Sunday, July 26, 2026

Review - An Infinite Love Story

Title:  An Infinite Love Story
Author Chanel Cleeton
Publisher:   Berkley
Genre:   Historical Fiction; 
  Science Fiction; Historical Romance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   352
Date of Publication:   July 7, 2026
My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

When an astronaut is lost in space, his wife relives their epic love as she attempts to unravel what truly happened to him, in this sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes.

When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe Mitchell’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare come to life, her grief suddenly taking center stage as the nation waits and mourns. In her quiet moments, Vivian relives their memorable story, unable to accept that this is the end to a love that felt as though it was written in the stars.

As the investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and the mishap is written off as an operator error, Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover the mystery of what happened in space. When someone starts sending Vivian messages—messages she believes only Joe could send—she begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring her husband back to her.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

An Infinite Love Story is set in 1968, during the height of the Space Race. Vivian Mitchell’s husband, Joe, has always wanted to fly with huge ambition. His dream of becoming an astronaut is finally fulfilled, and when he and two other astronauts launch into space, their spacecraft becomes lost. Sadly, all three astronauts are presumed dead.

At its heart, this is a love story. Through Vivian and Joe’s relationship, we learn about the depth of their love and the life they have shared. But as the hours turn into days following the spacecraft’s disappearance, the story also becomes one of fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak.

Vivian is central to the story, and her struggle with grief is palpable. Then, quite unexpectedly, she begins receiving messages. She is certain they are from Joe. As Vivian starts digging deeper, she begins to consider possibilities that seem almost impossible: wormholes, time travel, and the space-time continuum. Could Joe really still be alive? Could he be caught between two dimensions? And could the intense love Vivian and Joe share somehow transcend the boundaries of time and space?

What an intriguing story! I was fascinated by the concept of the space-time continuum and how it became the backdrop for this compelling and deeply emotional story. An Infinite Love Story is a thought-provoking tale of love, loss, and the possibility that some connections can truly transcend time and space.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - A Killer’s Target

Title:  A Killer’s Target
Author Dana R. Lynn
Series:   Amish Country Danger #2
Publisher:  Harlequin Audio
Genre:   Inspirational Romantic Suspense 
Format:  ALC
Narrator:  Amy Melissa Bentley
Length:  5 hrs 46 mins
No. of Pages:   272
Date of Publication:   July 28, 2026
My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Taking refuge in Amish country
may be her only chance to survive…
 
After nearly being kidnapped at a crime scene, forensic photographer Leila Britton discovers the serial killer who murdered her twin sister has resurfaced—with Leila as his next intended victim. With her life and her daughter’s future at stake, Leila must place her trust in Lieutenant Brett Talbot to protect them. But danger follows them relentlessly, forcing them to seek refuge deep in Amish country. However safety is fleeting, and the killer seems to know every step she takes. Can Leila and Brett unmask the killer before he fulfills his ultimate goal—and Leila runs out of places to hide?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Amish Country Danger

Book 1: Amish Midwife Witness
Book 2: A Killer's Target
Book 3: The Marshal's Key Witness


MY THOUGHTS:

A serial killer has returned to continue his deadly reign of terror, putting forensic photographer Leila Britton’s life in danger more than once. Years earlier, Leila’s twin sister was murdered, and Leila has been haunted by the tragedy ever since. Now, it seems the killer is back, as the murders continue. Now it appears that Leila may be his next target.

After Leila barely escapes the killer’s clutches, Lieutenant Brett Talbot is determined to protect her. This isn’t easy for Leila, who has always considered herself strong and independent. But when the killer gets dangerously close to home, Leila must think about more than just protecting herself. She must also protect her young daughter.

A Killer’s Target was a very good read! This story is filled with suspense, twists and turns, danger, and the developing feelings between Leila and Brett. I especially enjoyed the sheer kindness shown by Leila’s daughter’s Amish babysitter and her family. Their support not only reinforced Leila’s faith but also had a meaningful impact on Brett.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful story and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Many thanks to Harlequin Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





Friday, July 24, 2026

BLOG TOUR - The Greek Guesthouse

 


DESCRIPTION:


Dropping my suitcase at my feet, I stare up at the Greek guesthouse with its faded blue shutters, clambering purple bougainvillea and wrought-iron balconies spilling pink and red geraniums. I haven’t felt truly at home anywhere since I lost my sister. But maybe Eleni’s is different. I have a feeling that anything is possible here…

Annie always has a plan, always knows where her life is headed. But this summer, heartbroken after her sister’s death, she just feels untethered and alone. An invitation to stay at her old friend Kassia’s family guesthouse on the island of Crete comes at the perfect time – an excuse to get on a plane and leave her crumbling life behind for a few weeks.

Before she even finishes unpacking, Annie is wrapped up in the noisy warmth of Kassia’s chaotic, loving family. She soon finds herself cooking with Kassia’s mother, playing with the children under the orange trees… and meeting Kassia’s handsome brother-in-law Alexandros over dinner. Romance is the last thing on her mind, but the night she spends with him, swimming by moonlight and gazing at the stars in the lavender-scented air, heals something in her that she didn’t know was broken.

This was only supposed to be a temporary stay, but the longer Annie spends on Crete, the more she feels that this magical place might hold the key to her future. And as this life-changing summer draws to a close, can she leave her old plans behind her and find the courage to let her life make a map all of its own?

Fans of Kate Frost, Jenny Colgan and My Mamma Mia Summer will love this gorgeous novel about love, friendship and fresh starts in the Greek sunshine.


BUY LINK:



Title:  The Greek Guesthouse
Author Michelle Vernal
Publisher:  Bookouture 
Genre:   Historical Fiction 
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   246
Date of Publication:  July 20, 2026
My Rating:  5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS: 

After ending an engagement that was clearly going nowhere, Annie decides to completely upend her life and travel across the world to visit her old friend Kassia. When Kassia offers her a place to stay at her guesthouse on the beautiful Greek island of Crete, Annie is more than happy to accept. But will her visit last only a few days, a few weeks, or perhaps even indefinitely?

Kassia’s brother-in-law, Alexandros, soon gives Annie another reason to believe that coming to Crete was the perfect decision. Sparks immediately begin to fly between them, and Annie is surprised by the attraction she feels toward him. These feelings help Annie see that what began as a temporary stay could very well offer the promise of something so much more.

The Greek Guesthouse is a warm, engaging, and charming story about unexpected beginnings, taking chances, and discovering that sometimes the biggest changes in life can lead to the most wonderful possibilities. I really enjoyed this delightful escape to Crete!

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.

 

Author social media: 

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleVernal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellevernalnovelist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellevernalnovelist

Website: https://www.michellevernalbooks.com/

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/michelle-vernal

 

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Review - The Story Keeper

Title:  The Story Keeper
Author Kelly Rimmer
Publisher:  MIRA
Genre:   Historical Fiction 
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   352
Date of Publication:   July 21, 2026
My Rating:   5 Stars

First published July 30, 2025

DESCRIPTION:

In the aftermath of a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate she once called home. Intent on restoring it, she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated mansion—beneath the crumbling plaster and dust are secrets that have been buried for a generation.

When a curious book, The Midnight Estate, catches her attention in her late uncle’s library, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own—a story of love, loss and betrayal. But as the lines between fiction and reality blur, Fiona must ask herself: Is the true mystery the one hidden within the walls of her ancestral home, or is it within the pages of a book that chose her as much as she chose it?

Told in a dual narrative and set against the Gothic backdrop of Wurimbirra, Kelly Rimmer, bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say, weaves an intricate and compelling tale, inviting readers into the heart of a family’s deepest secrets with an absorbing book-within-a-book mystery.


MY THOUGHTS:

Fiona Winslow is reeling from the heartbreak of divorce when she returns home to Wurimbirra, Australia. She’s dismayed to find that the family estate, which has stood for generations, has fallen into disrepair. Fiona is a strong woman. So, instead of despairing, Fiona finds purpose. She decides she’s going to restore it and reclaim it as her home.


While making her way through her late uncle’s library, she stumbles on a mysterious box. It’s postmarked November 1999, sent from a UK publisher, and inside are twelve identical copies of a novel called The Midnight Estate by Charity Wilkie. As Fiona settles in to read, she’s flooded with warm memories of her aunt and uncle. Her uncle was an eccentric and popular author as well as a voracious reader who loved nothing more than gifting books to the people he cared about. But twelve copies of the same unfamiliar title? Fiona can’t help but wonder who they were really meant for.


This is where The Story Keeper really comes alive, unfolding as a gorgeous story-within-a-story. The novel Fiona is reading turns out to be steeped in family secrets, loss, betrayal, and a desperate search for truth. The deeper she gets, the more it starts to bleed into her own buried childhood memories, in ways that are honestly a little haunting.


Along with Fiona, I was completely swept up in the story of Maeve, a woman trapped in a devastating, abusive relationship. Her chapters really hit hard. This is a beautifully, hauntingly written gothic novel, and I could not put it down!


Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kelly Rimmer is the author of historical and contemporary fiction, including The Warsaw Orphan, The Things We Cannot Say and The Secret Daughter, with 3 million books sold. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.


Since 2022, Kelly has owned and operated Collins Booksellers Orange, the last remaining bookstore in the small regional city she calls home. Her next novel, The Midnight Estate, will be released in Australia, New Zealand and the UK in July 2025.


BLOG TOUR - Murder at the Cathedral



DESCRIPTION:

The vaulted ceiling of Canterbury Cathedral has echoed many sounds over the centuries. But none more harrowing than the scream of ‘Murder!’ ringing out across the nave. 


Sarah Vane is enjoying a leisurely day in the small town of Merstairs when she spots her friend – and renowned artist – Simone Benz walking into the cathedral. Sarah follows her inside the ancient sanctuary. But she’s utterly shocked to find Simone’s lifeless body, propped against a stone wall in the cloisters, spattered with crimson from a fatal stab wound.


Sarah feels an aching sense of loss when she thinks about Simone, especially when she learns she may have been Simone’s only friend in town. A feud between Simone and her neighbour, a vindictive ex-husband and a set of mysterious initials in her diary set Sarah’s inquisitive mind racing.


But events take an even more harrowing turn when Sarah finds the dead body of the cathedral dean bathed in the reds and blues of the stained-glass windows in the nave. Will Sarah solve the mystery before the killer strikes again?


A brilliantly cozy and utterly gripping murder mystery, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis and Clare Chase.


BUY LINK:



Title:   Murder at the Cathedral
Author:  Alice Castle
Series:  Sarah Vane Mysteries Book 6
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Cozy Mystery 
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  286
Date of Publication:  July 23, 2026
My Rating:   4 Stars 

MY THOUGHTS:

Sarah Vane is a retired doctor with an uncanny skill: finding dead bodies. Sadly, this time, the body belongs to her friend Simone.

Sarah and her friend Daphne are exploring the beautiful scenery in Merstairs when they see Simone hurrying into a cathedral. When they follow her inside, Sarah discovers Simone’s body propped up in the beautiful cathedral. Finding dead bodies isn’t the only thing Sarah is good at, though. She is also exceptional at solving murders, and she is determined to find Simone’s killer.

Things don’t go quite as smoothly for Sarah as she dons her amateur sleuth hat yet again. Simone was not well-liked. In fact, the sad truth is that Sarah may have been her only friend. A renowned artist, Simone had a reputation for being a truly vile woman. While Sarah may not be able to restore Simone’s reputation, the very least she can do is find her killer.

Murder at the Cathedral is another thoroughly enjoyable installment in the Sarah Vane Mysteries  series. Both Sarah and Daphne are delightful characters, and Sarah’s partner, Charles, and her adorable little dog, Hamish are wonderful additions to the series. With an engaging mystery, a steady pace, plenty of suspects, and just the right amount of twists and turns, this book kept me guessing and entertained from beginning to end. I am really enjoying this series and look forward to seeing what Sarah gets herself involved in next!

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion. 
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Alice is an avid reader of crime fiction, her favourite stories are cozy crimes with a strong sense of place. When she couldn’t find a series about her beloved south London, she decided to write her own – and single mum amateur sleuth Beth Haldane was born. Alice also writes twisty psychological thrillers for HQ Digital under the name A.M. Castle.  The Perfect Widow was a top selling audiobook in 2019 and  The Invitation hit the top 50 on Amazon UK in 2021. Alice lives with her two children and two cats and, if she isn’t writing or reading a whodunit, she’ll be watching one on telly.

Author Social Media Links
Website:https://alicecastleauthor.com/
Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/alice-castle