Mystery and a dash of romance
932545
We'll written story of a reporter who finds more than she bargained for when she travels to Montana to research a story for her New York job.  Interesting characters build the charm of the small town she ends up in.  A fun read.
4132821
Once again Colleen Coble gives readers an excellent story of suspense, mystery, and a dash of romance. We are back in Lavender Tides but this time we have missing cocaine and a missing sister.

Loved Grayson. Strong, smart, loyal but searching trying to determine who he really was. Ellie was okay. I did loved the fact she wasn't a "girlie girl" and didn't mind getting her hands dirty. Just not my favorite heroine. They did have good chemistry together and I did enjoy their story.

The story was good. I didn't feel like the author gave a lot of clues to help me solve who the "bad" guy was so I didn't figure it out before the reveal. The action was good and moved quickly. A solid read.

This is book two in the Lavender Tides Series. You can read it as a stand alone and not be lost. (Of course I personally prefer to read them in order)

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
2413357
I really enjoyed this book.  There is a sweet romance but our heroine is an independent woman.  She is no pushover.  And there is a mystery that will have you shaking your head.

Lydia comes to Cimarron Creek, Texas to marry her fiance, Edgar.  But when she arrives she finds he is not only missing, he is married!  No one will hire her for any kind of a job because she is a yankee.  But the kind sheriff introduces her to his Aunt Bertha who takes her into her home.  Bertha helps Lydia to start her own business.  Meanwhile, a series of unusual crimes are taking place.  You will have fun watching the budding romance, admiring Lydia's business acumen, and trying to unravel the mystery.  I'm looking forward to coming back to Cimarron Creek for some more stories.  Come visit when you can.  I guarantee a good time.

I borrowed this book from my public library through Amazon.
3618580
It ws a comfortable cosy mystery and I enjoyed this first  title.  I plan to read the others in the series.  I like the characters and the romantic tension  that I feel will continue.
1806928
In this charming cozy mystery set in a small town north of Toronto, Canada, Arabella Carpenter decides to promote her Glass Dolphin antiques shop by sponsoring a hole in one contest at a local charity golf tournament. The prize: a pricy jet ski. All good fun until she hits her ball into the woods, and amongst the trees finds not her golf ball, but a dead body.
The victim, killed by a gunshot to the chest, is the estranged father of Arabellas ex-husband, Levon Larroquette. The two men were so estranged that Arabella never met her ex-father-in-law. But she has seen him. He and Levon were arguing in the park just a few days before the tournament. Arabella still has feelings for Levon, and precisely how strong those feelings are is revealed whenever he encourages her to join him in drinking a little too much cognac.
Levon might have flaws as a husband, but Arabella is convinced hes no killer. Worried that her information has made him appear more guilty, shes determined to clear Levons name by investigating the murder herself, with the help of her business partner Emily, a former investigative reporter.
This is the second in the Glass Dolphin mystery series, in which Arabella and Emily boldly go where, maybe, they shouldnt, as some of the information they turn up seems to implicate Levon even further. Their inquiries give author Sheluk the opportunity to introduce a sizeable cast of interesting, often amusing characters, with their tidbits of information and propensity for creating confusion: an Elvis impersonator, potential romantic interests for both Arabella and Emily, a vengeful local newspaper editor and reckless blogger, and an antique dealer going out of business who has sad secrets of her own.
Sheluk is an antiques expert herself and currently editor of the New England Antiques Journal. Writing with a light touch, she has a knack for inserting just the right amount of intriguing details about antique items, the antiques market, or running a small business. That information gives the story a nice grounding in reality, even as the plot twists and turns.
A Hole in One is thick with dialog, with the banter between the two women full of good humor. You may not doubt that they will succeed, almost despite themselves, but the fun is in seeing how they go about it as their theoriesand the bodiespile up.
93268
I really liked both the hero and the heroine in this story, as well as the secondary characters. They all seem very well-drawn and the overall story is sweet and cute. The story moves along at a good pace, and I found myself really empathizing with the characters as they struggled with insecurities, as well as the mystery theme.

The villain was a bit of a weak character- very simplified- and I could have perhaps done without the sections of the story from his/her perspective.  The strength of the romance made up for the weakness of the mystery plot, in my opinion.
2920860
Light, good read. A little mystery, a little romance.
1665291
I did like this book. There was a mystery, romance, and humor. I liked how the heroine, Ellie, tried to save herself and her sister, Charlotte. Ellie used her wits, charm, beauty, and the rules of society to evade the hero, Cam. Ellie and Charlotte are given a great deal of leeway socially in this story and it is not accurate for the time. However, Ellie is not someone just out of the school room. She and her siblings have had a hard life with an abusive and self-indulgent father. Cam has also had his problems with his family as well. This is not a book to be read by those under 18 or those that experienced the abuse alluded to in this story. The mystery is not difficult to figure out. The way that Cam is challenged by Ellie was fun to read. The way the story is resolved is also very interesting and set us up for the next book. I admit that I did stay with this story and hope to read the rest of the series. Great job Ms. Bradley.
1018964
I'm not a real fan of romance fiction but this Christian mystery romance is a couple of steps above the normal romance story.  The characters were interesting and well developed.  The mystery established clues that kept me guessing till the conclusion.  The Christian emphasis was excellent but not preachy.  The addition of foster parenting and CASA ( Court Appointed Special Advocate---volunteers appointed by a judge to help abused, neglected, and needy kids) was an added interest.

A fire caused by a bomb made three children instant orphans,
and this was soon complicated by the kidnapping of one of the children.  The foster mom and firefighter friend of the children find themselves set on a mission to find out WHY, and to try and help these children recover from everything with love.

Excellent first book in a continuing series!
1791132
No tv tonight ! I started this book, and did not put it down until it was finished. It is a wonderful mix of mystery, and romance. The characters are likeable, and the villains beaucoup nasty. The author deftly puts Hopi beliefs as a central aspect of the story.i would recommend this book. This was given to me with the proviso that I leave an honest review
114440
I haven't yet read the first book in this series, but after this one, I'm definitely going to.  It was a quick read, with just the right amount of mystery and romance.  The story moved along well without any confusion which I appreciated.  The characters were well drawn and believable.  I can wholeheartedly suggest this book if you like light mysteries.  I was provided with a free copy of this book so I could give an honest review. I hope it's helpful to both the author and the reader.
2856360
Good clean mystery with a touch of romance. Filled with all those quirky characters you often read about in small town settings, especially small southern towns. ;) There is some humor, though this book isn't so much about the humor as it is the mystery itself, as the lead, Kenni who happens to be the towns sheriff, has to try to prove her mother isn't a murderer. There's a little more anxiety running through the story. There are a couple crimes in addition to the main murder that keeps your mind busy and adds some silliness to the story. It's well written and a fun, easy and quick read. It is safe for teens and up. It's part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.

*I Volunteered to review an ARC of this book.
4343663
This was a solid read featuring romance, mystery, and redemption set in 1900 New York. It highlights the movement of land-rich/cash-poor English peers who needed to marry wealthy American heiresses (very Downton Abby-esque!). It was also interesting to learn about the Tuxedo Park area. Catherine is trying to make up for her past mistakes but Tristram keeps dogging her with his belief that she has stolen the Bisterne family jewels. Although I was interested in the mystery of the stolen jewels, the romance was a bit of a stretch. Both characters were fine on their own but I couldn't quite accept why they would be attracted to each other when Tristram kept accusing her of various things. However, I kept reading because the mystery had me hooked. The resolution was a little rushed in the end but still was a satisfying conclusion. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery but didn't warm up to the romance as much.
* I received this book free of charge from NetGalley.
2636290
If you like your mysteries cozy with a side of sassy romance and a dash of family squabbles, youll enjoy spending time with Wendy Delaneys Sex, Lies, and Snickerdoodles her truth wizard, Charmaine.

The story takes place in the small town of Port Merritt in the Pacific Northwest where Charmaine Digby is a newly appointed Probationary Special Assistant to the Chimacam County Prosecutor/Coroner. While the job title may be a bit unwieldy, Char throws herself into the role with gusto.

Her zeal doesnt sit well for friend-with-benefits Steve Sixkiller, the towns one-and-only detective. One the one hand, his closed-mouth approach frustrates Charmaine but on the other, sex with him is great since they occasionally share a bed and make ice cream a part of their escapades. This is not a steamy romance novel - it's a cozy mystery.

Fortunately for Charmaine, the entire town has its ear to the ground and the nosy neighbors and colorful characters have plenty to say and are willing to share. When news hits the streets that Russell Ferrantino, a local lothario, has been found dead, tongues wag. Especially when his death may  or may not  have involved foul play.

Along with her own investigation of the supposed murder, Char soon has her hands full dealing with the surprise arrival of her (literal) drama queen mama, Hurricane Marietta, AKA Mary Jo Digby. Seems Marietta has attracted the attention of Charmaines former biology teacher. Now Char finds herself sleeping on the Crippler at her Grams while fearing her mother may jump into yet another misguided marriage.

Clues keep piling up and the pool of suspects, expanding. Russell Ferrantinos brothers, Andy and Nathan don't seem overly distraught at his passing. There are plenty of Russells lovers, past and present, to mourn but did any of them have a bone to pick with the deceased? With Chars persistent poking into every nook and cranny, feathers are sure to be ruffled and the clues will shake loose, too. What kind of work was Russell doing over at Joyce Lackeys place? And one wonders how Pete Lackey felt about having the towns troublemaker spending so much time at his place.

Wendy Delaney's style is fresh and frisky, leading her readers down a path to a rollicking good time. Delaney's folksy (the series is called Working Stiffs mysteries)  storytelling in "Sex, Lies, and Snickerdoodles"  goes down like a mug of hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and a daub of whipped cream on top or your favorite summer imbibement! Enjoy!
3268435
"Murder in Hum Harbour" is a fine example of a cozy mystery with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Complete with a female amateur sleuth whose brother is a police officer in this small east coast village, Jayne E. Self's first book in the series also contains a handsome young doctor with secrets of his own. There are several "red herrings" leading up to the resolution of the mystery, enabling the reader to delve deeper into the personalities of Self's wonderful cast of characters. With romance just beginning to blossom and the tantalizing question "what's the chance there'll ever be another murder in Hum Harbour?" readers will be looking out for the next book in the series and the next...
2463524
This is the first book in a series that promises mystery and romance.

Clem Tallyfer, bastard son of his Grace, the (late) Earl of Moreton, manages a lodging house, as part of his consideration from his half-brother, Edmund Talliefer, the current earl. He is half-Indian, and attractive, but fussy and prone to fits of nerves when his schedule is off or he's in the company of too many people at once. He's a master at propriety, which is why he's unable to make any overtures to his lodger, Rowley Green, despite some long acquaintance.

Rowley is a quiet, genial man who really finds Clem attractive. He's sure Clem thinks little of him, for as many nights as they 've shared tea and Clem never made any overtures. It takes months, but Rowley begins to see that Clem is merely incapable of considering that another might fancy him, and once their desires are made plain, these men find ways to make a surreptitious liaison happen.

Clem's life is complicated nearly daily by one lodger, the constantly inebriated Lugtrout, a former minister, and a person Edmund insists Clem manage. It's all Clem can do to maintain his composure around the blowhard, but it soon won't be his problem--when Lugtrout is gruesomely murdered. This kicks off the mystery portion of the book, and it is a slower evolving story than I expected. That said, there's a LOT happening, in terms of the murder and mayhem, and I didn't feel it was developed enough--mainly leaving the mystery to be solved in the books going forward. I wasn't prepared for that, which left me feeling a little frustrated, but I did like the Rowley and Clem bits, because I thought they were a sweet pair.

The next book is set to feature two other characters finding love, and finding the murderer(s), perhaps, but Rowley and Clem find their happiness in this first story of the series. I received a review copy via NetGalley.
4623874
A pleasant mix of romance with a bit of mystery...even though the romance is a little too quick and UNBELIEVABLE...once again I find myself CAUGHT UP in all the characters...and the storyline of the IMPERFECT hero is realistic, different and cute...and Sparks keeps me in stitches with his clumsiness throughout.