Romance At Ridgeford Hall by Kate Ellington

June 30, 2026 By 2 Comments

Romance At Ridgeford Hall by Kate Ellington
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical Romance
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Jane Lakewood steals into the supposedly abandoned Ridgeford Hall and unexpectedly meets Conrad, an intriguing but secretive young man. They part ways with a promise to reunite, but Conrad fails to keep their rendezvous.

Six years later, delighted to see Ridgeford restored to its former grandeur, Jane immerses herself in parties and socializing while simultaneously grappling with a momentous decision. Unwanted advice only complicates matters.

At a grand ball, Conrad abruptly waltzes back into Jane’s life and reveals the truth about those lost years. As they share old memories and new adventures, their friendship deepens, becoming something sweeter that Jane can’t quite define.

But their relationship sparks rumors, and dire consequences force Jane to finally decide what she truly wants.

What a fun and easy read! Told from Jane’s pov, I enjoyed the journey along with her from the time she first explored Ridgeford Hall. I could so see myself in her place. I’ve always loved old abandoned houses and the stories they hold.

I love these characters. Jane and Conrad have so much in common. They are perfectly matched. It is not full of angst or a lot of action, but there is a quiet growth in a friends-to-lovers sweet romance.

It gives a great look at the norms and manners of the time – the constraints between men and women, as well as the pressures from friends and family.

If you enjoy clean historical romance with family intrigue and secrets, give Romance at Ridgeford Hall a chance.

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The Book of Revelations by Mitchell Hadley

June 24, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Book of Revelations by Mitchell Hadley
Publisher: Throckmorton Press
Genre: Romance, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Every life has a story waiting to be revealed.

The Book of Revelations is a haunting, postmodern literary novel that refracts a single life through multiple viewpoints, spanning the American Midwest of the 1960s to the San Francisco of the 1980s.

At its center is eight-year-old Nan Jaffe, whose early world collapses in a single night. What follows is not a linear narrative but a mosaic: a marriage quietly unraveling, grandparents attempting a clean break, a teacher offering rescue in the hope of saving himself, a diner waitress watching with older-sister concern, and a poet providing temporary shelter. Each voice sees only a piece; none holds the whole.

Nan becomes Robin, Robin becomes Nancy, Nancy becomes Ellen—names changed like addresses, in the hope that distance might erase what cannot be forgotten. Yet the past persists: in nightmares, in a stuffed monkey that listens without judgment, in the echo of a promise made at eight years old.

The Book of Revelations refracts a single life through multiple lenses, revealing how memory is subjective, truth elusive, and the past impossible to erase. It is a precise meditation on memory, guilt, and the limits of protection, asking what remains when everything familiar is taken away, and whether some absences can ever be filled—or are simply carried forward until the last story is finally revealed.

Nobody can outrun their past.

I appreciated how this story explored the myriad of ways in which childhood trauma can resurface again in adulthood and disrupt just about every aspect of someone’s life. Nan was haunted by something awful that happened when she was a little girl, and her memories of that night followed her no matter how far away from home she wandered. Her reaction to that trauma felt realistic to me, and I never stopped hoping that she’d find peace.

It would have been helpful to allow the romantic storyline more time to flourish. Figuring out whether to even label this a romance in the first place was a little bit of a dilemma for me given how long it took to appear, but I ultimately decide in favor of including that genre in the labels I selected for this review due to how important romantic love became later on in the plot. With that being said, I would recommend patience in the beginning for readers who are accustomed to much more swoon-worthy tales. This was a realistic take on how and when love can develop, but it was worth it once it showed up even though I will continue to wish that there had been more foreshadowing of these events early on.

Mr. Hadley’s decision to take an understated approach to the traumatic event in question was definitely the right one for both Nan and the plot as a whole. There was no need for salacious details about what exactly happened that night, and the bare facts were eventually revealed as Nan moved further into her healing journey. I liked the fact that the author trusted his audience to fill in the details he chose not to include and that he always remained focused on the protagonist’s emotional growth and mental health instead of other details that didn’t even matter in the end.

The Book of Revelations was heartwarming and life affirming.

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Judy by M.E. Davidson

June 23, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Judy by M.E. Davidson
Publisher: Dark Anthem Press
Genre: Horror, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

After a hurricane unsettles North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Pamlico Sound lies deceptively calm.

A small fishing charter runs aground on a shoal as the tide begins to rise, stranding its passengers in open water with the boat out of reach and daylight slipping away. They came aboard for different reasons – a trip already paid for, a weekend already promised, a chance to pretend certain things were not breaking.

But the sea has a way of pulling truth to the surface.

For Ava and Danny North, separated and speaking only when they must, the day was supposed to belong to their twelve-year-old son, Jack. Instead, as the water climbs and a massive great white shark moves beneath it, their fractured family is forced into a fight for survival.

Judy is no monster. She is the sea in motion – instinct, hunger, pressure, and tide.

Atmospheric, tense, and emotionally grounded, JUDY is a literary survival thriller about family, fear, grief, and the terrifying indifference of nature.

Maps can’t possibly tell a reader everything there is to know about a place.

The first few chapters got off to a thoughtful start as all of the characters were introduced and some of the problems they were currently struggling with in life were explored. I enjoyed the slower pacing in the beginning and thought it set up the middle and end beautifully. It also reminded me of how tides slowly move in and out on beaches and are often best enjoyed with a little patience to begin with. This was one of several subtle nautical references I took note of, and each one built on the ones that came before it to further strengthen my impression of just how much behind-the-scenes work and thought went into crafting this piece. Bravo!

While this was a plot-focused novel, I still would have liked to see a little more character development, particularly for Ava, Jack, and Danny. This family was the center of attention for most scenes, and Ava was the protagonist in most chapters as well. Had I been able to get to know them better, the last hundred pages or so would have been even more emotionally impactful as I waited to see who, if anyone, would actually survive the shark’s attacks. It was the only thing holding me back from selecting a full five-star review.

One of the unique things about the storyline was how plausible all of it was. There were no supernatural elements working behind the scenes to increase the danger of being stranded on a shoal as the tide came in. Everything that happened was completely realistic, including some cases of human error and the failure of key equipment, which only made it all that much scarier. This isn’t something I see enough of in this genre, and it has given me yet another reason to check out more of the author’s work in the future.

Judy was a spine-tingling work of horror that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first sentence to the last one.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths

June 17, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

There’s nothing forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway hates more than amateur archaeologists, but when a group of them stumble upon Bronze Age artifacts alongside a dead body in this gripping murder mystery, she finds herself thrust into their midst—and into the crosshairs of a string of murders circling ever closer.

Ruth is back as head of archaeology at the University of North Norfolk when a group of local metal detectorists—the so-called Night Hawks—uncovers Bronze Age artifacts on the beach, alongside a recently deceased body, just washed ashore. Not long after, the same detectorists uncover a murder-suicide—a scientist and his wife found at their farmhouse, long thought to be haunted by the Black Shuck, a humongous black dog and a harbinger of death. The further DCI Nelson probes into both cases, the more intertwined they become, and the closer they circle to David Brown, the new lecturer Ruth has recently hired, who seems always to turn up wherever Ruth goes.

DCI Nelson is called out onto the coastline in the middle of the night when a group of enthusiastic metal detectorists discover a body washed up on the shore. The case quickly turns difficult as a cache of Bronze Age artefacts – complete with a skeleton – is simultaneously found nearby, and Nelson calls Ruth in to ensure the skeleton is old and none of his concern. But when an apparent murder suicide quickly occurs, Nelson and his team need to uncover what’s really going on.

I have been a fan of this series for a number of years and found this to be an excellent addition. Nelson and Ruth’s long term – and extremely complicated – relationship gives a solid tension and backdrop to the mysteries – both old and new. In some respects this book gave the feel of things beginning to come full circle and settle down, and I admit I really liked that. The ongoing will they/won’t they tension between Nelson and Ruth does sometimes get me a bit down and frustrated. While I admit no actual progress was made between them, this books ending really gave me the impression that some sort of resolution wasn’t too much further into the future. Considering the book ends at Christmas 2019 (and we all know what followed sharply after THAT event) I have a feeling things will shift pretty firmly one way or the other in the next book.

Readers who are familiar with this series will know to expect a blend of history/archaeology and British police procedural murder mystery. This book does fulfil that – though I must admit the archeology takes somewhat of a back seat in this book, being more focused on Ruth and her teaching career. I thought the digs and field work were not quite as prominent as they sometimes are. I didn’t mind this – the characters, both old and new – were a lot more front and center and really there were almost two mysteries in this book, the washed up body and the apparent murder/suicide. These two cases gave the book a solid feel of plenty going on and adding on a big archeological scene on top of that would have felt too full in my opinion and might have detracted somewhat from the focus and plot.

While I do feel this book can be read by itself, there is a long and complicated history between the characters – particularly Ruth and Nelson – and while I think this is an excellent book I do feel a better understanding and emotional connection will be achieved if readers have at least a few of the other books under their belt first. This book is towards the end of the series and while discovering this series would be fantastic, I do think it might be prudent to start a little closer to the beginning.

I found this to be a well written and solidly plotted mystery with a strong element of archaeology. The characters are layered and deep – and the main relationship in particular is complicated and not for the faint hearted. A brilliant series and one I will be sad to wrap up in a few books time. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Peaches in the Rain by Aurelia L Imeri

June 16, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Peaches in the Rain by Aurelia L Imeri
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Poetry, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What if the person you ruined is the only person who ever felt like home?

Dear reader, Orion did what people do when regret becomes too loud to ignore.

He went looking for the ghost he had spent a decade pretending not to love.

At Glasgow Airport, shaken by seven impossible weeks and a heart he can no longer control, Orion boards a flight back to London. Beside him sits Ava: anxious, wounded, funny, and far too perceptive for a stranger. As the plane claws through turbulence, their conversation becomes a confession.

There is L.

The woman he loved before he knew how to keep love safe. The woman he hurt. The woman whose voice still lives in the quiet rooms of his mind. The woman who may not be a fantasy after all.

Through airport fog, borrowed cars, rain-slicked A-roads and the brutal intimacy of things left unsaid, Peaches in the Rain asks whether love can return after the damage is done.

Is it delusion to still feel someone after ten years?

Or is it only delusion if they do not feel it too?

Raw, lyrical and painfully intimate, Peaches in the Rain is a novel about longing, guilt, second chances, and the dangerous hope that some love does not die.

It waits.

Regret is a heavy load to carry.

Orion and L both struggled to form and maintain emotionally healthy relationships. This isn’t something I typically find in romance novels, so I was eager to find out if one or both of them would develop the emotional and communication tools necessary to change this by either seeking professional help or finding the right workbook to help them figure out why they reacted the way that they did.

It would have been helpful to have more information about why these two characters should try to be romantically involved with each other for a second time. The stories Orion shared about the way he treated L disturbed me, and when I finished those scenes I hoped they’d both do quite a bit more healing before deciding whether to get back together. This is something I’m saying as a reader who virtually always roots for the main characters to live happily ever after, but in this particular case I didn’t have enough evidence that these two were good for each other at this precise moment in their lives.

I applaud the author for not wrapping up all of the loose ends of this romance the way such a thing would generally be written for this genre. There’s something to be said for playing around with the audience’s expectations of what should happen next and allowing the characters to develop naturally instead, even if it was in a direction that wasn’t particularly common. This was my first experience reading their work, and it has piqued my curiosity about what else they have already published or will publish in the near future.

Peaches in the Rain was a creative take on a difficult relationship.

Filed Under: Poetry, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Silver Spider by Lena Austin

June 15, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Silver Spider by Lena Austin
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Dark Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The secretive Duke of Aberystwyth has invited Madge Majesty to a murder mystery party, but he’s the first victim!

Madge is a harpy, mystery writer, and amateur sleuth with a nose for murder. At her side is her faithful chauffeur, Hayden, who is a telekinetic ex-thief — and a confirmed bachelor.

Now it’s up to Madge to solve the whodunit. Her suspects are a motley assortment of inverts and very nervous heterosexuals, all of whom have more than just their sexual foibles to hide. Is it the cross-dressing vampire, the packless werewolf, the voyeuristic doctor, the gargoyle majordomo, or the promiscuous man who seems bent on getting everyone into his bed, including Hayden?

Some parties can never be forgotten.

This was a good example of how to include a wide variety of characters in a storyline that probably would not have otherwise crossed paths with each other. It was interesting to see how they all interacted, especially the characters who weren’t human and who therefore weren’t necessarily bound to the social norms of this era, much less the typical behavior of human beings in general. While I can’t go into detail about this without sharing spoilers, I was pleasantly surprised by how this played out and how it affected what certain characters wished to do.

I would have liked to see more character development in this piece, though. Sometimes I had trouble keeping track of who everyone was because of how little time was spent describing what they were like. Given how many characters were interacting with each other in the various scenes, this was something that kept me from fully immersing myself in the plot.

With that being said, I thought Ms. Austin did an excellent job of combining the erotic and mystery genres. They both kept the storyline chugging along smoothly and fed into each other in all sorts of creative ways. When combined with what appeared to be a 1910s or maybe an early 1920s setting, there were some fun plot twists involving hijinks both in and outside of the bedroom in a time when people tended to be more reticent about certain things…at least in public.

Silver Spider – A Paranormal Murder Mystery Romance was a wild ride.

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Freedom Quest – A Love Story by Debora Masterson

June 12, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Freedom Quest – A Love Story by Debora Masterson
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Genre: Romance, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

FREEDOM QUEST: A Love Story follows Michael Griffin, a gifted musician whose journey through the Southern California music scene of the 1960s-80s becomes a cautionary tale about artistic integrity, the pursuit of stardom, and the cost of chasing dreams. From backing up strippers in North Beach, San Francisco, to nearly landing a Capitol Records deal, from fronting his band Freedom Quest to losing the love of his life, Grace, Michael’s story captures the raw reality of what it means to live and breathe music.

Their story begins in 1965, when an instant spark ignites between them in a San Fernando Valley music shop. As Michael chases his musical destiny amid the counterculture revolution, Grace becomes his anchor, his muse—and the love he can’t live without. But the struggle between artistic integrity and commercial success, betrayal, and the chaos of the times tear them apart, sending each down separate and often harrowing paths of self-discovery.

FREEDOM QUEST is a sweeping and emotional odyssey. A love story that survives separation, success, failure, and illness and reveals the redemptive power of music. At its heart lies a timeless truth that true love does exist.

True love is eternal.

I adored Ms. Masterson’s creative approach to the second chance romance trope. Micheal and Grace were young lovers who never quite got over each other even after life pulled them in wildly different directions. It was engrossing to see where they both ended up and how their paths continued to cross years after their first relationship disintegrated. The conflicts that kept them apart were realistic and understandable, but I also liked how nostalgic these characters were about those years and how much they wished that things had turned out better.

There were times when I wished for more character development in this book. Michael’s life was filled with romance, adventure, and, in some phases, deep trauma, and I kept hoping he’d go into more detail about how they influenced him not only in those particular moments but also decades later as he began reflecting on what he had and hadn’t accomplished. While I still wish his innermost thoughts had been given more time to shine, the author’s note after the final chapter softened my opinion on this. I highly recommend taking a moment to look back at some of those scenes with a fresh perspective after reading it as it does put certain plot twists in a new light!

The ending was what made this tale so memorable in my opinion. Kudos to the author for being willing to take risks with this genre that stayed true to both her characters as well as to the decades-long journeys they’d just undertaken. This sort of writing that stretches the boundaries of what love could look like and how it can transform a character’s life no matter how many plot twists have already appeared is why I continue to include romance in the types of books I read.

I didn’t want Freedom Quest – A Love Story to end. It was beautiful.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Cuillin Dead by J M Dalgliesh

June 11, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Cuillin Dead by J M Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Life is full of choices. Death… is chosen for you…
When the body of a missing tourist is discovered slain in the foothills of the Cuillin Mountain range beside Loch Coruisk, it falls to D.I. Duncan McAdam and his small team to discover how he came to be there and who would have a motive to kill him.

The summer season is a welcome distraction following a brutal and challenging winter. The Isle of Skye is booming with a revitalised tourist trade after a tough few years, and the Misty Isle is on course for its best year for visitors on record. But one person has not received the warm greeting the islanders are famed for. Here, on the inner Hebridean island, long-held secrets, past crimes and burning resentment are set to be unveiled in the most brutal fashion.

Some people come to the island to experience a return to nature, others to detach from their hectic lives seeking a simpler existence. And then there are those who wish to escape their past and begin again. These people believe they are making a fresh start but overlook one universal truth, their sins come with them… and there will be a reckoning…

When the body of a tourist is discovered at the foothills of the Cuillin mountains DI Duncan McAdam and his small team need to uncover why the man was in that spot and who would have a reason to kill him. Visiting with friends for a stag do, it doesn’t appear anyone at a first glance has a reason for wanting the tourist dead. Can DI McAdam persevere and uncover the truth?

I have been enjoying this series and find the rural setting of the Isle of Skye a wonderful atmosphere. With a small population and huge open spaces I really like the wildness the scenery conveys to me when I read these mysteries. Additionally, I love the depth and often the complexities of these plots. While a Scottish police procedural, and the plot being more deduction rather than action/adventure, I do feel like I can keep up with everything as the mystery deepens rather than just feeling like I’m keeping up which often happens to me with more action orientated stories.

I also really appreciated how with this novel I felt a number of the characters really progressed in their personal storylines. While the mystery was absolutely front and center, I definitely felt with this novel that Duncan was beginning to grow a bit more as a character and take some more mature steps. I really enjoyed this and hope it continues into the next few books.

Readers looking for an interested and complex murder mystery plot should absolutely find this book fits the bill. While this is part way through the series I strongly feel this stands well alone and readers shouldn’t be shy about picking it up even if the author and series is new to them. With a beautiful atmosphere and scenery and interesting characters this was a great read and one I can easily recommend.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Deceived By The Light by Damien Boyd

June 9, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Deceived By The Light by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

An innocent man framed. A case closed. A serial killer free to kill again.

It is 1985. Detective Inspector Mungo ‘Bob’ Willis is being forced out of Avon and Somerset Police on medical grounds. His career is in tatters, his body broken, his mind shattered, and his partner—DS Lizzie Harper—dead in a sting operation gone wrong.

Their last case is closed, but Bob is convinced an innocent man has been framed, leaving a serial killer cruising the A303 with impunity, free to target lone women who have broken down by the roadside late at night.

The killer knows the police aren’t looking for anyone else in connection with the murders. What they don’t know is what Bob will do next.

And when another woman is killed in horrifyingly similar circumstances, Bob launches his own—unofficial—investigation. Can he stop a sadistic killer before they kill again? And again…

DI Mungo “Bob” Willis is an average police officer. With no real career highs (nor lows) he has been mediocre – and comfortable with it – his entire life. Until the night he and his DS Lizzie Harper faced down a serial killing pair alone in a layby lane on the A303. With Lizzie dead and Bob barely released from the hospital weeks later Bob is fired by something he’s never experienced before – determination and revenge.

I have greatly enjoyed this author’s other series so when I found out he’d begun something new I eagerly jumped in. I was a little surprised that this book was set back in 1985 – an find it mortifying that at 40 years ago now, this is classed as a historical mystery – but I still found it an exciting and engrossing read. Even with no modern technology – no license plate readers, no CCTV, no mobile phones, but instead people using telephone booths – I loved how the author made the story about the plot and characters and still kept everything relevant and interesting.

I found it highly enjoyable that even without so many of the new tricks, this book strongly contained solid police work and character driven emotions. I found both of these critical elements helped keep this a gripping read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I’m pleased to see there’s another book and hope the author sticks with this. The older time setting helps keep this series feeling different and fresh, but I absolutely think there’s enough mystery and interesting characters to keep modern readers attached and eager for more.

A new series from an author I am well versed in, this is a great read and one I can highly recommend.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Sworn to Collide by Maria Imbalzano

June 8, 2026 By 2 Comments


Sworn to Collide by Maria Imbalzano
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

After devoting eleven years of marriage to Ben, her high school sweetheart, and stepping off the corporate ladder to raise their three children, Denise is ready to seize the reins of the career she always dreamed of. But as soon as she commits to step back into the professional world, Ben drops a bombshell that disrupts everything. Suddenly, this once rock-solid couple finds themselves in a battle over ambition, identity, and whose turn it is to shine. As personal choices draw them further and further apart, they must confront their widening rift—a threat to the love they thought was unshakeable. Can they rediscover the passion they once shared, or will their divergent paths pull them apart for good?

This women’s fiction by Maria Imbalzano hooked me in from the first page and didn’t let go until the end. The characters were compelling, especially the two main characters, Ben and Denise. I could feel the emotions they were going through as they went through this difficult time in their marriage.

I quite literally was not at all sure how this book would end until I reached the end — it was that well put together. And I could see both sides of the issues, even though the story is told only from Denise’s point of view. I believe this is a mark of a good author. Both characters are treated fairly and neither come across as the “bad guy” in the situation. I admired that.

I also loved the Sworn Sisters – and while this is the fourth book in that series, it definitely stands alone. However, I loved the Sisters and their bond so much, I now feel the need to go back and read the other books! I’m such a sucker for books about bonded friends such as these.

Good job, Ms. Imbalzano.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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