Author: Marsha

Seven Swans a ‘Shooting by Kyra Davis

Posted December 31, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Seven Swans a 'ShootingTitle:  Seven Swans a ‘Shooting
Series:  12 Days of Christmas #7
Author:  Kyra Davis
Genre:  Christmas Romance
Published:  December 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 snowy stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

This isn’t the first time amateur sleuth Sophie Katz has come face-to-face with a corpse—and now she’s in danger of becoming one herself.

With Christmas right around the corner, Sophie’s sister is organizing a Swan Lake flash mob for a tech mogul’s elaborate holiday marriage proposal. But when the prima ballerina turns up dead, Sophie and her sister become prime suspects in the murder, not to mention suspects in the theft of a massive diamond ring. Now Sophie has just twenty-four hours to find out who really killed the Swan Princess or risk losing her sister, her life…or maybe both.

Read on for my thoughts on Seven Swans a ‘Shooting.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Six Geese A’Slaying by Kathleen Bacus

Posted December 30, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Six Geese A'SlayingTitle:  Six Geese a ‘Slaying
Series:  12 Days of Christmas #6
Author:  Kathleen Bacus
Genre:  Christmas Romance
Published:  December 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 snowy stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Sure, ’tis the season for peace on earth and goodwill to all, but for nineteen-year-old Tressa Jayne Turner, this year’s holiday season plays out more like the nightmare before Christmas—Calamity Jayne style.

When her grandma’s nemesis, Abigail Winegardner, plans a living nativity, complete with a camel, Tressa’s competitive grandma won’t be outdone. Gammy is determined to create her own living—and molting—“Twelve Days of Christmas” pageant, but her aviary extravaganza is in jeopardy when the stars go missing, turning this holiday into a wild goose chase that’s bound to ruffle more than a few feathers. Will the plucky Tressa track down the missing cast before the curtain rises?

Read on for my thoughts on Six Geese a ‘Slaying.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Cowboy Take Me Away by Soraya Lane

Posted December 29, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Cowboy Take Me AwayTitle:  Cowboy Take Me Away
Series:  Texas Kings #2
Author:  Soraya Lane
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  December 29, 2015
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

NEVER SAY NEVER

As a veterinarian and single mother, Hope Walker knows how to handle most emergencies, inside and out. But when she shows up at the sprawling cattle ranch belonging to Chase King. Hope finds herself in a state of panic: How could Chase be even hotter after all these years? And why does Hope feel more attracted to him than ever?

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE

Chase can’t believe that Hope – the gorgeous, brilliant woman who disappeared after one blazing night of passion – has walked back into his life. After all this time he still thinks of her as the one who got away . . . and he’s not about to lose her now. But is Hope ready to get back in the saddle and ride into the sunset with the cowboy of her dreams? Or will a long-buried secret rise to the surface – and tear the two reunited lovers apart?

Read on for  my thoughts on Cowboy Take Me Away.  No true spoilers, promise.

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After She’s Gone by Lisa Jackson

Posted December 29, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

After She's GoneTitle:  After She’s Gone
Series:
Author:  Lisa Jackson
Genre:  Mystery, Thriller
Published:  December 29, 2015
Publisher:  Kensington
My Rating:  3 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Cassie Kramer and her younger sister, Allie, learned the hazards of fame long ago. Together, they’d survived the horror of a crazed fan who nearly killed their mother, former Hollywood actress Jenna Hughes. Still, Cassie moved to L.A., urging Allie to follow. As a team, they’d take the town by storm. But Allie, finally free of small-town Oregon, and just that little bit more beautiful, also proved to be more talented—and driven. Where Cassie got bit parts, Allie rose to stardom. But now her body double has been shot on the set of her latest movie—and Allie is missing.

Police discover that the last call to Allie’s phone came from Cassie, though she has no recollection of making it. Instead of looking like a concerned relative, Cassie is starting to look like a suspect—the jealous sister who finally grew sick of playing a supporting role. As the tabloids go into a frenzy, Cassie ends up on a Portland psych ward. Is she just imagining the sinister figure who comes to her bedside, whispering about Allie—a visitor of whom there is no record? Is someone trying to help—or drive her mad?

Convinced she’s the only one who can find Allie, Cassie checks herself out of the hospital. But a sudden slew of macabre murders— each victim masked with a likeness of a member of Cassie’s family—makes Cassie fear for her safety and her sanity. The only way to end the nightmare is to find out what really happened to Allie. And with each discovery, Cassie realizes that no one can be trusted to keep her safe—least of all herself…

Read on for my thoughts on After She’s Gone.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Five Gold Smuggling Rings by Diane Kelly

Posted December 29, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Five Gold Smuggling RingsTitle:  Five Gold Smuggling Rings
Series:  12 Days of Christmas #5
Author:  Diane Kelly
Genre:  Christmas Romance
Published:  December 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 snowy stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

After receiving a tip from an unnamed source, rookie ICE agent Angelika Dietrich gets her first real case. Things quickly steam up when she’s paired with her secret crush, Javier Carrasco, a veteran agent as sexy as he is stoic.

Javier won’t be an easy nut to crack, but if anyone can do it, it’s the bold, brassy, six-foot-one Angelika—an ass-kicking tornado of a woman. With a wicked sense of humor and a heart as big as her size-eleven stilettos, Angelika will have you cheering for her to capture the bad guys and Javier’s heart.

Read on for my thoughts on Five Gold Smuggling Rings.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Less Than A Lady by Eva Devon

Posted December 28, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Less Than A LadyTitle:  Less Than A Lady
Series:
Author:  Eva Devon
Genre:  Historical Romance
Published:  December 28, 2015
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing / Select Historical
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

To win a lord, you can’t be a lady…

Darcy Blake, Earl of Chase, is a solider, rogue, and a loyal King’s man. Commanded to spy on the luscious actress Amelia Fox, Darcy must pretend to be her student for a court theatrical. He is certain he can school her in the art of seduction while discovering if she is a traitor. But to his shock, he finds Mrs. Fox teaching him an entirely different kind of lesson.

As London’s most popular actress, Amelia is famous at court, and she doesn’t have a husband to tell her what do. Unfortunately, the king has ordered her to train the rakehell, Lord Chase to act for the court. Before long, the Earl is driving her wild with desire and awakening her heart to love. As an actress, society dictates she can never be more than Lord Chase’s mistress, and Amelia has vowed never to be less than a lady.

When Darcy learns the witty actress is indeed linked to a traitor, he’ll have to decide if love or loyalty will rule the day.

Read on for my thoughts on Less Than A Lady.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Four Killing Birds by Leslie Langtry

Posted December 28, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

Four Killing BirdsTitle:  Four Killing Birds
Series:  12 Days of Christmas #4, & Bombay Assassins #8
Author:  Leslie Langtry
Genre:  Christmas Romance
Published:  December 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating:  3 snowy stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Shortly before the holidays, inventor and former assassin Missi Bombay gets orders to perform one last job. It’s the granddaddy of all hits—to be carried out on Christmas Eve, no less.

Missi knows she has only one chance at success, so she enlists the help of her cousins Gin, Dakota, and Coney. Together the Bombay cousins come out of retirement to stamp out the world’s most evil cabal.

Armed with four enormous, prehistoric-looking birds and Missi’s quirky inventions, will these Bombays succeed before their window of opportunity closes for good?

Read on for my thoughts on Four Killing Birds.  No true spoilers, promise.

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The Devil Wears Spurs by Soraya Lane

Posted December 27, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

The Devil Wears SpursTitle:  The Devil Wears Spurs
Series:  Texas Kings #1
Author:  Soraya Lane
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  June 30, 2015
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  Owned, Paperback Edition
Cover Description:

Always in the shadow of his over-achieving brothers, youngest brother Ryder fell in love with rodeos as a teenager and soon became the most successful bull and Bronco rider in the state. The ultimate playboy, Ryder likes to party hard, and he often makes bad decisions… including gambling. He’s so used to winning that he doesn’t hesitate to up the stakes one night, betting more than he can handle—his third of the King Ranch.

Chloe has seen Ryder on the rodeo scene, but she’s also noticed him at the bar where she works. She’s trying to work to save enough to put herself through college—she completed two years before she had to bail her dad out of a bad debt—losing all her savings in the process. Her father gambled all her life, and she had it tough as a kid, but the one thing she does know how to do is play—and win—at any kind of card game. When she finds Ryder in trouble, she makes him an offer—she will win his ranch back, if he pays her college fees and promises to walk away from gambling, for good. But while she’s winning back Ryder’s cash, what she doesn’t count on is winning his heart.

Read on for  my thoughts on The Devil Wears Spurs.  No true spoilers, promise.

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The Goose, The Gander and Three French Hens by Robin Kaye

Posted December 27, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

The Goose, The Gander, And Three French HensTitle:  The Goose, The Gander and Three French Hens
Series:  12 Days of Christmas #3
Author:  Robin Kaye
Genre:  Christmas Romance
Published:  December 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 snowy stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Seven years ago, Jack Bennett gave Mary Claire Coleman an ultimatum: marry me or I’m out of here. When she declined, he kept his word and moved halfway across the globe.

Imagine Mary Claire’s surprise when Jack walks into her local Boise watering hole—and back into her life—two weeks before Christmas. Although Mary Claire put romance aside long ago to run her successful antique shop, this chance encounter has all the crackling electricity of their previous passion. She tries to keep her emotions in check, but a scorching hot date proves that their chemistry isn’t just in her head—it’s in every part of her body. If she can find a way to move beyond the ghosts of her past, this might be the year that Jack and Mary Claire unwrap the best Christmas presents ever—each other.

Read on for my thoughts on The Goose, The Gander and Three French Hens.  No true spoilers, promise.

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Getting Ready for 2016

Posted December 26, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 4 Comments

heartWell, look at that.  We made it through, well almost through, 2015.  Five more days to put the finishing touches on the plans for 2016.  And then we’re gonna start all over again.  Gotta love dedicated readers like us, right?  🙂

And I’m just abut a week away from having Keeper Bookshelf up and running on a daily basis for its first complete year.  Not bad at all.  This is an accomplishment I certainly am proud of.

I learned a lot.  Certainly embarrassed myself at times.  Met some amazing book people.  And talked to authors for the very first time.

And I guess most importantly – I didn’t give up on the dream, the plan – the crazy idea to take what I love doing, reading, and create something about that personal joy of mine.  I’ve got a long way to go, but I kept at it for this first year.  Day after day, even when I was certain no one even knew this place existed.  But I did – and that’s all that mattered then.

So here I am, late in the evening letting my mind wander to all the things I want to do this coming year.  And wondering just how the heck I’m going to manage it.  I’ve got this notebook that I’ve jotted stuff down in all of 2015 – you too?.  So now comes the time to take the ideas and make them reality.  That is the scary part, but also the adrenaline pumping part too.

I simply wanted to say to all of us who sit and read, find that extra moment to get lost in another world for a bit – to those of us who call ourselves review bloggers or book bloggers… Good Job.  Take a bow, we’ve earned it.  Okay – now back to work.  The new year is about to start and it’s time for us to jump in to the reading frenzy for another round of the stuff that we consider fun.  Yeah, maybe a bit crazy but someone’s gotta do it.

Thank you for a fantastic 2015 — and here’s to an amazing 2016.

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Wrapped In You by Kate Perry

Posted December 26, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Wrapped In YouTitle:  Wrapped In You
Series:  Laurel Heights #10.5
Author:  Kate Perry
Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Christmas Romance
Published:  November 17, 2014
Publisher:
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  Owned, Kindle Edition
Cover Description:

Trudy Hawke’s mission: to go on vacation and have fun.

A prison sentence, more like it. She doesn’t take vacations, and she especially doesn’t go anywhere during the holidays. But her boss insists it’s the price she needs to pay to become a full partner in his new private investigation firm. She’ll do anything to become partner–even subject herself to love, peace, and Christmas music.

Trudy figures it’s no big deal: she’ll hole up in a hotel in Laurel Heights, drink gin, and watch action movies until she can return to London. Only her tyrant boss gives her a holiday list of to-do items, for which she must email picture proof of completion.

It’s impossible… Until she meets Mason, who proposes a deal: he’ll help her with the list if she’s his date to his office holiday events, to show his edgy tech employees that he’s more than a nerd from Iowa.

From the moment she agrees, Trudy gets more than she bargained for, but she refuses to be corrupted by the magic of the season–or love.

Read on for my thoughts on Wrapped In You.  No true spoilers, promise.

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