Book Review: One Gold Ring (Century Cottage Cozy Mystery novella) by Dianne Ascroft

One Gold Ring

A Century Cottage Cozy Mystery novella

by

Dianne Ascroft

5 stars!

A missing ring, a frantic search, and an imperiled proposal. 

One Gold Ring is a holiday-themed novella set in the fictional small Canadian town of Fenwater and part of author Dianne Ascroft’s delightful Century Cottage Cozy Mystery series. When Marge Kirkwood carelessly leaves Bruce Murray’s family heirloom, a vintage diamond and ruby gold engagement ring, lying unattended at their table at the local diner, it tragically goes missing just as the ring’s intended recipient, Marge’s best friend, Lois Stone, arrives to join them for breakfast. Frantic to recover the ring without spoiling the surprise of his upcoming yuletide proposal, Bruce and Marge go to great lengths tracking down possible suspects who had access to the ring, with Lois helping them every step of the way. 

This fun novella is a great introduction to this ongoing series, with many of Marge and Lois’s friends and neighbors making cameo appearances as they follow their suspects. A wild chase through the local market, packed with Christmas shoppers, is suspenseful but also studded with comic moments of near misses and unfortunate last-minute escapes. The story had me breathless, wondering if there would be a HEA ending! I enjoyed the characters, setting, and storytelling so much that I look forward to reading the earlier books in the series now. 

I recommend ONE GOLD RING to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy a holiday-themed story and small-town Canadian settings. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Book Tour & Giveaway: Fur, Fangs, & Mistletoe by Jessica Coulter Smith

When a struggling single mom and her adorable toddler get snowed in with a grumpy wolf shifter, Christmas magic starts working overtime.

Fur, Fangs, & Mistletoe

Christmas Cove Book 1

by Jessica Coulter Smith

Genre: Paranormal Holiday Romance

Escape to Christmas Cove, a cozy small town where magic, shifters, and holiday romance collide.

After a painful breakup, Riley is ready for a fresh start in Christmas Cove. All she wants is a peaceful life for herself and her two-year-old daughter, Sabrina. Love isn’t on her holiday wish list. When she’s stuck in a blizzard, help arrives in the form of Alex Conors -- a protective, brooding werewolf.

Snowed in with a grumpy shifter and a crackling fire, Riley begins to see the gentle heart behind Alex’s fierce exterior… and Alex finds himself falling for the brave single mom who awakens something he thought he lost long ago.

Hot cocoa and toddler giggles turn strangers into something more. But when Riley’s past resurfaces and threatens the safety she’s found, Alex will have to prove that loyalty, love -- and pack -- are forever.

A warm, emotional holiday romance filled with shifter charm, second chances, and the magic of Christmas. Ideal for fans of protective alphas, found family, and heartfelt happily-ever-afters.

 

🏠 Small-town charm & found family
🐺 Grumpy wolf + sunshine single mom
👩‍👧 Adorable toddler moments
🎁 Snowed-in & forced proximity
💕 Fated mates and holiday magic

 

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The sedan’s engine rattled -- a sound Riley had learned to distinguish from its other mechanical complaints over the past three states. This particular rattle meant she’d make it another fifty miles, maybe more if she kept her speed steady. Her knuckles had gone white on the steering wheel somewhere around the state line, and she couldn’t remember now how to relax them. The GPS showed their arrival in Christmas Cove, and Riley’s shoulders tensed further, an automatic response to any declaration of reaching a destination.

Dusk had settled over the town. Main Street stretched before her, lined with Victorian storefronts that belonged in a Thomas Kincade painting. White lights twisted around lampposts, and wreaths hung at precise intervals, each decorated with the same combination of pine cones and red ribbon. Fresh snow dusted the sidewalks in a way that seemed too perfect, too deliberate. Riley checked her rearview mirror again -- the same compulsive glance she’d made every thirty seconds for the past six hours. Empty road. No one following. No one cared where she went.

She drove slowly past the Sugar Moon Café, noting its warm glow and the silhouettes of people inside. Past a bookstore with a display of holiday romances in the window. Past a hardware store already closed for the evening, its owner probably home with family, sitting down to dinner, living a normal life. The thought made something twist in Riley’s chest, but she pushed it down. Normal was a luxury she couldn’t afford to want.

The residential streets branched off from downtown. Riley followed the GPS directions, checking the crumpled paper in her cup holder against the street signs and the directions from the GPS. One too many times, it had taken her the wrong way. Oak Street. Maple Avenue. Someone had named these roads with an almost nauseating wholesomeness, as if determined to prove the town’s charm. She turned onto Pine Ridge Road, where the houses grew sparser and the forest pressed closer to the road.

A small sound from the backseat made Riley’s gaze dart to the mirror. Sabrina stirred in her car seat, her head rolling to the side as she woke from the nap that had mercifully consumed the last hour of driving. Riley watched her daughter’s eyes flutter open, adjusting to the darkness and the strange lights outside.

“Mama?” Sabrina’s voice carried that quality of toddler confusion. Not quite upset, but teetering on the edge of it.

“We’re here, sweetie.” Riley forced warmth into her voice, though her jaw ached from clenching. “Look at all the pretty lights.”

Sabrina pressed her mittened hands against the window, leaving tiny smudges on the glass. “Lights!” She bounced in her seat as much as the straps would allow. “Pretty, Mama! Pretty!”

“Very pretty.” Riley’s smile felt tight on her face. She wanted to share her daughter’s uncomplicated joy, but she kept scanning the streets, cataloging escape routes, noting which houses had lights on and which sat dark. Old habits. Necessary habits.

The GPS announced their final turn, and Riley’s breath caught. The cottage stood at the end of a short gravel drive, a small structure someone’s grandfather had most likely built and barely maintained enough to keep standing. A single porch light illuminated the front door, and beyond it, the forest loomed.

Riley pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. The sudden silence felt heavy, broken only by Sabrina’s humming as she kicked her feet against her car seat. Riley sat motionless, her hands still gripping the wheel, and studied their new home.

The cottage was smaller than the photos had suggested. Single-story, with a chimney that leaned slightly to the left. The windows were dark, revealing nothing of the interior. Snow had drifted against the front steps, undisturbed except for what looked like animal tracks, probably a deer or raccoon. The porch railing needed paint, and one shutter hung at an angle.

But for now the house was theirs. For six months, at least, with the first month paid in advance with money Riley had saved from extra shifts and skipped meals. Six months to figure out what came next. After that, she’d have to either renew the lease, or move on to another town.

“Out, Mama!” Sabrina had moved past patient and into demanding. “Out now!”

“Just a minute, baby.”

Riley scanned the neighboring properties. The nearest house sat quite a distance down the road, its windows dark. On the other side, nothing but forest. The isolation should have comforted her. Fewer people meant fewer questions, fewer chances of being found. But instead, it made her hyperaware of how alone they were. No witnesses if something went wrong. No one to hear them scream.

She shook her head, dislodging the thought. Nothing was going to go wrong. This was a fresh start in a quiet town where nobody knew her name or her history. Where Sabrina could grow up without her mother constantly looking over her shoulder.

Jessica Coulter Smith is an acclaimed romance writer with a passion for storytelling. Her works showcase the power of love and its ability to transcend boundaries, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. With a unique writing style and perspective, Jessica continues to inspire and entertain readers from all walks of life.

Find her online…

 

Website * Blog * Facebook * Instagram * BookBub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

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Book Review: Holidays and Homicides by 12 USA Today bestselling authors

Holidays & Homicides: short story collection by Rosalie Spielman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fun collection of short stories highlighting holiday mayhem.

Holidays & Homicides is a fun, holiday-themed collection of short stories set in the series’ worlds of 12 of the best cozy mystery writers publishing today. The theme and the shorter length of the stories make this book the perfect read during the busy run-up to Christmas and the New Year!

Each one of the included stories is a gem, and while some of my favorite authors have contributed to the collection, many are from writers I have yet to read. So, this collection was a super opportunity to sample a storyline or two from a new-to-me author featuring one of their ongoing cozy mystery series. I thoroughly enjoyed them all, and my book wish list has grown as a result.

Even with the overarching theme, the stories still offer plenty of variety. While the title and cover art hint at murder and Christmas, not all the stories are set in December, nor do they feature a yuletide tragedy. For example, in Rosalie Spielman’s A HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS, Tessa Treslow and her Aunt Edna look into the sudden disappearance of some of their downtown businesses’ holiday decorations, while A HEARTLAND HOMICIDE by Gin Jones occurs around Valentine’s Day. However, all the stories shine with the main characters, familiar settings, and charm of their authors’ featured cozy mystery series.

I recommend HOLIDAYS & HOMICIDES: SHORT STORY COLLECTION to cozy mystery readers, especially those looking for a collection of holiday-themed tie-ins.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Book Review: A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter

A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It wasn’t the night they’d planned, but it turned out to be the night they needed.

A Retail Carol by Lee Vetter is an entertaining Christmas satire and an unexpected holiday treat; it is a story of desperation, connections, and redemption of random strangers brought together by time, place, and misdirected wants. The need they believed was critical for the perfect Christmas was the acquisition of the “IT” toy of the year – the Plastic-Thing-3000, but it turned out to be the need for human connection and understanding.

The Westbrook Trading Company, with its aging edifice and barely on-the-edge relevancy, had miraculously held back a cache of what was to prove to be the “IT” toy of the holiday season that year and planned a stunning hourly raffle and midnight-hour final release of its stockpile for Christmas Eve. With the coveted Plastic-Thing-3000 having been sold out everywhere else for weeks, desperate parents crammed into the downtown store for a last-ditch effort at winning Christmas. Among the throng is a hopeful father of two and his single best friend for company; a worn-out single mother and her young daughter; a downtrodden husband, his clueless wife, and their bored teenage daughter; a local pastor with a secret past; the exhausted store employees; and the elderly store owner, who had concocted the last-minute holiday stand-off and hoop-jumping. Each customer goes to the store in hopes of scoring the prize of the season but comes away with something much more precious.

The story is a novelization of a Christmas production and clearly conveys each scene and character encounter with precise, cinematic-quality images, humor, and touching emotional impact. The narrative unfolds from the multiple points of view of the main characters, and readers share in their thoughts and motivations for what is to come. While the story foreshadows and seems to promise that deserving characters will achieve their hearts’ desires this Christmas Eve, there are some truly unforeseen twists in the plot that will surprise, entertain, and warm the heart. I would have loved to have seen this performed on stage, and I know I will be sharing this book in the future.

I recommend A RETAIL CAROL to readers of holiday stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Book Review: A Pantomime of Peril (Cotswold Antique Mystery, #3) by Victoria Tait

A Pantomime of Peril: A British Cozy Murder Mystery by Victoria Tait
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A villain onstage and in real life meets his end during the village pantomime!

A Pantomime of Peril is the third book in author Victoria Tait’s cozy Cotswold Antique Mystery series, featuring friends Dotty Sayers and Keya Varma, who have both been recruited into helping with Dr. Peter Wimsey’s production of a traditional holiday pantomime. When the obnoxious newcomer to the village of Colm Akeman, Wickham Vane, collapses onstage during the first performance of Jack and the Beanstalk, everyone immediately believes it’s the combination of his exertion, the heat from the stage lights, and underlying medical conditions that’s to blame. But when Keya, the local Crime Scene Manager, discovers differently, there’s almost an unlimited number of people who had reason to wish the man ill.

Dotty, Keya, and all the friends and neighbors from their small village are back, and as the holidays close in, it’s up to the ladies to figure out who is actually behind the man’s murder. Dr. Peter Wimsey had launched the pantomime as a means to get their elderly residents out of their houses for some seasonal socializing. Wickham Vane, a well-known but overbearing professional actor and director, who had recently relocated to the village, barges his way into the production, grabs the reins of the show, the role of the giant, and runs off many of the local volunteers. Dotty, busy with a large winter auction at work, has no intention of participating in the theatrical but steps up to fill in where she can. Keya, while engaged in her own business and looking forward to the holidays and a much-deserved escape with her partner, Sujin, volunteers as well, so she is in the wings when the actor utters his final “Fee Fi Fo Fum.” Between her experience and Dotty’s keen observations, there are plenty of folk who had the means and motives to stop the dead man in his tracks.

The holiday season and the victim’s renown all increase the number of suspects on hand, and there are some good red herrings to distract armchair detectives from guessing the perpetrator too quickly. Twists and turns in the plot make for a clever holiday-themed homicide from start to finish.

Although this is the third book in the series, readers new to it will easily be able to read and enjoy this latest installment. I recommend A PANTOMIME OF PERIL to cozy mystery fans.

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Book Review: Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farms Mystery, #1) by Paty Jager

Merry Merry Merry Murder: A Cuddle Farm Mystery by Paty Jager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice holiday-themed start for a new cozy mystery series.

Merry Merry Merry Murder is the debut novel in author Pay Jager’s new cozy Cuddle Farm Mysteries series and features a widow returning to the hometown she grew up in to reunite with her family and start her life without her beloved husband. After the accidental death of her husband two years earlier, Andi Clark had experienced deep grief, and her dog, Cocoa, turned out to be the key to her healing. Realizing she could provide the same type of comfort to others, Andi learned more about therapy animals and decided to move back home to her family’s farm, rebuild her life, and start her own business, taking trained therapy dogs where they were needed most, like schools, hospitals, and retirement facilities. Thus, Cuddle Farms was born and soon expanded to include a miniature donkey, goat, and chicken, as well as Andi’s three dogs: Cocoa, Athena, and Lulu.

The holidays officially kick off in town on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with a Christmas market followed by their traditional tree-lighting ceremony later that night. But during the evening’s festivities, the body of a local woman is discovered, strangled with a string of Christmas lights, and Andi is determined to find justice for the victim’s little girl, whom Andi had overheard confiding to Athena about seeing her mother kissing Santa Claus, a man not her father.

Andi finds out it’s hard to come home after so many years away. People have changed, life has moved on, and there are long-hidden secrets. The dead woman, Lauren Sheffield, is at the center of many of those secrets, and there are plenty of good suspects who have clear motives for wanting her out of their lives. Andi jumps into the case feet first because she wants an inroad with the new sheriff as an investigator: skills she’d developed over the twenty years she was away while helping her husband discreetly solve international murder cases involving privileged, high-placed, or government officials. From the sheriff’s perspective, she’s a nosy civilian but has local knowledge and connections he still lacks as a newcomer in town. So, although he cautions her to stay out of his investigation, he relies on her for the information she digs up. Along the way, Andi finally begins to reconnect with her old high school friends and expand her impact with her therapy animals.

The murder occurs early in the story, and the author does the heavy lifting of building the world of Auburn, Oregon, while Andi asks questions. The murder victim had quite a well-deserved reputation as a seductress, and many local couples had been drawn into her games. With so many guilty husbands and wronged wives, the suspects are thick on the ground, and Andi has her work cut out for her just ruling out the most likely. The story meanders a bit with so many distractions, but when the truth begins to come out, the pace really picks up. With questions about her family’s dynamics that still require answers and the hint of a possible romance in the future, I look forward to the next book in the series.

I recommend MERRY MERRY MERRY MURDER to cozy mystery fans, especially those who enjoy a holiday-themed story.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Children's Book Review: Maggie the Cat Loves Pip's Thanksgiving Surprise by Julia Russo, illustated by Grace Metzger-Forrest

Maggie the Cat Loves Pip's Thanksgiving Surprise by Julia Russo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A heartwarming, nostalgic, and cozy Thanksgiving tale for children.

Maggie the Cat Loves Pip’s Thanksgiving Surprise is a warm and cozy children’s chapter book and the second in author Julia Russo’s series featuring Maggie the Cat. This latest tale is centered around Thanksgiving and the wonderful memories Maggie’s owner, Wilhelmina Olive Blessing, is making at her grandfather’s apple farm during the week leading up to the holiday. While her days are made special with fun fall activities that she’s not previously experienced, such as flying a kite, it is the simple moments spent with her loving grandpa that will linger with her for the rest of her life. Readers will easily relate to her story with similar times in their own lives.

However, this visit to this grandpa has some twists! Grandpa has a tiny pet goat named Pip who lives with him in the farmhouse, and next door, on an adjoining piece of property, a new park is being built for the county’s children. The former owner, Farmer Ted, has put small goats there to eat the unwanted vegetation that needs to be cleared before opening the park to visitors. The smallest of the goats, Barney, has taken a shine to Pip and Grandpa’s home and keeps finding his way to the farmhouse’s back door. The situation leads to the surprise in the book’s title.

The narrative is good for children who are ready for chapter books, and the more unusual or advanced words in the text are explained as they appear in the story. The author includes a helpful vocabulary list compiling these words at the end of the book.

I recommend MAGGIE THE CAT LOVES PIP’S THANKSGIVING SURPRISE to elementary school readers of chapter books, especially those who enjoy stories featuring animals.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

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Book Review: Like It's Christmas (Winterstorm Village, #1) by Diana A. Hicks

Like It's Christmas by Diana A. Hicks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marvelous enemies-to-lovers romance with a holiday theme!

Like It’s Christmas is a new enemies-to-lovers romance set during the days leading up to Christmas and is the first book in author Diana A. Hicks’s Winterstorm Village series. With an engaging main character, a vulnerable leading man, and a close-knit small town that believes in the magic of Christmas, I quickly fell under this story’s spell, and it is the perfect way to kick off some satisfying holiday reading.

Parker Cruz is the assistant to her father, the mayor, and she plans to make this Christmas season the biggest, best, and most successful ever for Winterstorm Village, which depends on the profits from the holiday tourist trade. But when her father is injured putting the Christmas light up on her house, she finds herself having to work with the deputy mayor and local Scrooge, whom she has despised since high school. Rhett Parker has a secret in his past that has estranged him from his illustrious family, whose ancestors founded the town. All he wants is to make Winterstorm Village prosper through his efforts and not because of his family’s reputation, even if that means cutting back the overly generous budget earmarked for Christmas decorations and activities and annoying the mayor’s spoiled daughter.

The plot has a nice push-pull, back and forth between the two main characters, and Parker the girl (a differentiation she’s always hated) has a fun posse of girlfriends looking out for her best interests. But I thought the most fun was the townpeople’s traditional belief in love magically blossoming during a holiday snowstorm. When a bad storm hits the village and damages much of the downtown decorations, including the big tree, Parker and Rhett try to capitalize on the superstition and stage a fake relationship, a relationship no one would ever believe otherwise, to keep up everyone’s spirits as they try to recover and salvage the tourist season just until the holidays are over. But will the magic actually prove to be real, and are they headed for their own Christmas romance?

I recommend LIKE IT’S CHRISTMAS to romance readers looking for a great holiday story to get into the Christmas spirit.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Xpresso Book Tours.

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Children's Book Review: Santa Claws: A Christmas Tail for Cats by Denise Alicea; illustrated by Sadiqa Akhter

Santa Claws: A Christmas Tail for Cats by Denise Alicea
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This adorable Christmas story is about Apollo, the cat who becomes Santa Claws.

Santa Claws: A Christmas Tail for Cats by Denise Alicea is a cute and cozy story for the little ones besides the cats. With an adorable cat main character, a lovely tale arising from his wish for all his fellow cats who have not yet found their forever home, and vivid, realistic illustrations by Sadiqa Akhter, this book would be a perfect one to share in the days leading up to the big night.

Apollo, a former stray, has found his forever home, a loving family, and all the amenities his little kitty heart could desire. But when Santa Claus comes down the chimney on Apollo’s first Christmas at home, he’s amazed by what Santa will accomplish that night. His only wish is that all the cats still living on the streets could have their own home. However, Santa Claus has a plan.

The story is heartwarming, and there’s a lesson there for children and adults to explore. Apollo immediately thinks of others who need a “Santa” in their lives. The illustrations of Apollo with his large, yellow-green eyes will melt your heart, and each setting is perfectly depicted, whether it’s inside his warm and cozy home, a cold, dirty alleyway, or a snow-laden street scene. I think children will enjoy looking at the pictures alone or while the story is read aloud. There is a lot of detail to notice in the backgrounds of each beautiful picture. This is a book that will require more than one reading.

I recommend SANTA CLAWS to children from young to old, especially those who like cats.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: 'Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate by Dorothy Rosby

'TIS THE SEASON TO FEEL INADEQUATE

by

Dorothy Rosby

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Humorous Essays / Holiday-themed

Publisher: Unhinged Press

Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Page count: 268 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

Christmas comes but once a year; chaos never ends! Happy Halloween, merry Christmas and joyful Lumpy Rug Day. That’s real, by the way. Lumpy Rug Day is celebrated every May 3, though “celebrated” might be too strong a word. It’s the American way to create a celebration for everything, then turn it into a chore or worse, a nightmare. ’Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate is a collection of humorous essays about how we let our expectations steal the joy out of Christmas and other holidays and special events. It’s understanding for those who think Christmas form letters can be honest—or they can be interesting. And it’s empathy for anyone who’s ever gotten poison ivy during Nude Recreation Week or eaten all their Halloween candy and had to hand out instant oatmeal packets to their trick-or-treaters.

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Excerpt from Essay: The First Year of the Rest of Your Life

 

… I’ve studied the topic of New Year’s resolutions. And from my extensive research, I’ve gleaned the following tips for keeping them:

 

1.Write them down. The simple act of putting your resolutions on paper will make them seem more doable and make you feel more committed to them. Also, if you fail you’ll have your list ready when it comes time to make resolutions next year.

 

2.Frame your resolutions in a positive way. For example, instead of saying “next year I will stop being a couch potato,” say “Next year, I will become a couch asparagus, which has fewer carbohydrates.”

 

3.Don’t let setbacks discourage you. If you fall off the wagon get right back in the saddle! Tomorrow’s another day. Never say die. Then next year resolve to stop using clichés.

 

4.Keep a journal of your progress. It could look something like this. January 1: I resolve to walk the dog daily. This is going to be so fun! January 2: Spotty and I walked four blocks. We are bonding and getting fit at the same time! Tomorrow we’ll do five. January 3: Spotty and I walked four blocks again. It’s okay once we’re walking but I hate getting up early. January 4: Spotty and I walked just two blocks today. It’s so cold this time of year. January 5: I forgot to walk Spotty. January 6: Spotty isn’t my dog. We got him for the kids. Let them walk him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dorothy Rosby is an author humor columnist whose work regularly appears in publications throughout the West and Midwest. Her humor writing has been recognized by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the National Federation of Press Women, and the South Dakota Newspaper Association. In 2022 she was named the global winner in the Erma Bombeck Writers Competition in the humor writing category. She’s the author of four books of humorous essays.

 

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REVIEW:

5 stars!

(and that's not enough!)

Laugh-out-loud relatable! 

‘Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate is a new collection of clever laugh-out-loud funny essays from the wit and wisdom of author Dorothy Rosby, centered around memorializing the holidays (and other special days of recognition), our reactions to them, and coping with the fallout. The author’s engaging, witty delivery expressed many relatable thoughts and feelings regarding holiday preparedness and “joyful” participation that had me grinning and giggling the entire time. Dorothy Rosby gets it!

 

While the book's title and eye-catching cover art indicate a focus on Christmas festivities, the contents encompass events and celebrations occurring throughout the year. No special occasion is off-limits because, as a whole, they are all equal opportunity stressors, especially for the introverts among us. Even a few of the lesser-vaunted jubilees get their moment under the microscope…er…in the spotlight, such as the days we set clocks forward or back for Daylight Saving Time or the entirety of National Spring Cleaning Week (which is woefully short at the same time as feeling horrifyingly too long.)

Also, while the essays are funny, many are that way because they point out feelings common to us all: that our celebrations have become a competition, contests to excel, to do it all, to do better than the other guy, and that has become too much. Maybe that's the point of some of the odder days of recognition: an opportunity to delight in something simpler and singular - a day along the lines of a National Do Nothing Day (January 16^th).

This is one of the most entertaining and satisfying reading experiences I’ve had this year, and I’ve been blessed to read some fabulous books, to be certain. Rosby is an updated, modern-day Erma Bombeck. 

I recommend ‘TIS THE SEASON TO FEEL INADEQUATE to anyone in the market for a fun, feel-good book at any time of the year.

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Review Tour & Giveaway: A Celtic Yuletide Carol (Christmas in the Castle) by Jennifer Ivy Walker

A CELTIC YULETIDE CAROL

A Christmas in the Castle book

by

Jennifer Ivy Walker

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Historical Holiday Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Publication Date: November 6, 2024

Page count: 187 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

Once a royal Breton knight, Sir Cardin is now infamously known as Basati, the Basque Wolf. Savage and sullen, he drowns his guilt in raucous taverns, accruing enormous debt and acquiring vengeful enemies.

 

Ulla, widowed daughter of a Viking chieftain, is a skilled archer who lives as a recluse in a secluded woodland cottage. Rendered mute by trauma, she avoids humans, preferring the company of her wild wolf and falcon as she hunts in the Forest of Brocéliande.

When his mother’s dying wish calls Basati home, he finally meets the son he abandoned at birth and Ulla, the enigmatic priestess who is teaching the boy to hunt. As the holidays approach, Basati finds himself smitten with the beguiling beauty as he bonds with his once forsaken child.

 

But past enemies plot against him, and Basati is ensnared in darkness. 

Can music lure the savage wolf into the light of love?

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

He tenderly traced her bottom lip with the tip of his thumb. “You and I are the same.  Broken. Damaged. Alone.”

 

He lifted her quivering chin. Her sorrowful eyes mirrored the endless mourning of his own empty soul. “You’re a healer, Ulla..” Lowering his lips to brush softly against hers, he whispered into her open mouth. “Heal us.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales, and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French. 

Her latest release, A Celtic Yuletide Carol, is a steamy medieval romance between a broken, battered royal knight and a solitary, mute healer and huntress who prefers the company of her wolf and falcon to humans. Both protagonists are shattered souls who slowly find solace in each other.

 

Readers who enjoyed Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle and The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy—a fated mates paranormal fantasy adaptation of the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde, interwoven with Arthurian myth, Avalon, Elves, Druids, forest fairies, Vikings, and dark magic—will recognize several of the main characters in this new novel as well.

 

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

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REVIEW:

5 stars!

A satisfying holiday-set tale of love and loss, healing and redemption. 

A Celtic Yuletide Carol by Jennifer Ivy Walker is an excellent addition to the ongoing Christmas in the Castle collection and even features characters from some of the author’s previous works. I enjoyed seeing familiar faces and learning how their lives had progressed since their stories were first told, and I loved getting to know the new personalities. However, the book is absolutely a standalone novel. 

Laudine, the matriarch of the de Landuc clan, is a renowned healer and knows that some members of her own family are in desperate need of her more subtle skills. Her middle son, Cardin, suffered an emotional crisis when his beloved wife died giving birth to their son, and in his anguish, he blames his own lust for Charlotte and, consequently, the child Lukaz for her death. Refusing to even look at the baby, he tries to outrun his grief by posting to far off Aquitaine in the service of his king, leaving his son to be raised by his older brother and his wife. Although in excellent and loving hands, as Lukaz grows, he’s subjected to the scorn and bullying of the older boys serving as squires in his uncle’s household, who taunt him with accusations of being a bastard or abandoned or unwanted. After six long years, Laudine knows that if she can just get father and son reunited, love will heal them both. 

With the help of her most skilled student, Ulla, she plans to fake a fatal illness and sends for Cardin and his older brother, Gaultier, to return home to Brittany, claiming it is her dying wish to see them for her final Yuletide season. Ulla, although an accomplished healer, is also suffering emotionally from the loss of her husband and young sons a couple of years earlier. Formerly a talented singer, the horror of their deaths left her mute, and she had returned to Laudine and the one place she knew she could find safety and, hopefully, solace. She spends her days preparing herbal medicines and hunting with her wolf, Vill, and falcon, Finn. However, she avoids the presence of babies and children because of the intense pain and sorrow seeing them now causes her. Still, when young Lukaz needs someone to teach him archery, Laudine asks her to take on the task in hopes their close contact will help repair the damage in Ulla’s heart. 

The author does an amazing job developing these characters’ histories and establishing their states of mind, and I was completely invested in their journeys toward healing, love, and redemption. The women are strong and capable characters despite the tragedies they’ve endured in their lives, and the sons de Landuc are the strong, responsible, yet caring products of their decent, loving parents. Cardin has a rough start initially, trying to assuage his grief with drink, dicing, and brawling. He’s become irresponsible and selfish in his pain, and Gaultier has carried him for six long years. His weak starting point makes his redemption that much more of an emotional journey for us all. 

The author employs multiple points of view to tell the story, and her writing style is compelling yet easy to read. She doesn’t waste a single sentence, though, as each one is full of atmosphere, vivid description, and action: almost full stories themselves. The settings of Aquitaine and Brittany are interesting and well-developed, and they include a subplot dealing with the political events of the time with historical figures mentioned throughout. This storyline is where much of the conflict and suspense of the book resides, as Cardin is targeted as a patsy for an evil man’s ambitious plans for his own gains. The political machinations are a fascinating part of the story and beckoned me to read more about the history involved.

I recommend A CELTIC YULETIDE CAROL to readers of historical romance, especially those who like a holiday setting in their stories.

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Book Review: One Little Witch by Crystal Beach

One Little Witch by Crystal Beach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another adorable children’s picture book from the creative and talented Crystal Beach!

One Little Witch is the first book in author/illustrator Crystal Beach’s new children’s picture book series, Little Witch. This adorable debut is full of giggle-inducing rhyme and vivid, color-drenched illustrations that will have children begging for it to be read “just one more time!” While the plot revolves around a little young witch watching over her crop, the rhymes delightfully guide young readers or read-aloud listeners through counting the number of pumpkins, revealing the fun hidden secret inside each one. Perfect for the upcoming Halloween season!

I recommend ONE LITTLE WITCH to parents, caregivers, and those who have young children in their lives for reading aloud and early readers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Teaser: Demon Lover by Kate Hill

Paranormal Romance, Halloween, Age Gap

Date Published: October 11, 2024

When John Standcliff, Satan's bounty hunter, is summoned to Earth to claim the soul of a serial killer, he finds the worst of hell's tortures can be no worse than the pain of falling in love with a mortal woman.

Corinne Rogerio has come to Maine to research six murders that took place back in 1656. She has no idea that the handsome stranger she meets in an old cemetery is actually the murderer she's been studying. Even worse, he's been sent to track down a serial killer who is closer to her than she ever imagined.

EXCERPT

 

Sparks shot from John's ax each time it struck the trunk of the steel tree. Every blow jolted through his aching arms and rang in his ears, yet he almost welcomed the racket. He'd lost track of how long he'd dwelled in the steel forest, chopping tree after tree without pause for food, water, or sleep. His demon's body could survive for decades without rest or sustenance. If he ceased chopping long enough, the bleeding sores on his palms would heal and his muscles would almost magically stop aching. Unfortunately he must continue the drudgery until given the order to halt.

All around him, the smooth gray trees stretched for miles. As punishment for his crimes, John labored alone, chopping steel trees in Satan's forest, only ceasing when sent to collect yet another evil soul to toil in Hell.

"Hello, John."

The sneering voice echoed throughout the forest and made John's skin prickle with disgust. Pausing, he listened to his own panting breath in the stillness. Sweat dripped into his eyes and trickled down his torso, soaking into the wet waistband of his black trousers. He waited for the voice to continue. Usually when Bee called, it was to send him on one of his gruesome missions.

"Oh, John, your services are required. Won't it be nice to go home again?"

"Home, Bee?" John curled his lip. The little bastard loved playing with people. Three-hundred-forty-eight years ago, John had been far more gullible. The first few times Bee had promised him a meeting with his sister or even a chance to escape from Hell, he had actually believed him.

At first he had looked forward to visiting the mortal world, but eventually the illusion shattered. Without friends or family, the world was a lonely place. People feared him and kept their distance. It was as if they sensed the evil inside him and instinctively stayed away. Never again would he experience the comfort and total relaxation of sleep, to close his eyes in complete surrender. Perhaps worst of all was his inability to fully enjoy lovemaking. He could pleasure women and feel intense sexual stimulation, yet climax eluded him.

"Can't you think of a better story than that?"

"It's not a story. Your hometown reeks of evil. Our master has been smelling it for quite some time now and he wants it. You go get it for him, John, and this time there might be something in it for you."

"Beelzebub, leave us," said a soft, musical voice. It sent a tingle down John's spine and filled him with such warmth that he nearly panicked. After so many years in Hell, nothing touched him anymore. What sort of evil had Bee conjured that could stir his emotions again? The voice continued. "Once a soul is condemned to Hell, it is rarely allowed a chance for redemption. There are sometimes cases of a good soul doing evil, and though it is not condoned, under special circumstances someone like you may be given the opportunity to move on, providing certain specifications are met."

John closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. "It's not going to work, Bee. I no longer believe in fairy tales."

"Bee is gone. His kind cannot abide me."

"I suppose you're from up there?"

"I'm from everywhere. I know no bounds. Listen carefully to what I tell you, John Standcliff. Fulfill the task set for you and send the evil in your hometown to Hell. Do it without harming an innocent soul, and you will be freed from Satan's realm and allowed your chance at redemption."

John laughed humorlessly. "You don't give up, do you, Bee?"

"Believe what you will, but you have only this one opportunity."

"Oh, just one?" John's voice dripped sarcasm.

"At least in this millennium. You're not the only demon in Hell who deserves a second chance."

"Then give one of them my turn. I don't want it."

"I understand why you don't believe me, but keep my offer in mind during your return to the world of the living. If I'm lying, then you'll be no worse off than you are now, but if I'm telling the truth…"

The voice faded. Moments later, Bee appeared beside John. He was nothing more than a dark cloud, loosely resembling the shape of a man. Bee shuddered. "Glad she's gone. Now. Are you ready to get to work?"

"Who am I after this time?"

"As usual, I can't give you too many details. After all, I'm not supposed to be catching the soul. That's your job."

"Bee…"

"It's a serial killer. Here's his scent." Bee's cloudy black hand swept beneath John's nose. The faint aroma was all a demon required to track his prey. "While you're there, why don't you break your own rules and hack apart some humans? The master loves it when his demons terrorize the living."

"Just send me out of here so I can get this over with."

Blackness enveloped John, and in those dark moments between Hell and Earth, he absorbed the details of his new identity and a crash course on life in the twenty-first century.

 

About the Author

Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, I started writing over twenty years ago. My first story was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then I’ve written over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels. I love to blend genres. I also love horror and a happily ever after, so if you’re looking for romance with witches, aliens, vampires, angels, demons, shapeshifters and more, there’s a good chance you’ll find something to your taste here.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, watching horror and action movies, working out and spending time with my family and pets.

 

Contact Links

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Release Blitz: A Not So Merry Ex-Mas by Abby Greyson

A Not So Merry Ex-Mas

Sweet Christmas Kisses series

by

Abby Greyson

Romance / Romantic Comedy / 

Clean / Sweet / Wholesome 

Publication Date: October 2, 2024

Page count: 236 pages

SYNOPSIS:

For years I've been dreaming of a real Christmas back home. Tree trimming, decorating, Christmas carols. What I wasn't expecting was Cole. 

If I was to dream up the perfect man even my wildest imagination would have fallen short compared to Cole Nichols.

Tall, broad shoulders, smile to die for and dreamy green eyes that held a mischievous glint.

Add in a heart of gold, always helping others in need.

We had planned out every detail of our lives together…including his dream of becoming a major league pitcher.

So when my gran got sick and I needed to take care of her, I gave him the push he needed, breaking my heart, and his, in the process.

A decade, and a divorce later, I'm heading back home to start my life over.

That new start begins with Christmas at my best friend’s cabin…and the man I’ve done everything to leave behind.

Is Christmas past here to haunt me, or to bring a future I stopped letting myself dream of?

This is a sweet, kisses only, holiday romantic comedy with a second chance, close proximity, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, slow burn, and happily ever after.

 CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best Selling, Award Winning Author Abby Greyson loves writing clean, kisses only, sweet and swoony romance stories that invite people to remember what it’s like to fall in love over and over and over again. Stories that make you laugh, root for the main characters and wonder what they are doing long after the book is finished.

On the days she isn’t reading or writing she enjoys spending lazy days with her Mr. Wonderful, her two pups and watching the Buffalo Bills on a football Sunday.

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