Category Archives: Mira

June 6, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery

Title: The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 435 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery—a story of friends who become family, giving each other courage to start over…

When fate brings three strangers to a charming space for lease on the California coast, the Boardwalk Bookshop is born. Part bookstore, part gift shop, part bakery, it’s a dream come true for Bree, Mikki and Ashley. But while their business is thriving, their personal lives are…not.

Bree, wounded by brilliant but cold parents and her late husband’s ultimate betrayal, has sworn to protect her heart at all costs. Even from Ashley’s brother, a writer and adventurer who has inspired millions. He’s the first man to see past Bree’s barricades to her true self, which terrifies her. Mikki has this divorce thing all figured out—somehow, she’s stayed friends with her ex and her in-laws…until a new man changes how everyone looks at her, and how she sees herself. Meanwhile, Ashley discovers that the love of her life never intends to marry. Can she live without being a wife if it means she can have everything else she’s ever wanted?

At sunset every Friday on the beach in front of the Boardwalk Bookshop, the three friends share a champagne toast. As their bond grows closer, they challenge one another to become the best versions of themselves in this heartachingly beautiful story of friendship, sisterhood and the transformative power of love.

Review:

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery is an uplifting novel of friendship, new beginnings and love.

Bree Larton, Mikki Bartholomew and Ashely Burton are complete strangers when they meet while looking at a vacant beachfront property. Since none of the women can afford the business space on their own, they rent it together and soon become close friends. Bree owns a thriving bookshop but she is not a fan of authors. Mikki is a divorced mom of two who owns a successful gift shop. Ashley owns a popular bakery and she is in a loving relationship with her boyfriend Seth. All three support each other as they undergo unexpected changes in their personal lives.

Despite becoming friends with Mikki and Ashley, Bree does not talk much about her personal life or her past. She does not have any interest in a relationship so she is surprised when by her growing friendship with popular author Harding Burton. He also runs a non-profit with his friend Dave.  Bree does not want to become romantically entangled with Harding, but will he slip past her formidable defenses?

Mikki’s divorce from her ex-husband Perry was amicable and they have successfully co-parented their now teenage children. Mikki is also still good friends with her in-laws and she and Perry still keep to a few routines from their married days. With encouragement from Bree and Ashley, she makes one last effort with a dating app. Mikki is thrilled with her new romance but is she ready to move on from her former husband?

Ashley and Seth are deeply in love but an unanticipated revelation throws their romance into turmoil. Their very different viewpoints leave her reeling and wondering how they will break their impasse.  Ashely is also surprised by which of their friends she turns to for assistance. This unforeseen turn of events turns out to be life changing for both women but will they figure out how to solve the issues that are troubling them?

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a delightfully charming novel that is quite captivating. The characters are wonderfully life-like with realistic flaws. Their respective problems are relatable with no easy solutions. Bree’s wounds are deep and she is emotionally closed off. Mikki’s comfortable life is shaken by her inability to clearly see how complacent she has become. Ashley must make a difficult choice that she is finding impossible to make. With Bree, Mikki and Ashely’s futures hanging in the balance, Susan Mallery brings this heartwarming novel to an immensely gratifying conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery

Filed under Contemporary, Mira, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Boardwalk Bookshop, Women's Fiction

April 7, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

Title: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

An intriguing and twisty domestic suspense about loyalty and deceit in a tight-knit Texas community where parents are known to behave badly and people are not always who they appear to be.

Emily, a popular but bookish prep school senior, goes missing after a night out with friends. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, a football player with a dubious reputation. But no one is talking.

Now three mothers, Catherine, Leslie and Morgan, friends turned frenemies, have their lives turned upside down as they are forced to look to their own children—and each other’s—for answers to questions they don’t want to ask.

Each mother is sure she knows who is responsible, but they all have their own secrets to keep and reputations to protect. And the lies they tell themselves and each other may just have the potential to be lethal in this riveting debut.

Review:

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird is a clever debut mystery.

Catherine and her family have recently relocated from Oregon to her husband’s home town of Galveston. She left under a cloud and their oldest daughter Emily is fuming mad her parents made her move for her senior year of high school. As if dealing with her daughter’s anger is not enough, Catherine is also forced into contact with her wealthy, controlling mother-in-law Rosalyn Callahan who runs the family’s private school where Emily is now a student. When Emily goes missing from a party at a friend’s house, will the small community and the Callahan family come together to find her?

Catherine is not at all happy with the move but under the circumstances, she feels it is for the best. Her husband Carter is now home more with the family, which also includes their twins Olivia and Lucy. Catherine becomes friends with divorcee Morgan Frasier who son Alex, becomes the prime suspect in Emily’s disappearance.

Leslie Steele is a widow who works hard as a volunteer at Rosalyn’s school. Her daughter Anna is present at the party where Emily was last seen. Leslie also has two older sons, Asher, who is in medical school. She is estranged from her other son Sawyer who has little to do with his family since leaving the island. Leslie depends heavily on her brother-in-law Robert, who, much to her dismay is now dating her former best friend, Morgan. Each of these three mothers believe they know their children best, but do they really?

The Night She Went Missing is a riveting domestic mystery with a claustrophobic island setting. The characters are well-developed although some of them are less appealing than others. The storyline is well-developed with plausible plot twists that are quite tantalizing. Wealth, privilege and social connections play significant roles in how the various characters react to Emily’s disappearance. With a shocking denouement, Kristen Bird brings this suspenseful, secret-filled domestic mystery to a very unexpected conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

Filed under Domestic Mystery, Kristen Bird, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, The Night She Went Missing

February 7, 2022 · 12:03 am

Review: The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Title: The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Fiction, Mystery
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes the gripping, emotionally charged novel of a mother who must help her son after he is convicted of a devastating crime.

What do you do when the person you love best becomes unrecognizable to you? For Thea Demetriou, the answer is both simple and agonizing: you keep loving him somehow.

Stefan was just seventeen when he went to prison for the drug-fueled murder of his girlfriend, Belinda. Three years later, he’s released to a world that refuses to let him move on. Belinda’s mother, once Thea’s good friend, galvanizes the community to rally against him to protest in her daughter’s memory. The media paints Stefan as a symbol of white privilege and indifferent justice. Neighbors, employers, even some members of Thea’s own family turn away.

Meanwhile Thea struggles to understand her son. At times, he is still the sweet boy he has always been; at others, he is a young man tormented by guilt and almost broken by his time in prison. But as his efforts to make amends meet escalating resistance and threats, Thea suspects more forces are at play than just community outrage. And if there is so much she never knew about her own son, what other secrets has she yet to uncover—especially about the night Belinda died?

Review:

The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard is a compelling novel with a hint of mystery.

Thea Demetriou does not know what to expect when her twenty-year-old son Stefan is released from prison. He was convicted of killing his girlfriend Belinda McCormack while under the influence of a combination of drugs. Thea loves her son and she finds it difficult to allow him to stand by and watch him try to find his way. She is also frustrated by the reaction of her fellow professors after Stefan’s return. Thea also must contend with the daily demonstrations from the group Belinda’s mother Jill’s founded.

Thea has received calls and texts sporadically from an unknown caller professing to have information about the night Belinda died for years. These continue after Stefan return home but the family also endures acts of vandalism at their home. Thea is troubled by sudden appearance of a hooded figure whose presence is quite menacing.

Stefan knows his return home will be difficult but he is unprepared for some of the vitriol from people he has known all his life. He still struggles to understand how he could have killed Belinda but he takes responsibility for what he did. Stefan is despondent over his lack of employment and any semblance of a normal life. As he gradually finds his path, Stefan is able to put into motion an idea of providing offenders a meaningful way to show their remorse for their actions.

The Good Son is a thought-provoking novel of healing and forgiveness. Thea is a supportive mom who wants only the best for her. Stefan shows genuine remorse for his crime but he worries he will be defined by it for the remainder of his life. The storyline is unique and well-written. The characters are multi-dimensional and relatable. The mystery surrounding the phone calls and stalking is intriguing but it is somewhat easy to discern the resolution. Jacquelyn Mitchard brings this fascinating novel to a slightly predictable but satisfying conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Fiction, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, The Good Son

January 24, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan

Title: The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 448 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A popular sorority girl. An unsolved murder. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions.

Lucas Vega is obsessed with the death of Candace Swain, who left a sorority party one night and never came back. Her body was found after two weeks, but the case has grown cold. Three years later while interning at the medical examiner’s, Lucas discovers new information, but the police are not interested.

Lucas knows he has several credible pieces of the puzzle. He just isn’t sure how they fit together. So he creates a podcast to revisit Candace’s last hours. Then he encourages listeners to crowdsource what they remember and invites guest lecturer Regan Merritt, a former US marshal, to come on and share her expertise.

New tips come in that convince Lucas and Regan they are onto something. Then shockingly one of the podcast callers turns up dead. Another hints at Candace’s secret life, a much darker picture than Lucas imagined—and one that implicates other sorority sisters. Regan uses her own resources to bolster their theory and learns that Lucas is hiding his own secret. The pressure is on to solve the murder, but first Lucas must come clean about his real motives in pursuing this podcast—before the killer silences him forever.

Review:

The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan is a brilliantly executed mystery from beginning to end.

Three years ago, sorority sister Candace Swain vanishes after a sorority party where she is seen arguing with a few of her friends. She then vanished without a trace and is later found murdered. Police quickly zero in on a suspect but no one has ever been arrested for the crime. Now a senior at the same university, criminology major Lucas Vega’s capstone project is a podcast of Candace’s murder. He is hoping his podcast will jog memories and new evidence will emerge. One of his guests is former US Marshall Regan Merritt whose assistance turns out to be invaluable to the podcast. When callers provide startling new information, will Regan and Vega identify Candace’s killer?

Lucas plays his cards close to his vest when meeting Regan. He is frustrated by the lack of cooperation with Candace’s sorority and faculty advisor Rachel Wagner. Although he does learn new details about the time Candace went missing, he is stressed by the lack of progress he is making. With Regan’s help, new leads begin coming in to the podcast, but will these new clues be enough for him to find everything he wants to know?

Following a personal tragedy, Regan leaves the Marshall Service and returns home. She is currently staying with her father, retired sheriff John Merritt, while she decides her future. Regan is happy to assist Lucas since it helps  take her mind off her own troubles. But she is soon deeply invested in solving Candace’s murder. She knows Lucas is holding something back from her, but she tries to give him the space and time he needs to talk to her. However,  the cold case takes on a new urgency following unexpected new developments. Regan begins to zero in on a suspect but will she and Lucas find the evidence they need for an arrest?

The Sorority Murder is a taut mystery that is full of suspense.  The tension builds with each new clue and missing diary pages fill readers in about previously unknown details. Lucas and Regan are well-drawn, appealing characters who are easy to root for. Regan’s backstory is heartbreaking and she is uncertain what comes next for her. Lucas is smart but not exactly forthcoming with some parts of his personal history. The storyline is well-written and quite engrossing. With an unpredictable plot twist, Allison Brennan brings this spectacular mystery to an edge of the seat conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan

Filed under Allison Brennan, Contemporary, Harlequin, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Sorority Murder

· 12:01 am

Review: Forever Home by Elysia Whisler

Title: Forever Home by Elysia Whisler
Dogwood County Series Book Two
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

If home is where the heart is, Dogwood County may have just what Delaney Monroe needs

Newly retired from the Marine Corps, Delaney is looking for somewhere to start over. It’s not going to be easy, but when she finds the perfect place to open her dream motorcycle shop, she goes for it. What she doesn’t expect is an abandoned pit bull to come with the building. The shy pup is slow to trust, but Delaney is determined to win it over.

Detective Sean Callahan is smitten from the moment he sees Delaney, but her cool demeanor throws him off his game. When her late father’s vintage motorcycle is stolen from Delaney’s shop, Sean gets to turn up in his element: chasing the bad guy and showing his best self to a woman who’s gotten under his skin in a bad way.

Delaney isn’t used to lasting relationships, but letting love in—both human and canine—helps her see that she may have found a place she belongs, forever.

Review:

Forever Home by Elysia Whisler is a slow-burning romance set in warm, welcoming community. Although this latest release is the second novel in the Dogwood County series, it can be read as a standalone.

After twenty years in the Marines, mechanic Delaney Monroe is putting down roots. She finds the perfect place for her motorcycle shop and her new post-military life. As she is settling in, Delaney is surprised by the off and on appearance of a sweet pit bull. She quickly discovers the former owners abandoned the dog she names Wyatt and the brothers become a thorn in her side.  Still mourning the loss of her beloved father, Delaney plans to enter his vintage motorcycle an upcoming show. When someone steals the motorcycle, Detective Sean Callahan works on her case. The two grow close but will Delaney let him past her formidable defenses?

Sean is still reeling a bit from his divorce so he is a little surprised by how much time he spends thinking about Delaney.  He is not as certain as she is about the thief’s identity since something seems a little odd about the theft. Sean is concerned about the brothers’ continued animosity toward her. Although she can take care of herself, he cannot help but feel protective of her. As they enjoy one another’s company, Sean realizes his feelings from her are growing deeper, but is there are chance for a future with her?

Forever Home is an entertaining romance with appealing characters and adorable canines. Delaney is tough but tender as she settles into civilian life. She is gentle yet firm with a former marine whose path she crossed under difficult circumstances. Sean is charming and not at all put off by Delaney’s sometimes gruff manner. The motorcycle theft is an interesting story arc and ends with a surprising resolution. The community is welcoming and the townspeople are always willing to lend a helping hand. With flawed but likable characters, a sweet romance, and a tantalizing mystery to solve, old and new readers will enjoy Elysia Whisler’s second installment in the Dogwood County series.

Comments Off on Review: Forever Home by Elysia Whisler

Filed under Contemporary, Dogwood County Series, Elysia Whisler, Forever Home, Harlequin, Mira, Rated B, Review, Romance

January 20, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns

Title: Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns
Bunyip Bay Series Book One
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 344 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Faith and Monty are both looking for love…but are they looking in the wrong direction?

Faith Forrester is at a crossroads. Single, thirty and living on a farm in a small Western Australian town, she’s sick of being treated like a servant by her brother and father. Ten years ago, her mother died of breast cancer, and Faith has been treading water ever since. She wants to prove to herself that she’s done something worthwhile with her life. And she wants to find a man…

For as long as he can remember, Daniel ‘Monty’ Montgomery has been Faith’s best friend. When he was ten, his parents sold the family property and moved to Perth and ever since, Monty’s dreamed of having his own farm. So for the last ten years, he’s been back on the land, working odd jobs and saving every dollar to put toward his dream. Now he finally has the deposit. But there’s still something missing…

So when Faith embarks on a mission to raise money for a charity close to her heart, and Monty’s dream property comes on the market, things seem like they are falling into place for them both. Until a drunken night out ends with them sleeping together. Suddenly, the best friends are faced with a new load of challenges…

Monty and Faith are both ready to find a life partner and settle down, but they didn’t expect love to be so close by.

Review:

Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns is an absolutely charming friends to lovers’ romance set within a close-knit community.

After attending an alumna meeting from her boarding school, Faith Forrester decides it is time to make changes in her life. She makes up a fake boyfriend based on her childhood best mate Daniel “Monty” Montgomery.  Faith also pledges to raise money for a charity of her choosing. She is shocked that naming Monty as her fake boyfriend starts a series of vivid dreams of him that are quite steamy. But one of the biggest changes she is ready to make begins at home. When her beloved mum passed away from cancer eight years earlier, Faith stepped in at their family farm and took on all of the household chores. She would much rather work in the fields with her brother Ryan and their father. Telling them she is fed up has a positive impact on Ryan but her already strained relationship with her dad rapidly deteriorates. Regardless, Faith continues with her plans to begin dating and throws herself into her planning her charity event. Will an unexpected trip with Monty alter their relationship beyond repair?

Monty’s lifelong dream to be a farmer on his family’s land came to an end when his family sold the farm to move to Perth during his childhood. His younger brother Will requires specialized care for autism that is only available in a larger city. Monty never lost sight of his goal and he put in long hours to save enough money for a farm. Now his goal is within reach, he turns his sights to his long-neglected love life while waiting for a property to come on the market. Will Monty’s dreams of a relationship and owning a farm come true?

Outback Dreams is a heartwarming romance with engaging characters. The various friendships are close but welcoming of newcomers. Faith is down to earth and rightfully frustrated by her dad’s refusal to allow her to work on the farm. She is low maintenance but now discovering the joys of female friendship and exploring her more feminine side. Monty is charming and helpful but he has a bit of tunnel vision when it comes to his childhood.  Monty and Faith have realistic reservations about a romance between them but their hesitancy threatens to derail their longstanding friendship. Despite a few missteps and lack of communication, Rachael Johns brings this heartfelt romance to a delightful conclusion. This first novel in the Bunyip Bay series will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment of this brilliant series.

Comments Off on Review: Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns

Filed under Bunyip Bay Series, Contemporary, Mira, Outback Dreams, Rachael Johns, Rated B+, Review, Romance