Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts

Sunday, September 21, 2025

Review - Smuggler’s Cove

Title:   Smuggler’s Cove
Author:  Fern Michaels
Publisher:  Kensington 
Series:  Twin Lights
Genre:  Women's Fiction; Romance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   280
Date of Publication:   August 26, 2025
My Rating:   5 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Book 1 in the brand-new Twin Lights series from the beloved author of The Sisterhood!

In a fresh, new series for fans of Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, and Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels introduces siblings Madison and Lincoln Taylor, whose Jersey Shore inheritance plunges them into a world of mystery and mayhem . . .

Growing up, Madison Taylor and her younger brother Lincoln lived in privilege, but their sheltered existence abruptly ended when their father was arrested for fraud and the family assets were seized. Since then, Madison has carved out a new path, studying fashion and working her way up to editor in chief of La Femme magazine, while Lincoln teaches wealth management at a small college outside the city. Both have separated themselves from their family and their past—until an unexpected bequest arrives from their late uncle.

Madison and Lincoln are now the new co-owners of a marina at Smugglers Cove on the Navesink river. Instead of a fabulous, Hamptons-style property, Smugglers Cove offers little beyond a dilapidated dock, a few gas pumps, and a handful of clam boats. Madison’s plan to sell the property goes awry when a dead body is found floating under their dock and transforms their new inheritance into a crime scene.

Suddenly, Madison is swapping her city-girl wardrobe for cargo pants and flannel shirts, while she and Lincoln receive a crash course in small-town Jersey shore life, complete with quirky characters, pirate legends, and a mysterious treasure map. They’re discovering more about themselves and each other every day, but with a mystery to solve, and big decisions to make, these are lessons they’ll need to learn fast . . .


MY THOUGHTS:
 
Fern Michaels begins a new series, The Twin Lights, with siblings Lincoln and Madison and how their lives have been affected by the actions of their parents. That is how the description portrays the story.

What I do as I read a book is to make notes. As the story began with Gwen, then Rita Taylor, hers sons…well, I was lost for a bit. I was certain that I was reading the wrong book. I jumped back a few times, reread the blurb a few times, because…who was Gwen? Who was Rita? How and why was this book labeled a mystery?

My apologies, but this is not a series that I will be continuing. I have vacillated for three days as to whether or not to even review this title. I will post this, but out of respect for the author, I will not share it on my socials.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:    
 
Fern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.

As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.

I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.


Friday, November 22, 2024

Review - The Main Character

Title:  The Main Character
Author:  Jaclyn Goldis
Publisher:  Atria
Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   336
Date of Publication:   May 21, 2024
My Rating:   2 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

A bestselling thriller author arranges a luxury train trip that is not what it appears to be in this electrifying modern homage to Agatha Christie from the author of the “tense and twisty” (Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author) The Chateau .

Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancĂ© are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.

With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.

Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.


MY THOUGHTS:

Authors hire main characters? New to me, and in the book appropriately title, Genevra Ex has done exactly that. 26 times. 26 Main Characters. Genevra will go to any lengths to reesearch those who become her chosen ones. And then she can practice veritas, spinning truth from fiction. As a mostly successful author, her last book has bombed. Meanwhile, Genevra has orchestrated a three-month trip on the famed Orient Express for Rory, who is her latest main characters. Rory soon learns she is not on the  trip alone, as she will be riding along her friends and her brother. However, it is Rory alone who will be enjoying decadent accommodations. Being one of Genevra’s main characters does not come without cost. In fact, it comes with dire consequences. 

Excellent premise, to be sure. However, the execution fell short of my expectations. I admittedly struggled through this book, and it nearly reached the point of abandonment on several occasions. Maybe it was the storyline. Maybe it was the characters. As a diehard fan of Murder on the Orient Express, I was excited to imagine such a murder mystery, but that didn’t happen. Furthermore, the characters failed to evoke any emotional connection, making it difficult for me to remain engaged with the narrative.

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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jaclyngoldis.




Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Review - The Second Wife

Title:  The Second Wife   
Author:  N. J. Moss
Publisher:  Boldwood Books
Genre:   Psychological Thriller
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   270    
Date of Publication:  October 12, 2022  
My Rating:   2 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The honeymoon is over—and his nightmare has begun—in this twisted thriller by the author of The Husband Trap . . .

After his wife’s suicide, Scott manages to find love again with Casey. For their first anniversary, she has a surprise for him—but it’s not a good one . . .

Casey has been collecting photos and videos of Scott that would place his teaching career in serious jeopardy. Holding that over his head, she intends to make him suffer. As the torment escalates, Scott desperately tries to uncover why Casey is doing this and find a way out of his nightmare.

But can he outwit his vicious wife before she makes herself a widow?


MY THOUGHTS:
 
With quick chapters, this tense read by N. J. Moss pits newlyweds Casey and Scott against each other. It is their first anniversary, and Scott is really looking forward to celebrating his marriage with his second wife. Tragically, Scott lost his first wife to suicide, and still can't believe how fortunate he was to find love again. However, that anniversary night when he arrives home changes everything...

Casey is not prepared to celebrate. In fact, she has an entirely different agenda. She has laid out a very detailed blackmail scheme of sorts that has the ultimate intention on ruining Scott's life. Scott's job. And their marriage. What she tells Scott shocks him to his very core. In fact, when she looks at him with sheer hatred in her eyes, Scott is confused beyond belief.

While Casey proved to be one the most vile characters I have read in a long time, Scott had absolutely no backbone. In fact, a perfect metaphor for Scott’s character would be buying a discount doormat from Walmart that you need, but you really don’t like. All it is good for would be to wipe your feet on that mat every chance you get. He exemplified that doormat to the nth degree. 

While the intensity of this book often shocked and sickened me, N. J. Moss did keep me on my tenterhooks. Although I cringed most the way through, I was intrigued enough to want to see what the end result for Scott and Casey would be. The book did feel triggering to me at times, making me want to put it down for good, but I did power through. In fact, this is where an occurrence of animal abuse I feel must be mentioned in this review. It is off screen, so to speak, but disturbing enough to me that I feel compelled to mention it. If you like tense drama, shocking twists, cruel protagonists who will go to any extreme, then The Second Wife just might be the book for you.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

NJ Moss worked as a fiction ghostwriter for ten years before he turned his skills to his own work. His latest novel is The Husband Trap.

When he is not working on his next thriller, you can normally find him walking his dogs (Loki and Gizmo, a Jack Russell terrier and a Chihuahua), rollerblading up and down the promenade of Weston-super-Mare, or spending time with his lovely wife.


Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Review - The Renegade Cowboy

Title:  Her Renegade Cowboy
Author:  Lora Leigh
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Genre:   Romantic Suspense
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   336
Date of Publication:   September 28, 2021
My Rating:   2 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh comes Her Renegade Cowboy, the final book in the Moving Violations trilogy…

He will risk his life…


The oh-so-proper school teacher, Lily Donovan has learned, the hard way, that men are not to be trusted. Period. Until Levi Roberts, the new cowboy working at her cousin's ranch, tempts her carefully-built resolve and awakens an all-consuming passion she thought lay dormant. But when she discovers his deadly secret, and her own secrets come to light, Lily unwittingly joins the lethal cat and mouse race between Levi and the man he’s been hunting for weeks.

To save her heart…

Former Ranger Levi Roberts has seen his fair share of deadly trouble during his years as a tough-as-nails operative. The ultimate expert in undercover investigations, he’s been tasked to find a man with a dangerous agenda in town. Routine work has been boring…until he runs into Lily, the prickly school teacher who tempts him like no other. Getting under her skin has been deliciously satisfying for his red-hot desire, but when Lily lands in the hands of the very man he’s been investigating, Levi will have to fight with every ounce of his heart and soul to save her—and to heal the heart he broke.


MY THOUGHTS:

She had her chance at Witness Protection. She chose to reject it. Is her life in danger now? Why is Levi Roberts working on the ranch Lily Donovan's cousin Jacob owns? Could Lily's past be about to meet her front and center? Is it too late for Lily or could the man that once nearly killed her get his chance to finish the job now that he has escaped from prison? Levi is an undercover wrangler. He is an ex U. S. Army Ranger, now he is a deputy U. S. Marshal and a part of the fugitive recovery task force. 

Both Lily and Levi have secrets. She intends on keeping her past a secret, and Levi intends on keeping his purpose of being in her life a secret. However, they are both drawn to one another, and this is from first glance. More than knowing the danger that Lily is facing, Levi can sense her trauma. Levi must determine whether or not to act on their growing feelings for one another in order to do his job. 

While The Renegade Cowboy was the third book in the Moving Violations trilogy it did quite well as a standalone novel. Having not had the opportunity to read the first two books I was able to be fully invested in the story, all while having a very good idea of the previous couples in the first two books. 

I did enjoy the suspense in this story once it started to kick in. My only reticence was the overabundance of steamy scenes. As the book began its focus on the danger that faced Lily, it grew stronger. 

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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lora Leigh dreams in bright, vivid images of the characters’ intent on taking over her writing life, and fights a constant battle to put them on the hard drive of her computer before they can disappear as fast as they appeared.

Lora’s family and her writing life coexist, if not in harmony, in relative peace with each other. Surrounded by a menagerie of pets, friends, and a son who keeps her quick wit engaged, Lora finds her life filled with joys, aided by her fans whose hearts remind her daily why she writes.


Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Review: What Holly's Husband Did



What Holly's Husband Did by Debbie Viggiano

My rating: 2 Stars

There have been fifteen years of relatively happy marriage between Holly and Alex. Her bubble is burst when she accidently happens upon a series of sexts aimed at Alex. He convincingly tells her that it was all a misunderstanding. She believes him, albeit reluctantly. Inevitably, Holly has reasons for doubt yet again.

Hoping this to be the laugh out loud book it was purported to be, I was rather disappointed on many levels. In part, due to factors like her relationship with her best friends. Also, while there was sort of a happy ending, it was completely not what I was expecting. Unfortunately, I had difficulty in staying present when reading this book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Publication Date: May 29, 2018

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Review: The Family at No. 13

The Family at No. 13 by S. D. Monaghan

Review: 2 Stars

Ordinarily, when I write a review, I first write a summary of the story. I am reluctant to do that, and just want to get my feelings about this book out. I was on the fence about this book the whole way through. What should have been a very quick read for me ended up being a long one, because it was rather dreadful. There were times that I felt like it had redeeming qualities, but as soon as I felt that, I was really thrown.

The murder at the outset just did not seem necessary, especially for the character involved, I found to be tragic. As an animal lover, I was also appalled at the insertion of animal abuse into the story. Was this to connect the characters? If so, I feel that the inclusion of it was done in very poor taste. Yes this book is about a family with secrets, deep dark secrets, and plots have to be developed. With all said, I honestly don’t know if I would read a book by this author again.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Review: Captive Lies

Captive Lies by Victoria Paige

My rating: 2 Stars

In Captive Lies by Victoria Paige, Grant Thorne is in shock that Blaire Callahan has suddenly left him. As far as they have come in their relationship, he knows that that there has to be has to be more to it than her just up and leaving. He feels as if she fled and is more than determined to find out why. He goes to her secluded cabin and discovers something shocking that punches the air right out of his lungs. There are more than a few twists and turns that hereafter take place while Grant strives to keep Blaire safe.

Despite the mystery encompassing this story, this reader found a couple of sore points. The story vacillates between Grant's and Blaire’s viewpoints, with both first and third person narratives. Secondly, the story is extremely explicit, and I felt as if it was often over-the-top. This, in my opinion, affected the mystery/thriller aspect of the story.