Murder by the Glass: Cocktail Mysteries by Edited by Teresa Inge and Yvonne Saxon


Murder by the Glass: Cocktail Mysteries by Edited by Teresa Inge and Yvonne Saxon
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Whether the setting is a vineyard in Argentina or a small town in Virginia, these 17 mystery and suspense authors infuse this collection of deadly deeds with a variety of potent potables, the stories in Murder by the Glass: Cocktail Mysteries range from light-bodied puzzles to edgier tales with bitter consequences. No matter what your taste, these stories pair well with any beverage, each blending a baffling mystery, a glass and a murder.

This anthology includes works by Allie Marie, Betsy Ashton, Frances Aylor, Mary Dutta, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Diane Fanning, Debra H. Goldstein, Libby Hall, Maria Hudgins, Teresa Inge, Maggie King, Kristin Kisska, Allie Marie, K. L. Murphy, Alan Orloff, Josh Pachter, Shawn Reilly Simmons and Heather Weidner.

Sometimes thirstiness is deadly.

Maddie attempted to solve her sister’s murder and get revenge on the killer in “Revenge on the Rocks.” There were so few clues to go on that I was quite curious to see how she’d figure out who killed her sister. I liked the fact that she had to work so hard to put the pieces together. It made sense given what a private person the sister was and how she originally met the man who took her life.

All of the stories in this anthology were well worth reading, but I thought a few of them would have benefitted from a little more development. “The Good Citizen” was one of them. While I completely understood how irritating it is to spend time with someone who complains about everything, I would have liked to know why Sylvia’s killer thought that taking her life was their best option. She was no doubt a highly difficult person to have a conversation with, but she wasn’t violent or dangerous. It seemed to me that it would have made more sense to let her live out her final days and avoid her as much as possible in the meantime. With more exposition, this could have been one of my favorite stories of them all.

“Swiping Right” started off with a first date between Corynne and Tad, two single people who’d recently matched with each other on a dating site. They were both excited to meet, but there was something unusual about Corynne that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I eagerly read on to find out what else she was looking for from Tad other than the possibility of love. This tale meandered a little, but everything it mentioned while slowly moving towards the exciting conclusion was critical to understanding what was really happening here. I had a wonderful time figuring it all out.

Murder by the Glass: Cocktail Mysteries kept me guessing. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a strong drink or an intriguing mystery.

The Return of the Earl by Joan Wolf


The Return of the Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Laura’s situation is dire. She and her little daughter are being evicted from their home. Her husband has committed suicide and her house is now the property of the next male heir. When her godmother offers her a position at Chiltern Hall, Laura leaps at the chance. The new Earl of Chiltern is representing England at the Congress of Vienna, and his home and his nieces cannot be left to the care of the servants.

Laura accepts the position of chatelaine at Chiltern Hall. She loves the house and the children, and she becomes fond of the estate steward, the gorgeous Mark Kingston. Then the earl comes home. And Laura falls in love. How can she remain at Chiltern Hall feeling the way she does?

I’ve read several Joan Wolf books now and her writing style is consistently enjoyable. I always feel connected to the characters and absorbed into the setting. Positive escapism in a book is my stress relief. What was I to do while stuck in Chicago for five hours waiting for a connecting flight? Why read, of course.

I started what I hoped would be a great book and The Return of the Earl by Joan Wolf didn’t disappoint. While reading it, I had several moments where I had no idea I was in an airport or that my husband was talking to me. Before I knew it, it was time to board my plane.

The heroine, Laura, is genuinely sweet. It’s impossible to dislike anything about her. The hero, Robert, is a hero in every sense of the word. Together, they make the perfect sensational romance.

The story kept me engaged from beginning to end. There were some unexpected plot twists that kept me riveted. All-in-all, The Return of the Earl is a remarkable book worth spending the time to read.

What I liked most about this book was the journey. It was heartwarming, funny and a little bit suspenseful. If the prologue intrigues you as it did me, then definitely give it a shot.

A London Season by Joan Wolf


A London Season by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Young Lady Jane Fitzmaurice had everything that Regency society approved of—flawless beauty, perfect breeding, and a respectable fortune.

But she also had a mind and heart of her own that set heads shaking and tongues wagging.

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Lady Jane had taken London society by storm—but now a whirlwind of scandal was rising as she rode roughshod over all conventions and prepared to take a leap that could destroy her good name, and leave her heart forever broken…

I’m going to share a bit about me because it’s a powerful testimony to how great a book A London Season by Joan Wolf is. I am three months away from being half a century old. My days of staying up past my bedtime to read on a work night ended a while ago. I’ve accepted the fact. My husband jokes that ten p.m. is ‘pumpkin time’, no matter where I am or what I am doing, my body knows its bedtime. A London Season overrode my inner clock – I could not put the book down. It gave me a second wind or something because it was past midnight before I finished it. Even after I finished it, I wasn’t able to go to sleep because I was suffering from a wonderful ‘book glow’. It means that the book left me feeling full of joy, enthusiasm, energy, emotion and AWAKE! lol.

Why couldn’t I put the book down? Why did I love it so much? Let me tell you. First, I have to credit the author, Joan Wolf. I’ve read several of her books and I feel her stories are flawlessly written and I don’t feel they have cookie cutters formulas. A London Season was no exception. I was fully engaged from the beginning to the end. The characters were irresistible. Each person had their unique personality that I either loved or hate.

The synopsis gives a very good description of the heroine, Jane Fitzmaurice. She’s perfect in every way until she doesn’t get her way. A bit of a Jekyll and Hyde trait if I may say so. She definitely “set heads shaking and tongues wagging”. I loved it. I wouldn’t consider her a spoiled brat at all. I agree with the synopsis when it says “she had a mind and heart of her own”. I found her easy to relate to.

The hero, David Chance, was the heart of the book. David and Jane grew up together starting at a very young age. Their circumstances developed who they grew up to be. Their romance was slow, sweet and genuine. I enjoyed the ride with all the bumps, twists and turns. There is more that I want to share but I don’t want to give any spoilers. I suggest this book to be put on a readers list. It’s going on my keeper’s book shelf. I thoroughly enjoyed this seat-gripping journey to their happily ever after.

The American Earl by Joan Wolf


The American Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

When the Earl of Althorpe dies, his daughter Julia is horrified to learn that the new earl is an American. Her father has left their estate, Stoverton, burdened with enormous debt and the only good news about the new earl is that he’s a millionaire. Julia’s hope is that he will bail out the estate and go back home to America, leaving her to run Stoverton, as she always has.

Evan Marshall, the new earl, has no use for the British and certainly does not want to be an English earl. However, he finds not only has he inherited enormous debts, but he is now the guardian of two girls—Julia and her younger sister Maria.

On the advice of his aunt, he agrees to give Julia a London Season so she can catch a husband and take care of Maria. Then he’ll be able to go home to America, where he belongs.

Nothing goes according to either of these very determined people’s plans.

I’ve lost count of how many Joan Wolf books I’ve read. I do know the American Earl is consistent with her other previous books that I have experienced, ‘flawless and entertaining’.

l found that the synopsis was a very good summary of the story. If a reader finds synopsis interesting too, then definitely give it a shot. There aren’t any sudden or unexpected plot twists in this book. The storytelling is smooth and evenly paced from start to finish.

The characters are well developed and relatable. The heroine, Julia, is a confident individual who had her world fall out from under her. The hero, Evan, had his world turned upside down and was like a deer caught in headlights. Together they were like the blind leading the blind with the help of their relatives.

Observing the sweet romance bloom and blossom between Julia and Evan was fun and interesting. They came from two worlds that only true love could unite. There was actually one surprise near the end of the story that shook Julia’s world a second time but it did not drop the floor from under my feet. Evan was my hero as well as Julia’s. That’s all I can say about that.

I never read a historical with an American earl but the idea intrigued me and I’m glad that I took the time to read this book. I hope you will give it a chance too. Happy Reading!

The Guardian by Joan Wolf


The Guardian by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Gentle Reader:

My husband is dead and my four-year-old son is the new Earl of Weston. Perhaps even more catastrophic, however, is the news that my husband named his brother, Stephen, the guardian of Giles and of all the immense Grandville estate.

Five years ago, Stephen was banished to Jamaica and now he is coming home. Once the thought of Stephen coming home to me was all I wanted out of life. But not anymore. I have made my life without him. I have my son, my horses, my home.

There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.

My fondest regards,
Annabelle Grandville

Chapter one, first sentence, “My God, my God, my God, he’s reading Gerald’s will.” What an amazing start! I know my eyes bugged out and I was immediately engaged into further reading the story. I was already intrigued after reading the synopsis. I’m officially a fan of Joan Wolf so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put the book down with a start like that.

This is a historical romance which is one of my favorite genres. I am however a reviewer that doesn’t get stuck on how accurate an author is or not in the time period that she is writing. I read for pure entertainment purposes so if you are a reader that enjoys historical accuracy then I can’t testify to that. However, I can testify that this book was very entertaining.

The romance between the hero, Stephen and the heroine, Annabelle, was sensual and dangerous. There is a plot thread wrapped around their relationship that was suspenseful and mysterious. I didn’t feel this story was predictable. I felt like there were many moving parts that kept the story flowing at a steady pace.

The synopsis says “There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.” I don’t usually quote a synopsis very often but in this case, it was called for. I enjoyed reading the love relationship between Stephen and Annabelle. It was fun to see how perceptions can be misleading. It’s interesting how lies and secrets can be manipulated in certain circumstances.

There are many layers in this story among the cast of characters. I felt the characters were well developed and relatable. I was given the sense of a strong loyal family with a few dysfunctional relatives. They all lived in a community where everyone knew each other. I didn’t have any trouble following along with the story line.

I appreciated that the book ended with an epilogue. Every detail was wrapped up in a pretty bow. I was sad to see the story come to an end.

I definitely would read this book again. I encourage others to give it a try. Happy Reading!

The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf


The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

The Reluctant Earl is the story of Claire and Simon, who desperately want to get married, despite all the obstacles that stand in their way. Their biggest hurdle is the fact that Simon is the son and heir of the Earl of Welbourne, while Claire is the daughter of the earl’s Irish horse trainer. The youngsters are keenly aware that their parents would violently oppose such an unequal union—which is precisely why they never confide in those parents.

Then there is Simon’s father, who, for reasons Simon has never understood, clearly hates his son. Then there is the mystery of Simon’s mother’s death, and the fact that he has never met a single member of her family. Then a miracle happens—Simon learns about a trust fund left to him in his mother’s marriage settlement.

Once the money is in his pocket, Simon and Claire decide to elope…and the simmering pot that is Welbourne Abbey and its inhabitants explodes.

The Reluctant Earl’s synopsis sparked my interest and the prologue further engaged me to want to read more. I enjoyed the writing style with the time jumps such as two hours later, one year later, and the epilogue, ten years later. Talk about keeping the pace flowing at a steady momentum! It was splendid having a plot with twists and turns mixed with a well-developed cast of characters that were mostly relatable. This was the perfect recipe for an entertaining romance book with all the plot threads tied nicely into a pretty bow.

The romance between Simon, the hero, and Claire, the heroine, was young and sweet. I was reminded of the movie “Pretty in Pink”. I was cheering them on the entire time, hoping they’d reach their happy ever after. Simon’s dad and his wife were stinks. They deserved what came their way. On the other hand, Claire’s parents were the ideal parents. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I was happy when Simon’s uncle, Richard Jarvis, came on the scene.

If you are looking for a fun, sweet historical romance then this one fits the bill. Happy reading!

A Double Deception by Joan Wolf


A Double Deception by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

ONE BETRAYAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH

Enchantingly lovely Laura Dalwood was little more than a girl when she was given in marriage to a man whose glittering wealth concealed a dark secret revealed to her only on her wedding night.

Now her husband’s death had freed her from that odious union—and Laura vowed never to make so grievous an error again.

But how could she reject the handsome and brilliant Mark Cheney, Earl of Dartmouth, when his proposal was one that no young woman of sense or sensibility could rightly decline?

And what could she do when, as his bride, he carried her over the threshold to allow her to discover just how much she could love a man—and then, to her distress, just how much she could fear him…

The synopsis for A Double Deception was a great advertisement that piqued my interest enough to want to pick up and read this story.

My attention was absorbed while reading this sweet romance between the hero, Mark, and the heroine, Laura. I found it easy to connect with them through their developing relationship as they discovered how to trust and love one another despite all the rumors and secrets.

Mark was serious, intelligent and, I felt, mysterious. Laura was independent, strong and compassionate. Together they made a perfect family. There was a mild suspense plot thread woven throughout the story that kept me riveted to my seat and turning those pages. I was filled with worry over Laura’s safety and the impact of this plot conflict on their relationship.

I have to be honest and confess that the first two chapters felt like information overload. I had to read the first two chapters twice to process the family history of the cast of characters that were introduced by Lady Maria. Lady Maria is actually Laura’s godmother and Mark’s aunt. It helped me to draw a family tree to visually see and help me to remember who was who. It was definitely worth persevering through the beginning of the book because when Mark and Laura did finally meet in chapter five it was if I had already knew them.

In conclusion, this was a very good book. My heartstrings were pulled, my funny bone was tickled, and my romance meter was raised. I’d definitely recommend picking this book up.

Beloved Stranger by Joan Wolf


Beloved Stranger by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

By all rights they should never have met—shy and lovely Susan Morgan, and Ricardo Montoya, baseball’s hottest superstar. But a winter storm brought them together, and in the glow of firelight, they discovered a magical passion. It should have ended there—their worlds were so far apart they could never expect to share more than a beautiful memory.

But fate took a hand, and suddenly Susan found that her love had a chance…if only she were strong enough to grasp it…

I’ll never forget Beloved Stranger not just because it is my 200th review but because it was another outstanding book written by Joan Wolf. This is my fifth in a row Joan Wolf novel and she just keeps hitting them out of the park.

Speaking of hitting them out of the park, Beloved Stranger’s hero, Ricardo Montoya happens to be baseball’s hottest superstar. Ricardo’s character was quite chauvinistic but I still fell in love with him. His personality had more to do with his culture and upbringing, than him being unkind or rude at his heart.

The heroine, Susan, isn’t my ideal leading lady but she has the magic personality necessary to sway Ricardo which in turn swayed me to team Susan. I could feel the chemistry between the two as they made several “home runs”.

The believability of this story is a stretch, however it was more than entertaining. I always choose to believe that anything can happen. I read this book in one sitting. My attention was hooked instantly from the very first sentence, “The snow was coming down harder and harder and Susan Morgan was beginning to worry.” I wasn’t able to put it down until I reached the end.

I loved every minute I spent reading Beloved Stranger. I am becoming obsessed with reading Joan Wolf because every book I’ve read so far has made me happy. At this point I’ve only read her historical and contemporary genres. If you enjoy those genres then give Joan Wolf a try. Happy reading everybody!

Rebellious Ward by Joan Wolf


Rebellious Ward by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

CATRIONA WAS NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL—BUT SHE WAS AN INNOCENT IN LOVE

Only a girl as captivating as Catriona MacIan could have overcome the scandal of her birth to shine as the most sought-after young lady of the London Season.

Only a girl as daring as Catriona would have played with the fiery attentions of suitors as different as the eminently eligible, handsome and proper Lord Wareham and the notoriously worldly and wicked Marquis of Hampton.

Only a girl as stubborn as Catriona would have persisted in adoring the one man she could not have—the brilliant and iron-willed Duke of Burford, the guardian who saw her every fault and was so blind to all else…

The Rebellious Ward was ecstatically amazing. Why? It was everything to me. It even had an epilogue. I love a book that includes an epilogue. It’s like the cherry on top. It’s an imperative ingredient necessary to create a long lasting book glow.

The main characters in The Rebellious Ward are Catriona and Edmund. They actually were twelve years apart in age but Catriona was mature beyond her years. I didn’t have an issue with the age gap especially since their romance was sweet and innocent. I found their relationship to be be heartwarming, fun and entertaining. The cast of characters were well developed and relatable. I felt bad for Marquis of Hampton and would love to see him have a book of his own. I really enjoyed the guest appearance of Ian and Frances.

The writing, pace, and plot were all spot on. I can’t think of any constructive criticism of any kind regarding this novel. I loved how the story started and ended at the same scene. The book began with a prologue and consisted of twenty three chapters with a Part One and a Part two and ended with an epilogue. It all hit my feel good spots. The whole story was engaging, riveting, and original.

I’m starting to think that Joan Wolf is eclipsing all my other favorite authors. If you have never heard of Joan Wolf then I can’t impress enough to give her a chance. If you love historical romance like me then The Rebellious Ward is one I confidently recommend.

The Scottish Lord by Joan Wolf


The Scottish Lord by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

TWO HEARTS BEYOND CONTROL

Frances Stewart was the most stunning beauty of the London Season, with every noble gallant at her beck and call, and the most eligible lord in the realm, Sir Robert Sedburgh, begging for her hand.

Lord Ian Macdonald was the most headstrong and arrogant young blade ever to sneer at society’s strictures and to scorn caution’s advice in his reckless pursuit of his own desires.

As fate would have it (no one else would dare recommend such an unsettling alliance), these two paragons of pride came together. And as all of Regency society held its breath, first a few discomfiting sparks flew, and then the explosion came…

After reading two other books by Joan Wolf, I can hardly believe she wrote this one because it’s so different from the others. That’s a sign of a skilled writer. I may have my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant but sometimes I like to shake it up and get a different dish. Most likely I’ll get my favorite dish the next time. The point is that I’ll still go back to my favorite restaurant. It’s good to be different.

The technique in this story was my “different dish” and Joan Wolf is my favorite restaurant. The technique was written in multiple points of views. There were three different perspectives – the hero, Ian, the heroine, Frances, and Ian’s cousin, Douglass. I would not consider it “head hopping” but it was unique to me to have a first, second and third person speaking. It was further intriguing to me that the story started out with Ian’s cousin, Douglass, speaking in first person.

The execution of the plot was impeccable. The plot itself was complex with many moving parts. The synopsis doesn’t even give a hint to the depth of the storyline. There were several plot twists that I didn’t see coming. I was fixed to my seat from beginning to end, turning the pages as fast as I could. I couldn’t wait to see how it was all going to turn out.

The heroine, Frances, was unrealistically beautiful. Her exquisite looks were mentioned a few too many times for my taste. With her beauty came unsurmountable stubbornness. However, in Ian’s presence she became weak in a toxic way.

Ian, the hero, definitely did not make my book boyfriend list. He initially was obnoxiously selfish, jealous and cocky. Fortunately for his sake, he was somewhat humbled near the end of the story. I believe it was because Ian was childhood friends with Frances that made their romance relatable and acceptable. They had an unbreakable connection despite all the turbulence in their relationship.

Considering the rollercoaster ride Ian and Frances’s romance put me on, I felt the ending was abrupt. I wanted a more solid closure. I would have enjoyed an epilogue. I actually expected to discover The Scottish Lord to be a book one in a series. I wanted to know more about Maggie, Ian’s sister and her relationship with a man who was a family rival. Did Maggie’s mother approve of Maggie’s relationship with this particular man?

There were many positive elements in this book to recommend it. I felt it was worth my time and consider this an entertaining book. I believe The Scottish Lord would be a great book to debate at a book club. I can see how there would be mixed reviews worth discussing. I actually read that Ian and Frances are going to make an appearance in another one of Joan Wolf’s books called The Rebellious Ward. I already requested it. 🙂