Monday, April 25, 2011

"Marrying Daisy Bellamy" by Susan Wiggs

"Marrying Daisy Bellamy" by Susan Wiggs

Book description:

There are days on Willow Lake... — Daisy Bellamy has struggled for years to choose between two men - one honorable and steady, one wild and untethered. And then, one fateful day, the decision is made for her. — When the wind is so still and the water so calm... — Now busy with a thriving business on Willow Lake, Daisy knows she should be happy with... more » the life she's chosen for herself and her son. But she still aches for the one thing she can't have.







You can almost hear your heart beat...






Until the man once lost to her reappears, resurrected by a promise of love. And now the choice Daisy thought was behind her is the hardest one she'll ever face...
 
The latest in the Lakeshore Chronicles series this one focuses on Daisy Bellamy.  She has grown up in this series.  The book had some twists and turns and left me with some unanswered questions.  Hopefully in the next book, these questions will be answered.  I loved the twists and turns.  I wasn't expecting what happened.  I don't want to give away any spoilers, but to me, it wasn't expected really.  =)  I can't wait to read the next installment.
 
Happy Reading!

"Deeply, Desperately" by Heather Webber

"Deeply, Desperately" by Heather Webber

Book Description:

The irrepressible star of Truly, Madly, is back in business. This time, Lucy Valentine will go to the ends of the earth to find true love for her clients...and maybe even herself. — Lucy wants to breathe new life into her family's Boston-based matchmaking company. But how? Even though she comes from a long line of ancestors blessed by Cupid w... more »ith psychic abilities, a freak accident left Lucy with only one special skill: finding things. Car keys, socks in the dryer, needles in haystacks...and now, in a stroke of professional genius, lost loves







It's not long before Lucy's on a winning streak, helping old flames reunite and create new sparks. Business is booming. But when Lucy finds herself involved in a possible case of murder, she realizes she's in too deep. Enter Sean Donahue. Lucy's handsome fire-fighter turned private-eye neighbor, Sean is just the man she needs to help her on the job. Could he also be the man she's been looking for all along? When it comes to Valentine, Inc., falling in love is always serious business...
 
I LOVE this series.  Heather Webber is a new author to me.  This is the second in the "Lucy Valentine" series.  I can't put these books down.  Very quick read.  LOVE it.  The characters, the story, all of it - MUST READ.  I am going to try some of her other books.  I can't get enough.  I hope the author continues to write Lucy. 
 
Happy Reading!

"Cherry Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke

"Cherry Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke

Book description:

Hannah Swensen and her bakery, The Cookie Jar, bask in the glow of Hollywood glamour when Main Street becomes a movie set. And although tensions simmer as the cameras roll, no one expects the action to turn deadly...until it's too late... — There's no such thing as privacy in Lake Eden, but Hannah never thought things would go this ... more »far. Everyone has been telling her what to do ever since she got not one but two marriage proposals. The votes are evenly divided between Detective Mike Kingston and town dentist Norman Rhodes.







Movie mania soon shoves Hannah's marriage dilemma into the background and even gives her cat a shot at stardom. The Cookie Jar serves as snack central with Main Street rented out for the week. Hannah is stunned to see producer Ross Barton, an old college buddy who is now handsome, famous, and single. She stirs lots of fresh gossip whipping up treats for cast and crew, including demanding director Dean Lawrence's favorite - cherry cheesecake.






Everything's on schedule until Dean demonstrates a suicide scene with a prop gun that turns out to be all too real. Hannah's on the case in a flash. There are plenty of suspects to go around, starting with the lead actress Lynne Larchmont - one of a slew of female visitors to Dean's trailer - whose husband Tom is financing the film. Then there's Tom Larchmont himself, forty years his wife's senior, and smitten enough to be motivated by jealousy. Ross Barton was constantly keeping Dean out of trouble...could he have had enough? Local Winnie Henderson publicly threatened to kill Dean to stop him for moving her brother's statue. And what about male star Burke Anson? He's argued with Dean about something mysterious the morning of the murder.






As filming continues, Hannah shifts through the clues, hoping against hope that the person responsible for Dean's death is half-baked enough to have made a mistake. When it happens, Hannah intends to be there - ready to rewrite a killer's lethal script with the kind of quirky ending that can only happen in Lake Eden.
 
This is book 8 in the Hannah Swensen series.  I really enjoy this series.  To be honest, this isn't one of those series that once you are done you immediately have to pick up the nest one.  I usually read one or two at a time.  Then I will come back after reading some more books.  I read these books fairly fast.  They are fast paced and make me laugh and smile in many places.  I loved this book.  Looking forward to reading more in the series. 
 
Happy Reading!

"Peach Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke

"Peach Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke

Book Description:

With The Cookie Jar, Hannah Swensen has a mouthwatering monopoly on the bakery business of Lake Eden, Minnesota. But when a rival store opens, tensions begin to bubble... — As she sits in her nearly empty store on Groundhog Day, Hannah can only hope that spring is just around the corner - and that the popularity of the new Magnolia Blossom ... more »Bakery is just a passing fad. The southern hospitality of Lake Eden's two Georgia transplants, Shawna Lee and Vanessa Quinn, is grating on Hannah's nerves - and cutting into her profits.







At least Hannah has her business partner Lisa's wedding to look forward to. She's turned one of Lisa's favorite childhood treats into a spectacular Wedding Cookie Cake. And Lisa's aunt will be bringing her famous Peach Cobbler to the reception. But Hannah starts to steam when she finds out that Shawna Lee has been invited - and is bringing her own Peach Cobbler.






Hannah doesn't like having the Georgia Peach in the mix, especially when both Shawna Lee and Hannah's sometime-boyfriend, Detective Mike Kingston, are no-shows to the wedding. Hannah has suspected that Mike is interested in more than Shawna Lee's baking abilities. So when she sees lights on at the Magnolia Blossom Bakery after the reception, she investigates - and finds Shawna Lee shot to death.






Everyone in town knew The Cookie Jar was losing business to the Magnolia Bakery - a fact that puts Hannah at the top of the initial list of suspects. But with a little help from her friends, Hannah's determined to prove that she wasn't the only one who had an axe to grind with the Quinn sisters. Somebody wasn't fooled by the Georgia Peaches and their sweet-as-pie act - and now it's up to Hannah to track down whoever had the right ingredients to whip up a murder...
 
This is book 7 in the Hannah Swensen series.  I am enjoying this series.  Some people tire of the back and forth between the two boyfriends, but I am used to that with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  =)  This book didn't disappoint.  Fast paced action - made me smile and laugh in many places.   I would recommend to give this series a try.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

"Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks

"Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks

Book Description:

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young ch... more »ildren; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.







But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her ... a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards ... and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.
 
I was hesitant to read another Nicholas Sparks book as the first two made me cry.  =)  But I gave it a try.  I have to admit I kept reading wondering how he was going to make me cry.  Guess what?  He didn't!  It was a great storyline.  I have to admit (without giving away spoilers)  I didn't see the 'twist' at the end coming.  Looking back, I understood, but wow!  What a great story!  Highly recommend this book!!! 
 
Happy Reading!

"Love in Bloom" by Sheila Roberts

"Love in Bloom" by Sheila Roberts

Book Description:

Hope Walker survived early breast cancer at just thirty-years-old, but a mastectomy left her with a lot of scarring -- and some serious fears about dating. Hope owns Changing Seasons, Heart Lake's most popular flower shop. When it comes to love and relationships, she's able to work magic through her expert flower arranging -- for everyone but herself. — Then one day a handsome contractor starts coming into her shop, but Hope knows he'd rather have a whole woman than someone like her. When Hope stakes a plot of ground at Heart Lake's community garden, she finds that a woman can grow all sorts of things there: flowers, herbs, vegetables and even friendship. As she gets to know the two women who share neighboring plots, they discover that they can learn a lot from each other -- not just about gardening, but about life. And Hope realizes that in order to live life to the fullest, sometimes you have to take a chance on love.

This is another author I am reading for the first time.  WOW!  I really enjoyed this book.  I really like how the characters were developed and the storyline.  I couldn't put the book down.  If you haven't tried Sheila Roberts - give her a try.  I would compare her to Susan Mallery and Susan Wiggs.  I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more books by her.

Happy Reading!

Monday, January 17, 2011

"The Lost Recipe for Happiness" by Barbara O'Neal

Book Description:

In this sumptuous new novel, Barbara O?Neal offers readers a celebration of food, family, and love as a woman searches for the elusive ingredient we?re all hoping to find?. — It?s the opportunity Elena Alvarez has been waiting for?the challenge of running her own kitchen in a world-class restaurant. Haunted by an accident of which she was the lone survivor, Elena knows etter than anyone how to survive the odds. With her faithful dog, Alvin, and her grandmother?s recipes, Elena arrives in Colorado to find a restaurant in as desperate need of a fresh start as she is?and a man whose passionate approach to food and life rivals her own. Owner Julian Liswood is a name many people know but a man few do. He?s come to Aspen with a troubled teenage daughter and a dream of the kind of stability and love only a family can provide. But for Elena, old ghosts don?t die quietly, yet a chance to find happiness at last is worth the risk.

This is another first author for me.  I LOVED it.  I can't say I loved the ending though.  I was wanting something more at the end.  I loved the characters and the feeling they had - especially with the main character and her struggles with her past.

I would recommend this book.  I can't wait to read others by this author.

3 1/2 stars

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

"The Marcelli Princess" by Susan Mallery

Book Description:

EVEN A STRONG-WILLED WOMAN CAN'T RESIST THE TEMPTATION OF A CHARMING PRINCE. — A smart, independent woman with a gorgeous four-year-old son, Mia Marcelli lost her one true love. Four years ago, while working undercover for the CIA, she watched Diego, the father of her unborn child, perish before her very eyes -- crumbling the world around her. But one mor... more »ning she awakens to find Diego lying next to her, alive and well with an unbelievable confession: he is really Rafael, Prince of Calandria, and he had been working covertly on the same mission when they met -- his death had been staged.


Utterly stunned, Mia is wary and delighted -- she may have suffered a broken heart, but her breathtakingly handsome lover is back to reignite the passion that existed between them. Little does she know that Rafael has returned to give his newfound son a proper upbringing back in Calandria -- even if it means seducing Mia into marriage. But when Rafael finds himself truly falling for this luscious beauty, he must decide between his royal duties and the woman who has claimed his heart.
 
This is the last in the Marcelli family series.  This one was the most disappointing in the series.  But every author is entitled to a 'oops' every now and then.  This won't stop me from reading her books. 
 
Happy Reading!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Book Review: "The Marcelli Bride" by Susan Mallery

Book description:

The rebel of the Marcelli family, Joe never joined his sisters Katie, Francesca, and Brenna in running the winery business. Instead he chose a life of military service. But now that this handsome, headstrong former Navy SEAL has received a new undercover assignment--protecting none other than the commander in chief's daughter--he finds himself back at the California vineyard he defiantly left behind. First-daughter Darcy Jenson has been placed in hiding at the Marcelli Winery after surviving a kidnapping attempt...and now it's Joe's job to keep the fearful, fiery beauty out of harm's way. Begrudgingly, Joe heeds his presidential order--until "babysitting" Darcy proves to be the greatest pleasure he's ever known. How can Joe protect Darcy from danger, when he's falling dangerously in love? And can Darcy trust that Joe's intentions are true--when now else's have been?

When starting the book and finding it skipped a couple of years, I almost wanted to stop reading it.  One of the things I enjoyed about the first three in the series is that the time didn't lapse between books.  This one was different.  But I kept reading and I am glad I did.  What a great story.  I enjoyed hearing the 'updates' on the past main characters and most of them are a good part of this one.  All in all it is still a great book and I am looking forward to final book in this series.

4 stars.

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

"The Seductive One" by Susan Mallery

Book Description:


For the Marcelli sisters of California wine country, the season is ripe for romance!
Of all the Marcelli sisters, the one who dreams of running the family's winery is Brenna -- and she's about to get her chance. But taking the helm at Marcelli Winery is tougher than she bargained for -- especially when she butts heads with her grandfather, whose Old World ways dictate that a male should inherit the business. In need of some fast capital in order to prove her grandfather wrong, Brenna turns to Nic Giovanni, her family's nemesis....Years ago, she ended her secret relationship with Nic, choosing loyalty to her family over the hot passion they shared. But now he's back in her life, he's loaned her a million dollars, and their feelings for each other are stronger than ever. Brenna must find out for herself: is Nic the love of her life? Or the schemer who could topple the Marcelli dynasty -- and break her heart? 

This is the 3rd in the Marcelli series.  Oh MY!  I couldn't put this one down again.  I love the fact that each book is set in time just after one another.  If you haven't read this series, it is a must read!!  If you haven't tried Susan Mallery - this is the perfect series to start.  I can't wait to see what is next up!!


Another 5 stars!!!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

"The Sassy One" by Susan Mallery

"The Sassy One" by Susan Mallery

Book Description:

Francesca Marcelli married at eighteen -- right on schedule, according to her warm, colorful family, who have always said a beauty like Francesca need never worry about finding love. But a few years later, finding herself on her own with a wide open future ahead of her, she pursues her educational passions -- with a risky experiment that takes her straight into the arms of playboy CEO Sam Reese. Delighted by Francesca's interest in a no-strings relationship, Sam suddenly finds himself needing her outside the bedroom when a secret from his past lands on his doorstep. But Francesca soon has a secret of her own to tell -- a bombshell that will force the diehard bachelor to show his true colors. Are there "I do"s in Sam and Francesca's future? Only if she can persuade him that home truly is where the heart finds happiness.

This is the second in the Marcelli sister triology. The first one I couldn't put down. This one didn't disappoint either. Loved it. I highly recommend this book.

5 stars!!!

Happy Reading!

2011 - A New Year - New Start

This year I am going to try and do better at keeping track of my books read, new authors read and even pages read. Come join me on my 2011 Reading Journey....