Tag: book-review

The Fiction Writer by Jill Cantor

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The Fiction Writer was an amazingly surprising and intensely mysterious page turner which you don’t want to end. For those who have read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or a fan of the author, you will have won the lottery with this one! Even if you are new to du Maurier or Rebecca, not only will you completely enjoy the story, but the Rebecca tease will have you reading this book as well.

Olivia Fitzgerald is a very down and out writer. Her first book was a moderate success, her second, Becky, a new take on the book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier did not sell very well at all. Now, she not only faces writer’s block trying to piece together a new story but has an unhappy agent who she thinks will drop her and a boyfriend of many years who has decided to move out. So, she now sits paralyzed in her life with only her new pet goldfish to keep her company.

But that all changes when she gets a call from her agent about a job in Malibu, California as a ghostwriter for a billionaire named Henry Ashwood who lost his wife in an accident last year. He specifically asked for Olivia to write a book about his grandmother who he claims was the actual writer of Rebecca and du Maurier stole it from her. Now, there have been a few others who have claimed this, but none could prove it. He says he has his grandmother’s diaries and insists he has the proof. The only caveat, he has requested she sign a non-disclosure agreement. But the money he is offering her is too outrageous to turn down, so off Olivia goes to write the story, even though she only has written fiction in the past.

But once there, she soon discovers inconsistencies in Ash’s story, and these mysterious diaries don’t seem to exist. Ash’s housekeeper hates Olivia even though she has no idea why. Olivia thinks she is in love with the mysterious billionaire. Her visits to the mansion go from wonderful to terrifying. Her own book, Becky seems to be some sort of catalyst to Ash, and she has no idea why. As Olivia begins to learn more about his grandmother, she seems to accidentally discover that perhaps his wife who died accidentally was murdered. Why does he really want her here? The longer she stays, the more she realizes something is wrong and she needs to get away. 

As Olivia fights to find the truth, she suddenly discovers she herself is in danger because of her questions. And when she agrees to go to a Gala with Ash, well…let’s just say that is the final straw. But will she be allowed to leave? Has she discovered too much?

The Fiction Writer is truly a unique take on a beloved gothic novel, modernized for today’s world with flawed characters and anxiety ridden twists and turns.

Thank you #NetGalley #ParkRow #JillCantor #TheFictionWriter for the advanced copy.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

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Well, the maid we all love and adore, Molly Gray is back in The Mystery Guest. With the charm and heart from the first story, The Maid, we are again excited to learn what she has been up to lately, as well as a bit of her backstory, with her loving and forevermore gran, Flora, her teacher of all things. Molly has come a long way since we were first introduced to her, but she continues to be the honest, thought-provoking, sensitive, intelligent woman we have grown to treasure.

Since we last read about her, Molly has been promoted to head maid at the prestigious yet infamous Regency Grand Hotel, living with her boyfriend Juan in her gran’s apartment. Juan is away visiting his family when of course, another death occurs.

J.D. Grimthorpe, a famous mystery writer is about to make an important announcement about himself, and he has chosen Molly’s hotel to make the statement. Although he has not written a book in a very long time, it is the hope of his fans that he will tell them he is coming out with a sequel to his bestseller from years ago.

But just before he is going to make the announcement, he keels over and dies. It is soon discovered that someone has poisoned him. Now, Molly’s new maid-in-training, Lily is frightened because she thinks it’s always the maid. But Molly has faith that with a bit of investigating, the Regency Grant Hotel will be exonerated.

As Molly’s frenemy, Detective Stark once again is put on the case and of course eyes Molly suspiciously, Molly knows she did not kill the man. But unfortunately, Molly has a deep dark secret. When she was young, she and her gran had worked as maids for the Grimthorpe household, and it did not end well.

As she flashes back to that dreadful time, she begins to remember more about what happened when they worked for the mysterious writer. But clues of his death are sparse and when she sees her dear friend Mr. Preston doing something illegal, well her head begins to spin.

As Molly tries to put the clues together, realizing Grimthorpe was not a very nice person and anybody could have wanted him dead, the suspects begin to add up and she must find the killer before it ruins the reputation of her wonderful hotel.

The Mystery Guest is sleuthing at its best, and our Molly is as sweet as honey as she brilliantly and true to herself discovers the truths behind the dead man. Cannot wait to see where Molly goes next!

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #NitaProse #TheMysteryGuest for the advanced copy.

Plot Twist by Erin LaRosa

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Plot Twist is a sweet love story about a romance writer who has lost her mojo on love and can’t write, who proceeds to fall in love with her best friend’s brother, an actor who comes from Hollywood royalty, but does not only not want to act anymore, but is facing a sober life and is afraid of letting someone else down. In this charming plot, they discover not only each other, but themselves.

Romance writer Sophie Lyon gets very drunk one night and declares live on social media that she has never been in love and with her next book due in weeks believes she is a wash-up. Except the next morning when she is sober, she discovers she is now a media star. What has she done?

Dash Montrose, Sophie’s landlord as well as Sophie’s best friend Poppy’s brother sees her in a panic. An expert at social media, he tells her he can help create a platform where she could share what she feels if she will help him write a speech he needs to make at a ceremony in honor of his father, a Hollywood legend.

So, Sophie decides to go back to her former exes and ask the question why we broke up and document said answers on social media as the clock ticks towards her deadline. Dash who has his own crisis going on is learning to be sober. He has not told anyone in his family this as well as the fact he does not want to act and would prefer to live a simple life creating pottery while he is still learning how to live life clearheaded. Sophie’s problem is a terrific distraction as well as her being great to look at and fun to be with.

As Sophie visits her exes and discovers the good the bad and the ugly, she begins to realize she perhaps may have a problem with commitment. While this is happening, Dash is trying to figure out how to tell his family, who will not be pleased with his news that he was in a rehab. You see, his parents are all about the fame and being the perfect family.

But attraction gives in, and Sophie and Dash proceed to become friends with benefits. Of course, neither wants to tell Poppy because they know she will lose her mind! In the meantime, Dash seems to have a stalker who threatens to blow up his life by informing the media of his secret.

Everything explodes in their faces all at once and neither of them handles the aftermath very well. Is it possible for these two people who clearly love one another to admit their feelings when one of them can’t commit and the other is afraid to commit?

Plot Twist has strong messages while being a delightful, heartfelt story with twist and happy turns which will keep you rooting until the end.

Thank you #NetGalley #CanaryStreetPress #ErinLaRosa #PlotTwist for the advanced copy.

Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter by Lisa Patton

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Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter is an adorable story in which a woman from Memphis, Tennessee finds herself transplanted to Vermont as the owner of an Inn. Not her idea, but her husbands. The story relays their time at the Inn, a bed and breakfast in a very small town with of course quirky townspeople and the difficulties which they incurred as they tried to establish themselves as the new owners of an Inn which has always been known for its German cooking, difficult employers and a terrible odor which permeates the building and cannot be fixed! It’s about a woman who loves her husband so much she would go to the ends of the earth for him…literally and finds herself not only in a different reality, but then alone, working in an Inn with her two young children and her dog, Princess Grace by her side.

Filled with hysterical tales of how her adjustment never quite succeeds, yet through it all she never loses her happy outlook on life and looks at each challenge she faces even though frightened out of her mind, as a victory.

Leelee, her husband Baker, their two children, and their dog have a wonderful life in Memphis, Tennessee. A stay-at-home mom who lunches with her best friends at the country club and has no worries about money, loves her life. Until her husband decides he hates his job and wants to try something different. And by different he means up and moving to Vermont and buying an inn run by a German brother and sister near ski resorts. Now, Leelee has never even seen snow, let alone Vermont! but she loves her husband and agrees. One thing for sure, she can’t wait to meet a moose up close and personal!

But when they arrive, she discovers she must actually work at this smelly, un-charming Inn with hippopotamus decor and the current owner Helga who hates her. She discovers very quickly she’s not in Tennessee anymore! Her poor Yorkie won’t even go to the bathroom outside first for fear they will never find her in the deep snow as well as she just plain refuses to go out, so their tiny apartment is covered in newspaper! Although Princess Grace does enjoy a particular room to do her business.

But when Baker decides he made a big mistake and just up and leaves her to tackle all the jobs, she at first goes into a deep depression. But for the eccentric employees, her friends back home and her stubbornness and wanting the best for her children she tackles all of the obstacles which she is faced as best she can with a bit of sneakiness.

And just as her bones begin to thaw and perhaps with a little crush developing, she gets the opportunity to go home again. But where is home now? Just when she thought she had it all worked out she must now make once again the most difficult decision of her life!

In Whistlin’ Dixie, you will laugh out loud at the state of affairs Leelee must grapple with, you will empathize as she finds herself a single mom in the land of the lost until she begins to realize she may perhaps know what she is doing…well, sort of… But most of all you will feel her transformation from a lady of leisure to a powerful intelligent working woman who must think quickly on her cold feet, even if there are snowshoes under them!