Book Life Rambles

Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson Girl interrupted. My first ALC from NetGalley, so I paused my other book to hop on this one. NetGalley: A laugh-out-loud rom-com wrapped in a whodunit, this high-seas adventure proves that sometimes the best love stories start with a little murder. Penelope Mae Dupont has one superpower: keeping her cool. Which is essential when you're the personal assistant to renowned mystery author Hugh Griffin. But when Pip organizes a luxury book cruise featuring The Fabulous Seven—a glittering cast of seven bestselling authors known for both their brilliance and their drama—her trademark composure starts slipping. One boat. Seven egos. Hundreds of fans. What could possibly go wrong? Well . . . murder, for starters. On day two, Hugh is found dead--and the cruise security team proves to be utterly incompetent. Stranded in the middle of the Atlantic with no help in sight, Pip realizes if anyone's going to solve the case, it'll have to be her. And so, wi...

Coming in Hot by Deany Ray I feel like there was an alternate cover with the two of them in leathers leaning against the back of a vehicle but I can't find it. UPDATE: Found it. Not a cover but an ad. Not leaning against a vehicle, but a hedge. Hey, I was close! I think it would have made a better cover!  That's just a screen shot so the hyperlinks won't work.  G👀dreads Starting a new life in Florida means year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches, and balmy breezes. For most people, anyway. But not for thirtysomething Piper and her grandmother, former members of a motorcycle gang in Oregon. For them, it means entering the witness protection program and moving to Bitter End in the Sunshine State. Yes, to Bitter End. It doesn’t get much more ironic than this. But hey, it’s better than rotting in jail for getting busted with tax evasion and money laundering, and infinitely better than getting killed by said gang for testifying against them. Needless to say, they both have d...

The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Verant G 👀 dreads A talented chef discovers how spices and scents can transport her--and, more importantly, how self-confidence can unlock the greatest magic of all: love--in this perfectly seasoned new novel by Samantha Vérant. Kate Jenkins doesn't believe in fate. She believes in a clear vision, meticulous planning, and hard work in order to achieve her culinary dreams. On the cusp of opening her own Parisian restaurant, Bistro Exotique, she isn't even concerned when her standoffish--and annoyingly sexy--neighbor dismisses her as a crazy American tourist or when she meets the wildly eccentric Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner's failures. Confident and optimistic, Kate keeps calm and cooks on. Until a series of unfortunate events derail her plans and her entire staff quits. Kate is about to throw in the kitchen towel on her lifelong dream when Garrance offers...

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden G 👀 dreads Sometimes, enough is enough… Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, ignored, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did. These days, Debbie's life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie's done being the bigger person. She's done being reasonable and practical. It's time to take her own advice. And now it's time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most. Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Phycological Thriller, Suspense Day 1:...

The New Girl by A.J. Rivers A.R.T. = Tiffany Vanlandingham's Audiobook Review Team pick. I received this audiobook as member of her ART in exchange for an honest review. G👀dreads Sometimes starting over is simply letting go of the past... Heartbroken and in need of a fresh start,  Carrie Sweet packed up her car and headed to Juniper Springs. On the road to the idyllic town with a new journalist job waiting,  she encounters one roadblock after another.  Stranded on the side of the road, a handsome stranger stops to offer her help. But is he a knight in shining armor or a possible serial killer?  No longer the naïve Carrie, she decides to assume the worst about him.  And as luck would have it, the man she treated as a stalker turns out to be her new boss, Ryan. While Carrie begins to settle in the cozy small town,  she grabs the attention of a real psycho, one that’s lurking in the shadows and watching her every move. After seeking the help from lawyer and...

A Girl With A Knife by Alina Rubin G👀dreads Women could not be surgeons. She did it anyway. After the heartbreaking loss of her mother and a cruel attack by her drunken father, Ella Parker decides that dishonesty is fine when it serves her needs. At a time when wealthy young ladies do little more than embroidery, Ella escapes her luxurious but lonely life, and meets an eccentric ship surgeon who—once she impresses him with her quick-thinking and empathy—allows her to assist him during a surgery. Compelled by Ella's intelligence and interest in medicine, the doctor prepares her for a medical career, but there's a catch: in early 19th century England, women are not accepted into universities. To fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor, Ella must disguise herself as a young man with aspirations of becoming a doctor. After changing her look and name, Ella finds her jogging as she performs dissections, conducts experiments, and cares for patients. She also tutors Oli, a kind but s...

Grandma Ruth Doesn't Go to Funerals by Sharon J Mondragon G 👀 dreads In a small town where gossip flows like sweet tea, bedridden Mary Ruth McCready reigns supreme, doling out wisdom and meddling in everyone's business with a fervor that would make a matchmaker blush. When her best friend, Charlotte Harrington, has her world rocked by a scandalous revelation from her dying husband P. B., Mary Ruth kicks into high gear, commandeering the help of her favorite granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth, in tracking down the truth. Finding clues in funeral condolence cards and decades-old gossip dredged up at the Blue Moon Beauty Emporium, the two stir up trouble faster than you can say "pecan pie." And just when things are starting to look up, in waltzes Camilla "Millie" Holtgrew, a blast from P. B.'s past, with a grown son and an outrageous claim to Charlotte's inheritance. But as Grandma Ruth always says when things get tough, "God is too big." With hi...

A Limited Run by Karen McQuestion G👀dreads Two million dollars each? It seems too good to be true. Meri Wetzel's acting role on the TV show A Little Slice of Haven is an experience she'd love to forget. But when billionaire Felix Worthington invites the five cast members to recreate their roles twenty-five years later, she's intrigued. It's an unusual request, even for a self-professed superfan like Felix. Living in a recreated version of the 1940s town in a warehouse in Montana has its appeal, even knowing she'll be filmed with hidden cameras as the cast improvises with other actors playing the townspeople. And the clincher? The promised two million dollars, on the condition they all stay ten days and remain in character the entire time. One by one, they set their hesitations aside and agree to the terms. But as Meri and her costars slot into their roles, they begin to realize things are not as they seem. Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense The How/W...

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano G👀dreads Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors. When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation. Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and...

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston G👀dreads Two women. One dead husband. And only one alibi. Everyone at Chantilly’s Bar noticed out-of-towner Camille Bayliss. Red lips, designer heels, sipping a Negroni. But that woman wasn’t Camille Bayliss. It was Aubrey Price. Camille Bayliss appears to have the picture-perfect life; she’s married to hotshot lawyer Ben and is the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana family. Only nothing is as it seems: Camille believes Ben has been hiding dirty secrets for years, but she can’t find proof because he tracks her every move. Aubrey Price has been haunted by the terrible night that changed her life a decade ago, and she’s convinced Benjamin Bayliss knows something about it. Living in a house full of criminals, Aubrey understands there’s more than one way to get to the truth—and she may have found the best way in. Aubrey and Camille hatch a plan. It sounds simple: For twelve hours, Aubrey will take Camille’s place. Camille will spy on Ben, and the two wo...

My Friends by Fredrick Backman Creepy Cover (depicts a fictional famous painting "The One of the Sea")** No offense intended to fictional artist C.Jat, but I see bad skin conditions. I prefer the Sweden cover but nobody asked my opinion before it went to press! **Here's the thing about the cover. Google said “it depicts the fictional famous painting” however it really doesn't. The painting was described as the ocean and sky, and that most people wouldn't see the three kids sitting on the dock in the background. This is also indicated in the first sentence of the About. So apparently his friends on the cover were someone else's imagination of them swimming in the sea. I know, it's supposed to be the reflection of the water but still...I can't un-see bad skin conditions. ~Judgmental Patti will not deduct any stars for the cover image!     G👀dreads Most people don't even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner o...