The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

April 19, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.

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Nella had thought that the first time she crossed the line from helping into harming that her fate had been set. And then Eliza Fanning comes into her life and her fate is rearranged, but is it for the better? What she – and Eliza – don’t realize is that their chance encounter will also shape the fate and future of someone in the far future. A woman named Caroline Parcewell, a woman dealing with her own demons.

I have to say that, although what I got was not anything like what I was expecting, I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Apothecary. Stories that alternate timelines are a favorite of mine. It’s fascinating to me how they seem to run parallel right up until that point where they become intermeshed with one another.

Of the three characters, twelve-year-old Eliza is probably my favorite. She’s stuck somewhere between child and young adult in a world where young girls become women overnight. I thought the author portrayed her well. She’s a smart kid with a good work ethic, however she still has her childish fears and ideas as well. Seeing her determination overcome her fears and worries as she helps Nella was one of the best parts of the novel.

Nella is a conflicted character. As much as she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and do no harm, betrayal in her past soured her on men. Especially men who lied, cheated, and betrayed other women. Her internal conflict really drives her and Eliza’s portion of the story. Her reluctant friendship with Eliza was her saving grace, I think.

I felt for Caroline and really loved that she decided to ditch her cheating husband and take their anniversary trip on her own. Honestly, I can’t blame her – she needed that escape. I related to Caroline more than any of the other characters due to her giving up so much for what she thought was good reasons, only to discover later she’d cheated herself out of what she’d wanted. Her drive and desire for answers also resonated with me and I lived for each little discovery she made.

One part contemporary mystery, one part historical fiction, with a dash of magical realism tossed in just for pizzazz, The Lost Apothecary is an interesting, engaging romp through both present-day London and the London of 1791. While I had gone in expecting something more action-packed and intense, the author still delivered an emotionally charged, engrossing story of three women separated by centuries and yet still tied together through time.

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

The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels

April 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Nosy Neighbor by Fern Michaels
Publisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Lucy Baker decided it was time to walk away from her high-flying legal career after she successfully defended yet another heinous criminal. Now, almost a year after her life-changing decision, Lucy has never been happier. Leaving New York City for the suburbs, tending to her garden and her dog, Lucy is making future plans with her fiancé and getting acquainted with her neighbors, including the handsome, exasperating one next door, Wylie Wilson.

But one day, everything changes. When FBI special agents confront Lucy with shocking revelations about her fiancé’s secret double life, everything about her husband-to-be is cast in suspicion. Recovering from a freak accident that has left her with a heightened sense of intuition, and getting closer than she ever dreamed to Wylie, Lucy must determine who to trust—and fast, before someone breaks down her defenses and targets her…

Wow, was this a nail-biter! The Nosy Neighbor is a great read, a wonderful romance and a thrilling suspense along with the comic relief of a trio of adorable, lovable dogs to make a reader feel totally engaged. Any characters who love a dog so much they’d make meatloaf all the time specifically for the pup because of dietary needs, you know they’re good people.
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People who are not good are those who believe the only good dog is a dead dog – and that’s why the villain of the piece was such a perfect villain. He didn’t like dogs. Okay, he did a lot of other bad stuff that made him a perfect bad buy, but when compared to how much Wylie loved Clueless Cooper? The bad guy deserved everything he had coming to him … eventually. Before that could happen, a whole bunch of good storytelling, excitement, entertainment and the growing of wonderful friendships and relationships plus a romance between Wylie and Lucy kept me glued to the pages as the story unfolded. Ms. Michaels truly has an amazing talent because she crafted a thrilling romance story that gripped me from the moment those FBI agents approached Lucy and turned her well ordered world upside down.

It took me all afternoon to read this novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I had to because I was supposed to make supper but as soon as that was done, I dove back into the pages of The Nosy Neighbor, eager to find out what they found at the bad guy’s hideaway. I didn’t find out later what was there and the only niggle about the book was that it never showed the FBI finding the goods or what happened to all the assets that were in someone else’s name. Does that person GET all of it? I think the reason why the author didn’t go off on that tangent is because the book is first and foremost, a romance. That is exactly what I was looking to read and it’s exactly what was delivered – with a lot of intense suspense and drama that spicened up the plot. I never had to guess who the villain was because the FBI made it clear early on, but it was the suspense of knowing the guy was gunning for Lucy and the uncertainty and curiosity of trying to guess how it was all going to play out. How was he going to take down the heroine? Why did he choose her and why was he so angry and obsessed? So many fascinating questions that eventually get answered. It was worth dedicating half of my day to this novel.

Yes, Lucy and Wylie do ‘get together’ and it’s an open-door view for readers but it’s not overly graphic which I greatly appreciated. Some of the physical action was fun and silly, yet serious too. It’s serious because they’re falling in love. It’s serious because once the heroine had the sheet time with the hero, she realized something very important. It’s that epiphany that makes her realize the difference between the two men. It’s romance at its finest.

I didn’t add the paranormal genre tag, but maybe I should have. I mean, Lucy did develop a way to hear things not normal for a human. Then again, I know that scientists have actually studied that phenomenon for real, and I saw a documentary a few weeks ago about people who could READ books while being 100% blindfolded with no way to actually see anything at all, so HOW could they read or describe anything like they weren’t blindfolded? It’s incredibly amazing as it is confounding, but it’s real! So, if that can happen in real life, maybe Lucy’s situation isn’t that farfetched. Because of that, I didn’t attach the paranormal tag to my review.

If Ms. Michaels writes this well all the time, I’ve got to read more of her backlist. The Nosy Neighbor was awesome and I had a great time reading the novel. If anyone else is like me and hasn’t read this yet, my recommendation is to rectify that immediately. If a reader likes romantic suspense, courageous puppies and a hero and heroine who are perfect for each other with a very satisfying happy ever after, know that this book delivers.

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

The Exiled by Christopher Charles

April 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Exiled by Christopher Charles
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can anyone ever truly outrun his past?

Back in the 1980s, Wes Raney was an ambitious New York City Narcotics Detective with a growing drug habit of his own. While working undercover on a high-risk case, he made decisions that ultimately cost him not only his career, but also his family. Disgraced, Raney fled-but history is finally catching up with him.

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For eighteen years Detective Wes Raney has been in exile – living and working over a massive part of the desert in New Mexico as the only murder investigator. For the most part his job is mindless and while it’s taken a long time he has mostly made peace with his solitude and new life. But then he comes across a scene that brings him back to his Narcotics days in New York and his old life, a drug deal gone wrong resulting in a triple homicide. Can Raney balance the resurgence of old memories and old demons with the delicate peace he has found?

Overall I found this to be a really engrossing and excellent read. This is effectively two stories wound into one book. The book (almost each chapter) flip between Raney’s New York life back in the mid 80s and his current life in New Mexico in the present. I thought this aspect to the story was really well handled and even though there is jumping back and forth in the timeline I didn’t find it jarring or confusing and that really pleased me.

While it’s perfectly obvious from the first page that the events and outcome of Raney’s undercover operation in the 80s results in him spending twenty odd years alone, in exile and completely disconnected in New Mexico, I still felt myself a little disappointed with how the 1980s timeline wrapped up. It might be slightly unfair of me (after all it’s clear up front there was no happy ever after or sweetness to Raney’s leaving New York), but I still feel Raney got a pretty rough deal and I felt pretty indignant on his behalf. This left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth and it’s a bizarre compliment to the author that even now – more than a day after having finished reading the book – I still feel pretty strongly about the outcome and how poorly done by Raney was by the people who should have helped him and had his back. This is the sort of writing and book that sticks with you well after you’ve finished reading it and that is a massive compliment, even if I’m indignant and annoyed on the main character’s behalf.

The current timeline was much more satisfying – though far more standard as well. The plot for this story was interesting and unfolded really well to my mind. I enjoyed the secondary characters and thought the pacing was fast enough to keep the momentum up but still realistic and logical. I believe this is a stand alone book – most of the loose ends were tied up and while it’s definitely not a cliff hanger or a clear bridge leading the way to a sequel, I have to admit I’ll be keeping an eye out on this author and picking up the next book should one appear.

Readers looking for a simple, neat or “happy” mystery mightn’t find this quite suits what they’re looking for. But there is plenty I thoroughly enjoyed about this story. A different and really interesting (and flawed) main character, a gripping and realistic mystery and an excellent writing style had me reading this book very quickly and enjoying it a lot even when I was outraged on the protagonist’s behalf. A good read and an author I plan to keep an eye out for.

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

Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon

April 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Remembering Rose by Sheila Claydon
Publisher: BWL Publishing
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rachel has a husband who adores her, a beautiful baby daughter, and an extended family she can rely on, so why isn’t she happy? She doesn’t know and nor do the people who love her. Only Rose understands but she is trapped in another century. To help Rachel she has to breach the boundaries of time itself as well as risk exposing the truth of her own past.

When echoes from that past begin to affect other people in the village of Mapleby, things suddenly become a lot more complicated. Can Rachel put things right without giving away Rose’s secret?

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Rachel’s character development was handled beautifully. To be honest, I didn’t like her very much when I first met her because of how negative and critical she was about everything in her life. It was only once I realized that these parts of her personality were symptoms of her postpartum depression and I saw glimpses of who she was before she’d had a baby that my opinion of her began to shift. This was an intelligent way to show how this illness affects not only the new mother but everyone else around her. I truly enjoyed seeing how she coped with her overwhelming feelings and what her loved ones did to help her feel better.

The beginning and middle of this book were well-written and entertaining. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in how rapidly everything was wrapped up in the ending. There were some fantastic subplots that never had enough time to be fully developed. Even the main storyline felt rushed in the last few chapters, especially when it came to Rachel putting all of the clues together and figuring out what Rose wanted from her. If not for these issues, I would have happily gone with a much higher rating.

Some of the most interesting scenes were the ones that showed the audience the many similarities between Rachel and Rose’s lives. Some families repeat the same patterns for generations without necessarily being aware that this is happening. For example, both Rose and Rachel were spoiled youngest children whose parents let them get away with things that would have never been tolerated if their much-older siblings had tried the same stuff. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover the other similarities for themselves, but I thought this was all nicely explained.

Anyone who likes genealogical or historical mysteries should give Remembering Rose a try.

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

Tobias by Marteeka Karland

April 12, 2021 By 1 Comment


Tobias by Marteeka Karland
Salvation’s Bane 7
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

I hate bullies. Gymnastics moms are the worst, too. So when a girl who looks no older than the kids with the overbearing mothers steps in to take over, I’m more than a little skeptical. Her name is, of all things, Kitty, and I’ve been watching her from a distance. I just didn’t realize she was a highly trained athlete in the body of a young, beguiling, innocent woman. Everything about her calls to my protective instincts. Especially when I find her putting herself in the hands of the very tormentor who broke my sister.

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Tobias was a take charge kind of guy, which is to be expected when a man is part of an MC. Readers need to be reminded that profanity and growly gruff language is to be expected. Tobias is especially gifted in that department.

Kitty is young in age but not in life experience. To strive to reach Olympics’ level of any sport, an athlete has to have grit, determination, a high pain tolerance and the wherewithal to persevere when the going gets tough. The heroine has been dealt a bad hand and tries to figure it out on her own, but when the people she trusts fail her, she’s at her lowest point. Yet she’s stubborn and refuses to give up. It’s that spunky nature that attracts Tobias, but it’s the surprisingly protective instinct that wakes up inside him that propels him to take action. The pace of the romance speeds up from there, giving me everything I look forward to in a romance story.

The villain of the piece isn’t a large presence. He does provoke the plot conflict and that part is effective. There are a few scenes with him that don’t exactly mesh with his actions later on, or with his history that I learn about later in the book. There is this big buildup of a showdown, then …. Yeah, Tobias felt the same way I did. In a weird way, how it all went down has a humorous backdrop to it. Yes, it was serious, but the author chose to keep the upbeat romance front and center and not be sidelined by a plot conflict that easily could have overshadowed Tobias and Kitty.

Overall, I’m very pleased with this story. I seem to always have a good time when I visit with Ms. Karland’s MC characters and Tobias and company bring with them that element of an MC family. Strong, noble, not afraid to get down and dirty, and even a bit bloody, and always have each other’s backs when the going gets tough. That’s the kind of community that Kitty will thrive in and with Tobias, their happily-ever-after is off to a firecracker of a start.

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

Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss

April 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Economics, Business
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Teach your kids about business and economics in a fun, meaningful way and inspire them to be entrepreneurs. Millions of Americans are small business owners or work at companies, yet there are not many books that explain to kids what business is about, the way there are books for kids about being a firefighter, farmer or astronaut. Beyond basic business concepts, KidVenture shows that character matters in business. The ability to persevere when there are setbacks and being someone who is trustworthy are key ingredients of success.

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KidVenture stories are business adventures where kids figure out how to market their company, understand risk, and negotiate. Each chapter ends with a challenge, including business decisions, ethical dilemmas and interpersonal conflict for young readers to wrestle with. As the story progresses, the characters track revenue, costs, profit margin, and other key metrics which are explained in simple, fun ways that tie into the story.

The synopsis of this book tells you much of what this book might be about. However, I think I can tell you what this book seemed like to a “grown-up”. One like me I suppose. I think this is reading for a 10- to 14-year-old depending on their reading skills. Although there is a theme of learning to manage and understand money, there is also a story here. Making it flow. Making it read like a story about a boy and his family and friends. This is not a textbook. It might accomplish more than a textbook, but it doesn’t have that somewhat dry academic type of flow. The POV is always from Chance, the kid who wants a new bike and wants to find a way to buy it. I think this kid’s perspective is what it needs to hold the attention of middle grade or young YA readers.

While this is well-written and easy to read, there is something it accomplishes much more than merely learning about money, or math, or business. It provides numerous opportunities for conversation between parents and children. Short sentences like “What would you do?” “What would be the benefits?” leave open doors for discussion. What is a short 128 page book, can be shaped in many ways.

No wonder Steve Searfoss is such a successful entrepreneur. It takes the ability to communicate on many subjects to many ages, and he seems to be able to do so. I hope more KidVenture books are forthcoming.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

April 8, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Historical
Rated 5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she’s shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can’t resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly’s research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah’s society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

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The moment-to-moment interactions of the characters are unpredictable, and this is certainly true for the overall story. Everly is a strong main character, with surprising interests and skills, but more importantly, a depth of feeling she shares ever so gently. We feel her mourning even as she is moving forward. Events of the past filter in with Everly’s discoveries; they are somehow no less heart-wrenching for being part of the long-ago.

This has the flavor of the American south, and a hint of endlessly reminiscing. Surviving Savannah is one of those novels you will read, and then re-read as if touching the life of an old friend.

Patti Callahan’s writing is no less than simply brilliant. “Sunlight cast him in gold” she describes at one point, and I would say, reading casts this novel in gold.

Do read Surviving Savannah. This is a venture away from the common time and place, yet familiar: warming and wonderful and worth every one of those five stars.

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

Hawk by Harley Wylde

April 7, 2021 By 1 Comment


Hawk by Harley Wylde
Restless Kings MC2
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Hayley — Having both a father and brother who are in law enforcement, and overprotective, doesn’t make it easy to date. Which is why I was still a virgin at eighteen and had never had a serious boyfriend. If I’d realized chasing Cuddles through the biker compound would result in the hottest night of my life, I might have fixed my hair and dressed a little better. Not that Hawk seemed to mind. He made my knees weak and blew my mind. I just didn’t realize the night would end with a free gift with purchase — one that’s an eighteen-year-long commitment.

Hawk — Never thought I’d make it to the age of forty without ever finding someone special. But I did. Then I met Hayley. She’s the last woman I should fall for, but I can’t seem to help myself. Too bad I figured it out after she disappeared. If I’d known our one night had repercussions, I’d have tried harder to find her. Finding out I have a daughter is the best and scariest thing, but it means I get what I want most. A family.

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This was a fun one! I really enjoyed every moment of this novella. It has a great romance, complicated conflicts, stubborn dads, a heroine who is just as stubborn and a hero who finally gets the one wish granted he never thought possible. On top of it all is Cuddles, the best animal side-kick ever.

Ms. Wylde threw in some bad guys, drama, suspense, family togetherness and some of that MC magic she’s known for. I was a bit shocked when Hawk reprimanded Lia but when he explained it to the witness, it turned out to be what had to be done. Something like that could not go unaddressed and I guess I’m a bit bloodthirsty or I really, really liked Hayley, the heroine, because to be truthful, I felt she deserved it too.

I think the only annoying niggle is the complete lack of communication and assumption on both character’s sides. He’s older, she’s younger, I think their perspectives were colored by it just a little, but they really are good together. They both thought the same way about the other, which could be considered a comedy of errors, but my heartstrings were more involved with Hayley’s situation because she is a product of her upbringing. Her dad held the strings way too tight and I think that is what allowed the situation to come about in the first place. If only there was less assumption and more willingness to reach out and TALK!

All that being said, the zing and sizzle between Hawk and Hayley was like spontaneous combustion. Passions exploded early on and for a good chunk of the story, the effects of their encounter haunted them. The big question for a reader is what was it going to take to get them together? Communication, that’s what. Not how you might guess it might go though, so readers are in for an interesting time.

This being the super-hot kind of romance that this is, there are a lot of description, some toys and naughty shenanigans to thrill readers of this romance genre. All were written well and are effectively titillating.

Fans of MC romances by Ms. Wylde are in for a treat when they read Hawk’s story. I was thoroughly entertained and am very satisfied with their happy ever after ending. This was a very good read.

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

Sparky Brain – Epileptic Tips and Stories by Ada Almond

April 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Sparky Brain – Epileptic Tips and Stories by Ada Almond
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

“I got diagnosed with epilepsy. It was a hard time for my family, but in the future it turned out to be alright. However, it took hard work getting where I am now – and I will go through my journey in this book.”

Packed with true events and practical facts and applications, this is a handy book for anybody struggling with epilepsy. Following the author’s seizure stories, you’ll learn how with the support of her loved ones, she overcame many problems associated with the condition. Almond describes her difficult experiences and how they affected her life; from topics such as diet and exercise, to unpleasant life encounters and asking for help, she gives tips based on personal experience and research.

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Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases in the world. How much do you know about it?

Ms. Almond had a friendly, conversational writing style that I enjoyed reading. It almost felt like I was sitting in a coffee shop with her as she talked about how her epilepsy affected her medically, socially, and emotionally. She explained every facet of her disease clearly and without making assumptions about what her audience already knew about the topic. Occasionally, I giggled at the jokes she made about how she handled some of the potentially embarrassing consequences of having epilepsy. There is definitely something to be said for purposefully seeking out the humorous side of serious subject matter when possible.

There were a few times when the author veered so off-topic that I wondered how she was planning to tie her anecdotes back to the topic at hand. They generally happened when she was describing where she was and what she was doing before a recent seizure occurred. While I did soon figure out where she was going in those passages, it was a bit jarring to leap from sensible advice in one chapter to what appeared to be a completely unrelated story in the next one. I’m saying this as a reader who really liked this book in general and will be mentioning it to the people I know who have or who love someone who has this illness.

Speaking of advice, my favorite portions were the ones that discussed what the author learned about trying to prevent seizures and reducing their severity through certain dietary and lifestyle changes. These pages were filled with tips on everything from what to eat to how she responds when she feels a seizure coming on. Obviously, not every tip will work for everyone, but I took notes of the things she recommended so I’ll have a few new tricks up my sleeves the next time I’m in the same room as someone who has a seizure. There are so many things that can be done to help someone in this situation whether you are the person who is experiencing them or a friendly bystander.

Honestly, I believe that everyone should read Sparky Brain – Epileptic Tips and Stories. Knowledge is power!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Whole Lotta Love by Erika Kelly

April 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Whole Lotta Love by Erika Kelly
Publisher: EK Publishing, LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Sparks fly when opposites are forced to live together in this steamy, small town romance standalone!

Lulu Cavanaugh’s career went up in smoke.

The moment Lulu lost her job running the fanciest restaurant on Maui, the chef threw herself into recovery mode. She’s pitched a cooking show to be filmed in her Wyoming hometown, hoping the on-screen visibility will pave the path for a future chef de cuisine job.

Alexander Wilder’s career flamed out.

Avoid these stores since there’s a big chance that you will have to intake this medicine. prices viagra Inhibited sexual desire:It is all about lack or sexual http://www.midwayfire.com/?product=5123 cialis properien interest or desire to have sex. So, the cheap viagra in india is the same genre of cialis. In addition, it is the neighbor of the vas deference, seminal vesicle, prostate and ureter, so it is advisable to tadalafil soft speak to your partner regarding this condition. An injury sidelined the quarterback’s promising career, but Xander is determined to find his way back to the gridiron. Rehabbing at a world famous clinic in Calamity, Wyoming, he’s approached by a producer to host a new cooking show. Having grown up in his mother’s restaurant, he grabs the opportunity to stay in the public’s eye.

Lulu nails her audition, but before she can pop open the champagne, the producers drop a bombshell: they’re giving her a co-host. Sparks fly when Lulu and Xander compete for the spotlight. And when a tight filming schedule forces them together around the clock, their sizzling chemistry starts a blaze that can’t be quenched. Will it lead to success for both, or will one of them get burned?

Heat so hot even the kitchen can’t stand it.

When two introverts meet, they discover they are the perfect for each other. Erika Kelly’s newest book Whole Lotta Love was a joy to read. I loved the two main characters, Xander and Lulu and was invested in their story from the first page. It has good pacing, an interesting storyline and entertaining characters. I especially loved the dynamics between Xander and Lulu; when they are near each other the air combusts. They are both genuinely nice people and I wanted them to have their HEA.

As soon as Lulu and Xander meet, sparks fly. They are both quiet and shy and have never felt like they fit in, but that changes when they meet and start spending time together. They discover they are kindred souls; they don’t enjoy parties or being in large groups, they are singular by nature and are most happy by themselves. Lulu and Xander are also both at a crossroads in their lives. They each had big dreams for their lives, but somehow things didn’t work out the way they had planned them. They are disillusioned and not sure what their next step should be.

Lulu loves to cook and has always dreamed of becoming a chef in a five star restaurant. She comes from a loud and boisterous family of overachievers who love to get in each other’s business. I loved reading about all of Lulu’s interactions with her family. They are a caring and loving family, but when they all get together, they can be a bit overwhelming.

Xander is a backup quarterback disappointed he has never achieved more in his football career due to some shoulder injuries. He comes from a football family dynasty and feels like a loser compared to his father and two brothers.

Erika Kelly’s newest book Whole Lotta Love is the eighth book in the Calamity Falls Small Town Romance series and all the books are standalones, but the characters are interconnected. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in this book.

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