – again. 

As the Trail Festival concludes, Molly unearths unexpected secrets about the bird-obsessed naturalist’s life along with other people in her small community. When the police focus on who Molly knows is the wrong suspect, she starts her own investigation with her flock of fellow amateur detectives. Will Molly and her team identify the killer or will they fly away free? 

Secrets, Songbirds, and Succulents is a heartwarming and suspenseful cozy mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries and amateur sleuths with both birding and eco-friendly themes. 

REVIEW

This was a fun cozy mystery. Molly and her friends work together to solve the murder. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. The plot moved at a steady pace with unexpected twists to the killer. Small town mystery and one that cozy mystery lovers will enjoy.

This is the third in the series. I haven't read the first two, and that did not affect the readability. At the same time, I always recommend people start at the beginning to watch as characters grow and relationships change. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Purchase Link 

Amazon 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Iris March has a reputation for killing houseplants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats. 

Author Links 

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