Category Archives: Rated B

December 8, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich

Title: If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Bi, Romance
Length: 408 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich’s “If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartthrobs in front of the cameras and best friends backstage.

But privately, the pressure to stay in the closet has Ruben confiding in Zach.

On a whirlwind tour through Europe with an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, the two come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben realize they will never truly have the support they need.

How can they hold tight to each other when their whole world is coming apart?

Review:

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich is a terrific young adult LGBTQ romance with fantastic characters.

Boyband Saturday is embarking on a European tour but the trip is nothing but business. Eighteen-year-old Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are close friends as well as bandmates. Ruben is gay but the band’s management will not let him come out. In fact, they have minimized his appearance along with his vocals. Zach is an introspective songwriter but he is cast as a bad boy and their manager never agrees to let them perform his songs. Exuberant, energetic Angel Phan’s role in the band is bland and suppresses his personality. Jon Braxton is nothing like his band persona and although his dad runs their label, he doesn’t get any say in anything with their band. During their overseas tour, everyone chafes at the lack of free time and Ruben and Zach become even closer. That is until a kiss between Ruben and Zach threatens to derail their friendship and leads to unexpected trouble with management. The band has achieved success beyond than they dreamed,  but will Saturday survive the fallout when Ruben and Zach want to take their romance public?

Despite their success, Ruben and Zach suffer from self-doubt. Ruben is constantly undermined by his mother and he has yet to set clear boundaries with her. Zach is easily paralyzed by worry since he is somewhat passive. Both are a little on the anxious side and neither want to do anything to jeopardize the band. Despite their personal concerns, they always let Angel and Jon know about anything that could impact Saturday.

Although If This Gets Out is an enjoyable LGBTQ young adult romance it can sometimes be a little angsty. The characters are vibrantly developed and very appealing. Ruben, Zach, Angel and Jon are very close and their friendships are always rock solid. The storyline is engaging and offers a realistic portrait of the exploitative side of the music industry.  The romance between Ruben and Zach is very sweet and Ruben is very patient with Zach as his new boyfriend becomes more comfortable with his sexuality. With the Saturday’s future hanging in the balance, Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich bring this heartwarming novel to an uplifting conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Gay, GLBT, If This Gets Out, Rated B, Review, Romance, Sophie Gonzales, Wednesday Books, Young Adult

November 29, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall

Title: As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall
Jordan Manning Series Book One
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The first in a thrilling new series from Emmy Award-winning TV Host and Journalist Tamron Hall, As The Wicked Watch follows a reporter as she unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two young Black women, the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

When crime reporter Jordan Manning leaves her hometown in Texas to take a job at a television station in Chicago, she’s one step closer to her dream: a coveted anchor chair on a national network.

Jordan is smart and aggressive, with unabashed star-power, and often the only woman of color in the newsroom. Her signature? Arriving first on the scene—in impractical designer stilettos. Armed with a master’s degree in forensic science and impeccable instincts, Jordan has been able to balance her dueling motivations: breaking every big story—and giving a voice to the voiceless.

From her time in Texas, she’s covered the vilest of human behaviors but nothing has prepared her for Chicago. Jordan is that rare breed of a journalist who can navigate a crime scene as well as she can a newsroom—often noticing what others tend to miss. Again and again, she is called to cover the murders of Black women, many of them sexually assaulted, most brutalized, and all of them quickly forgotten.

All until Masey James—the story that Jordan just can’t shake, despite all efforts. A 15-year-old girl whose body was found in an abandoned lot, Masey has come to represent for Jordan all of the frustration and anger that her job often forces her to repress. Putting the rest of her work and her fraying personal life aside, Jordan does everything she can to give the story the coverage it desperately requires, and that a missing Black child would so rarely get.

There’s a serial killer on the loose, Jordan believes, and he’s hiding in plain sight.

Review:

As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall is an intriguing mystery that does not shy away from social issues and racial injustices.

Broadcast journalist Jordan Manning has been covering the disappearance of fifteen-year-old Masey James. The Black teenager vanished without a trace and the police are treating the case as just another runaway. Masey’s mother, Pamela, insists something has happened to her daughter and Jordan makes sure this case stays in the public eye. While filming an update on the missing teenager, Masey’s body is discovered in an abandoned, overgrown playground. Jordan becomes fully invested in learning the identity of Masey’s killer and she puts herself in harm’s way as she searches for answers.

Jordan is confident, intelligent and ambitious. She is dedicated to ensuring Masey does not become another forgotten missing Black girl. She is willing to put in long hours as she interviews family members and people in Masey’s neighborhood. Jordan also reflects on how under represented Black women are in positions of power in broadcast journalism.

When the police make an arrest, Jordan and the rest of the community are outraged and believe they have made a mistake. With a degree in forensic science, Jordan follows her instincts as she investigates the information she has uncovered. Certain she knows who killed Masey, she sometimes acts a little recklessly as she tries to locate the person responsible.

As the Wicked Watch is a clever mystery with an interesting lead protagonist. Jordan is tenacious as Masey’s case tragically turns into a murder investigation. She is a mostly appealing character but she is not without flaws. The police are a little quick to dismiss viable leads and their eventual arrests bring national attention to the case. The storyline is unique but the pacing for the first third of the book is very slow.  With a plethora of characters, it is sometimes not easy to keep up with who everyone is. Jordan sometimes goes off on unexpected thought tangents that are a little repetitious. With unexpected plot twists, Tamron Hall brings this engaging mystery to a satisfying conclusion. All in all, a decent first installment in the Jordan Manning series.

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Filed under As the Wicked Watch, Contemporary, Jordan Manning Series, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, Tamron Hall, William Morrow

November 27, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron

Title: The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron
Alex Duggins Mystery Book Seven
Publisher: Severn House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 240 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When two bodies are discovered within six weeks of one another, it would appear that a serial killer is at large in the sleepy Cotswold village of Folly.

Six weeks after a battered body is found in the grounds of the village cricket club, DCI Dan O’Reilly and his team are no further forward in the investigation. No witnesses, no leads, no clues whatsoever. Then a second body is discovered in the nearby tithe barn used by the local amateur dramatics society, artfully posed just like the first. Could there be a serial killer on the loose?

When evidence leads O’Reilly to visit the Black Dog pub, owner Alex Duggins and her partner Tony are once again drawn into a police investigation.

But Tony is dealing with some disturbing news of his own. Someone from his past has reached out and threatens all he holds dear. Are they who they claim to be, and what do they really want . . .?

Review:

The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron is an intriguing mystery. Although this latest release is the seventh installment in the Alex Duggins Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Pub owner and artist Alex Duggins knows something is going on with her fiancé veterinarian Tony Harrison but she has no idea what. Just as she is ready to announce their engagement and set a wedding date, Tony finally reveals what has been troubling him. Neither of them quite knows what to make of his revelation but they decide to wait and see if anything comes of it. Meanwhile, they continue planning for their future together.

Detective Chief Inspector Dan O’Reilly is settling into his new home when he is called to a murder scene that bears a startling resemblance to an earlier murder. Dan and his Sergeant LeJuan Harding are a bit at a loss since there is little evidence at either murder scene. They do however, both uneasily agree there might be a serial killer in their midst. Dan is frustrated by the lack of assistance by possible witnesses who instead chose to confide in Alex instead. He has been told in no uncertain terms to make sure neither she or Tony interfere in this latest investigation. So, he is less than thrilled to have to try to convince Alex to reveal these details to him.

The Playing Fields is a fast-paced mystery with a compelling storyline. The cast of characters will be familiar to fans regular readers of the Alex Duggins Mystery series while newcomers won’t feel too lost since plenty of backstory is provided for each character. The murders are certainly unique but it is relatively easy to guess the killer’s identity. However, Stella Cameron adds just enough tension to keepsreaders on the edge of their seats until this clever mystery’s dramatic conclusion.

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Filed under Alex Duggins Mystery Series, Contemporary, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Severn House Publishers, Stella Cameron, The Playing Fields

November 23, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: The Surrogate by Toni Halleen

Title: The Surrogate by Toni Halleen
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A probing novel about a newly married couple, the surrogate they hire to carry their baby, and the unexpected consequences of their decisions. 

Ruth is a no-nonsense fortysomething journalist from the Midwest desperate for a child with her new husband, Hal. A divorced attorney and the father of two teenage boys, Hal is open to having another child. But more than anything he wants Ruth to be happy—to become the mother she’s always wanted to be. Their hope rests with Cally, a nineteen-year-old who wants to go to college—but doesn’t have the cash. The arrangement seems perfect for everyone.

All through the pregnancy, Ruth and Hal look forward to the new baby that will make their family complete. But within a day of the baby’s birth, Cally has a change of heart – and engineers a harrowing escape from the hospital with the newborn. When Ruth and Hal discover that she and their daughter are gone, a whole series of doubts and secrets are revealed, and it’s no longer clear what’s “right” and what’s “wrong.”

Set in the vast, sparsely populated upper reaches of northern Minnesota in the middle of winter, The Surrogate follows Ruth, Hal, Cally, and her boyfriend through the ice and snow, from the city to the dark, frozen north country as they run away from, and ultimately towards, one other.

In The Surrogate, Toni Halleen raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of family, love, and relationships. What would you do for your partner, when the going gets tough? How much is a pregnancy “worth?” And who, if anyone, “deserves” to be a mother?

Review:

The Surrogate by Toni Halleen is a compelling novel that is very suspenseful.

When Ruth Martin and Hal Olson meet in 1997, the sparks fly and they begin dating. But their relationship is complicated by Hal’s not quite ex-wife and his two sons who are less than enthused with their father dating. Ruth and Hal are soon married and while happy, Ruth is eager to have a baby. Unfortunately, she has fertility issues so she and Hal turn to surrogacy to expand their family. Their surrogate, Cally Scott, is soon pregnant and Ruth excitedly prepares for the upcoming birth.

Ruth is wound tight and she is a little controlling. She pretty much smothers Cally throughout the pregnancy but the two otherwise get along. Ruth is thrilled at the prospect of becoming a mother but she feels like she is being judged for turning to surrogacy. She gets frustrated by Hal’s lack of enthusiasm and constant reminders he is not new to fatherhood.

Hal is a lawyer and he draws up the surrogacy contract. He takes a much more laidback approach to the upcoming birth and he is sometimes a little irritated with Ruth’s over the top preparations.  Hal wants his wife to be happy so he acquiesces to her decisions.

Cally answers the Olson’s ad for a surrogate in order to earn money to return to college. She is not ready for motherhood when she enters into the agreement which is why she is shocked by her reaction when she gives birth. Cally is not ready to turn the baby over to the Olson’s so she takes off from the hospital with the newborn.

After Cally departs with their baby, Ruth is angry and resentful of what she perceives as the unfair treatment she receives since she has no biological ties to the newborn. Hal is equally upset but he feels the agreement is ironclad and once they locate Cally, he and Ruth will gain custody. But Ruth is anxious to find the baby and she reaches out to a family member for help. She is often unable to contain her anger and fear which results in outrageous behavior and irrational demands.

The Surrogate is a well-written novel that reveals both the positive and negative aspects of surrogacy.  The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are likable. Ruth is almost impossible to like despite understanding her fears. Hal is a little too complacent and when tragedy strikes, he becomes very unreliable. Cally is young and her impetuous decisions lead to a seemingly no-win situation. Her ex-boyfriend is kind of sleazy and he is definitely not father material. The storyline is interesting and Toni Halleen brings this fast-paced novel to an unpredictable conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Surrogate, Toni Halleen

November 9, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Double Take by Elizabeth Breck

Title: Double Take by Elizabeth Breck
Madison Kelly Mystery Series Book Two
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 328 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When a young journalist goes missing in sunny San Diego , P.I. Madison Kelly learns the true price of knowing too much.

It’s a perfect San Diego fall–cool and crisp with bright blue skies. But not everything is right in the sunny idyll dubbed “America’s Finest City.” Young journalist Barrett Brown has been missing for a week, and her boyfriend hires private investigator Madison Kelly to find her. Right away, Barrett reminds Madison of a younger version of herself: smart, ambitious, and a loner.

As she launches her investigation, Madison realizes that Barrett’s disappearance is connected to a big story she was chasing–and she sets out to walk in Barrett’s footsteps to trace her whereabouts. As the trail grows colder, things begin to heat up between Madison and Barrett’s boyfriend. But he doesn’t seem to be telling everything he knows, and Madison gets the feeling that her every move is being watched. What dirty secrets lie at the heart of Barrett’s big lead?

If Madison can’t get to the bottom of the case in time, she could be in line to become the next victim.

Review:

The second installment in the Madison Kelly Mystery series, Double Take by Elizabeth Breck is a suspenseful mystery.

Madison Kelly is a highly sought-after private investigator who specializes in missing persons cases. Her current client Travis Moore is anxious to find his missing girlfriend, young journalist Barrett Brown. She inexplicably vanished five days earlier without a trace and Madison is eager to find her. Retracing Barrett’s steps, Madison’s discoveries are vaguely ominous and her anxiety over finding the young woman kicks up a few notches. She soon uncovers the most likely motive for Barrett’s disappearance but will she find her before it is too late?

Madison has just returned home from an out of state case and she is exhausted. But her concern for the missing journalist is more important than rest so she agrees to take Travis’ case. Although determined to find Barrett, Madison is distracted by personal issues throughout her investigation. Equally curious and mostly annoying is her realization that she is being followed. But Madison is more concerned about finding Barrett than figuring out who is following her and why.

Madison knows where Barrett mostly likely was before she disappeared but the trail quickly goes cold. Her interview with Barrett’s boss Cornell Jones provides one of her most tangible and ultimately productive threads to follow. Madison continues follow each piece of evidence she unearths and the scope of her discovery is absolutely explosive. Unfortunately, her preoccupation over her relationship with her maybe boyfriend surfer Dave Rich and possible health issues leads to careless mistakes that could prove to be deadly.

Double Take is an engrossing mystery with a flawed but appealing protagonist. The storyline is well-developed and moves at a brisk pace. The La Jolla and San Diego settings are brilliant detailed and spring vividly to life. Madison’s quest for answers about Barrett’s disappearance takes a shocking turn and Elizabeth Breck brings this tension-filled mystery to a pulse-pounding conclusion. Although this latest release is the second installment in the Madison Kelly Mystery series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

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Filed under Contemporary, Crooked Lane Books, Double Take, Elizabeth Breck, Madison Kelly Mystery Series, Mystery, Rated B, Review

November 2, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Even So by Lauren B. Davis

Title: Even So by Lauren B. Davis
Publisher: Dundurn
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A novel that explores the challenge and necessity of loving difficult people.

Angela Morrison has it all. She’s married to a wealthy man, adores her son, grows orchids, and volunteers at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry. What more could she want? More ― much more. And she’s willing to risk everything after meeting Carsten, the landscaper with the glacier-blue eyes.

Sister Eileen, who runs Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, struggles with the silence of God and harbours a secret she believes is unforgivable. She yearns to convince Angela she is loved by God, despite her selfishness and destructive behaviour, but in order for that to be authentic Eileen must learn to love her first, and that’s no easy task ― especially after Angela causes a terrible tragedy. Through the crucible of their relationship, Angela and Eileen discover how caring for the most difficult among us and practising forgiveness, no matter how painful, opens a door to the miracle of transformation.

Review:

Even So by Lauren B. Davis is a compelling novel of redemption.

Now in her mid-forties, Angela Morrison is increasingly dissatisfied with her life. She has lost interest in her husband and although they are wealthy, she yearns for something more. What that something is, Angela has no idea. She has a plethora of acquaintances but only one close confidant. Angela is a bit shallow and snobbish but she does volunteer once a week at the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry. She likes Sister Eileen but they do not form an unlikely friendship of sorts until they begin planting a garden with landscaper Carsten Pilgaard. Angela is attracted to Carsten and she makes the first of a few bad decisions when she embarks on a torrid affair with him.

Angela’s only desire when she was younger is to have security. She marries Philip not out of love but out of her need to elevate herself out of poverty. For many years, she is content in her marriage, but with their son, Connor, off to boarding school, Angela becomes increasingly restless. She is not one for self-reflection so she does not give much thought to the consequences of her affair with Carsten. After a huge argument with Philip, Angela discovers the limitations of her illicit relationship and she makes a fateful choice that leads to her shocking downfall.

Sister Eileen works tirelessly helping others. But, for quite some time, she has been suffering a crisis of faith. Sister Eileen has made peace with much of her past yet she remains haunted (and horrified) by one stunning action that she just cannot let go. She is very observant and she knows exactly what her volunteer has been doing. Despite her inability to always like Angela, she does selflessly support and love her when Angela hits rock bottom and its aftermath.

Even So is a riveting novel that is spiritual without being preachy. Angela is not a likable character but it is not difficult to feel empathy for her as she struggles with the consequences for her decisions. Sister Eileen is flawed but this makes her much more realistic and easy to like. The storyline is engaging and moves at a steady pace. With unpredictable twists, Lauren B. Davis brings this thought-provoking story of grace to a surprising yet gratifying conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Dundurn, Even So, Lauren B Davis, Rated B, Review, Women's Fiction