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# Guest Post by Cecilia Fyre, the author of Heart and the City @rararesources @Cecilia Fyre

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the book tour for Heart and the City written by Cecilia Fyre.
It is my honour and pleasure to introduce a guest post written this talented author.

GUEST POST

Writing about New York City

Everyone who’s ever been to New York has their own version of the city. I’ve been to New York many times, and I fall in love with it more on every visit. So it was only a matter of time before the city would become an inspiration for my writing.
When I first started on the novella series, my favourite part of the city were Chinatown, the Bowery and the Lower East Side. I’d always go up to the theatre district, of course, and frequently to Central Park. But I got really familiar with the lower part of Manhattan. I love walking the streets there, it’s so diverse and never boring. And shopping is great on Broadway.

For this guest post I want to do a little tour of the New York that inspired the setting of the novellas. I feel that New York deserves a tribute at this juncture in history and a little virtual tour might help tide us over until we’re able to travel again!

Where to stay?

Hotels in Manhattan can be really expensive, so when I first investigated accommodation I was delighted to discover the Bowery House . It’s a hostel and quite basic, but the history of the building is really interesting. The cabins were first set up to house homeless soldiers coming back from the war.

Home is…Chinatown

Ricco, the love interest in the novellas, lives in a penthouse in Chinatown, and when Lea first moves to the city that’s where she happens to end up as well.

Chinatown might seem an odd choice for a famous actor. When you walk the streets you’d never imagine that anyone with money would want to live there. But it’s quirky and different, and it’s Ricco’s kind of place. His penthouse is in a fairly nondescript street that’s otherwise home to Chinese restaurants and printing businesses.

A lot of famous cast-iron dwellings are dotted around the neighbourhood. Stop at a street corner and look up. You can see the penthouse terraces on the roofs of many of those buildings.

I tried to capture a little of the strange vibe of the area in the novellas. It’s popular with tourists who shop in the souvenir shops, take photos with the weird window displays, eat in the restaurants and sit outside cafés where Chinatown becomes Little Italy. But go down into one of the streets without garlands and lanterns strung across, where all the signs are in Chinese, and suddenly the atmosphere is residential and you can sense what it was like when the tenements were full of immigrant families, and garment sweatshops, laundries and butchers provided employment for the local community.

A little bit of real history

There’s one Lower East Side institution that didn’t make it into the novellas, even though I would’ve loved to mention it – the Tenement Museum. If you’re interested in the New York of the 19th and early 20th century, then this is where you have to go. The apartments in the building are made up to reflect different times. You learn about the actual families that lived there until the law changed and the tenement was closed in 1935. It is the place to go to learn about immigration to the United States. I really recommend taking part in the Tastings at the Tenement event, too. You find out what the various immigrant communities would eat and then you can try food sourced from shops and restaurants still operating in the neighbourhood.

What about Queens?

When you fly into JFK airport and travel to the Bowery, you take the sky train from the airport through Queens to Jamaica Station where it connects to the A and the F subway trains. I had the idea for Lea’s more permanent home from those journeys. I’ve never walked through Queens, but you get quite a nice bird’s eye view as the train rattles towards Manhattan. It’s a pretty long journey, and you see a much more residential and middle-class part of New York that way. I think that now the novellas are coming out, for my next trip to New York (which I honestly can’t wait for) I’ll make it a special mission to discover Queens!

Book Blurb:

Heart and the City (Book 1 in the Love Medicine series)

British doctor Lea Holm has come to New York to work in her chosen field of emergency medicine. She loves her new life in this exciting city and can’t wait to get started with her research project. The last thing she needs are distractions.
But then she meets famous actor Ricco Como in her building – a distraction if ever there was one. He’s gorgeous and sweet, and there’s an immediate connection between them. Lea tries to resist temptation, but when he comes to her for help dealing with his steadily worsening migraine she can’t turn away from his plight.
As Ricco’s health takes a turn for the worse, their lives become more and more entwined. But can their growing attraction withstand the strain of his ill health, and can he let Lea be more than just his doctor?

**This novella series contains detailed descriptions of long-term health conditions, cheating and a bereavement.**

The series is set in New York City and was written before COVID-19. It makes no reference to recent events.

Publication Date: 26th May

Purchase Link

About Cecilia Fyre

Cecilia Fyre is the pen name of a romance author trying out something new.

She likes sunny, crisp autumn days. Cups of hot cocoa with little marshmallows floating on top. The roaring of the sea. Laughing until your face hurts. The silence when you curl up with a good book.

Her stories are about people. Some of them are strange, some think they’re boring. They all have secrets, they’re all scared sometimes. Cecilia writes about life, about love. About how hard it is to do it right. Usually, there’s a happy ending, or at least there might be one, someday.

But life’s not all sunshine and roses, and that’s why Cecilia tells her stories.

In the real world, Cecilia lives in England.

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Giveaway
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Win 2 x A Complete set of all 5 novellas in the Love Medicine series, in an ebook format (Open INT)
The five novellas are:
Book 1 – Heart and the City
Book 2 – Unexpected Truth
Book 3 – Been There Before
Book 4 – Wish The Pain Away
Book 5 – A Thousand Little Pieces

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you add this novella to your reading lists and enjoy this lovely story set in New York!

#Book Review #Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop, while dealing with life and love in Harlem.

Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.

Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit.

(From the book blurb)

****

My thoughts:

Real Men Knit has a very interesting premise. We meet our protagonists on the day after Mama Joy’s funeral. This amazing woman, who adopted and raised four boys from the foster care system, passed away following an unexpected heart attack. The community is griefstricken and you can feel how loved and admired Mama Joy Strong was and how much her family and her neighbours are going to miss her. Her yarn shop was a special place full of kindness, peace and calm, a ‘sanctuary’ in the middle of hustle and bustle of Upper Manhattan. The four brothers now have to decide whether to keep the shop running or sell it. Damian is a corporate financial analyst, Lucas is a firefighter and Noah is a professional dancer. They are all busy with their careers and don’t have much time to dedicate to their mother’s business. Only Jesse, who still hasn’t found his place and passion in life, feels the shop is Mama Joy’s legacy and plays an important role in their community, and therefore they should do everything possible to keep it open.

‘In knitting there’s never a problem that can’t be fixed’

Kerry Fuller practically grew up in Strong Knits shop and Mama Joy gave her as much love and attention as she did to her sons. Kerry has worked there part-time for almost ten years. This quiet bookish girl knows everything there is to know about running a yarn shop. Kerry volunteers to help the brothers as she feels she owes it to Mama Joy’s memory. This means working closely with Jesse, who she’s been crushing on for years, but who doesn’t see her as anything but a childhood friend. An explosion in a neighbouring building makes her home uninhabitable for up to six weeks. Jesse and her brothers are happy to offer her a temporary home in their flat above the shop, which means spending even more time in close proximity to Jesse, who has a reputation for being a player. Kerry is a grown-up woman, capable of taking care of herself and deciding what she wants, but what does Jesse want and is he ready for it?

‘When you make something by hand, whatever you make takes time, patience, concentration and your energy. You should value that. So, when you give a gift you should do it with a clear intention and your pure heart’.

Kerry is strong and independent and very easy to like and care about, but there was also a bit of ‘not like the other girls’ vibe, when she is compared with Erika, Jesse’s one night-stand, and also at work with Allison. She is tired of other people deciding what is the best for her, and I totally understand and respect it, although I still have a few niggles about her going for a relationship with Jesse at that particular moment.
Jesse…He is immature and insecure and has to do a lot of growing up, but I loved the way he dedicated himself to his family business, and the way he interacted with Errol, a little boy who was bullied at school.

Whether you classify it as women’s fiction or romance, Real Men Knit is about family and community. The location and the diversity aspect of this book definitely make it stand out. My favourite supporting characters are the OKG, the Old Knitting Gang, Mama Joy’s old friends who used to come to her shop for their knitting and gossiping sessions and who have hearts of gold.
This book isn’t perfect. The beginning was info-heavy and generally there was a lot of inner monologue. Yet, I found it difficult to put down- I wanted to know more about the brothers and whether they would be able to save their family business. I hope this is the beginning of a new series, as each of them deserves their own book.

‘With his love, their love, he’d never give up. He’d just keep on knitting’.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

#Cover Reveal # Heart and the City by Cecilia Fyre @rararesources

Heart and the City (Book 1 in the Love Medicine series)

Publication Date: 26th May

Pre-Order Link

About the Author:

But life’s not all sunshine and roses, and that’s why Cecilia tells her stories.

In the real world, Cecilia lives in England.

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…AND FINALLY HERE IT IS:

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on this cover reveal!

# Book Blitz # Planning For Love by Christi Barth @Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Planning for Love (Aisle Bound #1)
Author: Christi Barth
Publication date: May 11th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

In the harsh spotlight of reality television, a romance-a-holic wedding planner tries to snare the anti-Cupid.

Chicago wedding planner Ivy Rhodes lives and breathes romance. She won’t let anything burst the perfect bubble of happiness she creates for her clients. So she’s immediately on guard when a reality television crew appears to tape one of her weddings. Tall, blonde and sexy, the cameraman’s a relentless flirt, and Ivy follows his easygoing charm straight into the bedroom.

Ever since a scandal ended his career as a news videographer, Bennett Westcott is relegated to filming reality catfights and bridezillas. His latest assignment comes with the bonus of a gorgeous wedding planner. But Ivy ruins their one-night stand by turning too serious too quickly. Although a big fan of lust, Ben’s allergic to love. He rejects her and everything she holds dear, leaving her brokenhearted.

The network builds a reality show around Ivy, Planning for Love. She signs the contract before learning the man who shredded her heart into confetti will spend the next three months filming her. Suddenly Ben has to spend every day with the woman he knows he shouldn’t be with, but can’t resist. And Ivy’s stuck wondering, how do you plan for happily ever after when the guy you want doesn’t believe in it?

Goodreads

Amazon

More about the Author:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

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# Thriller Thursdays #Book Review # What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.

Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.

(From the blurb)

*****

My thoughts:

John Marrs did again! Last summer I raved about his futuristic thriller The Passengers which left me with lots of unanswered questions on the nature of privacy and social media. I thought I knew what to expect from this new book of this brilliant author. I was wrong.

What Lies Between Us is a domestic thriller. Most of the action happens inside a house and there are two (unreliable, of course) narrators: 68 year old Maggie who hasn’t left the house for the last three years and her 38 year old unmarried daughter Nina. Who keeps her mother chained to a spike in the floor in the attic. Maggie has done some pretty horrible things to Nina and however hard she tries to justify her actions, she does feel guilty about most of them, apart from one. Nina’s mind, on the other hand, is made up. Maggie has to serve her punishment of being locked and cut from the rest of the world, deprived of communication and comfort for twenty one years or until she dies. What could have provoked this extreme hatred? and what exactly is Maggie hiding from Nina?

Gradually, the reader discovers the secrets that lie behind this co-dependent love-hate-I know-better-and-I-will-decide relationship. And because this is John Marrs, whenever you think you have it all figured out, there is a twist and you see everything in a different light and re-examine your feelings and your judgement. You begin paying more and more attention to litle details, coming up with theories and letting your imagination fill the gaps, thinking ‘Yes! I have figured it out’ until…the next twist catches you unawares and knocks you for six.

The less you know about the plot and the protagonists and their macabre dance with each other in the name of love, sacrifice and vengeance, the better. It is about a mother and a daughter trapped in their family home and their crazy life.

Fast-paced, riveting, compelling, What Lies Between Us is a rollercoaster of clever twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. Absolutely unmissable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

#Book Review #Killing Mind (DI Kim Stone #12) by Angela Marsons @ Bookouture

*****

After reading Book #11 Child’s Play I really thought it couldn’t get better. And, of course, I was mistaken! Angela Marsons comes up with another impressive plot and a new series of questions to ponder.

When the body of 21 year old Samantha Brown is found, everyone, including DI Kim Stone and forensic pathologist Keats, is convinced it’s a clear case of suicide. No signs of struggle, no forced entry, the flat was locked from inside. The method may be unusual -the victim cut her own throat with a knife and bled to death, but not impossible.

Kim breaks the news to Samantha’s parents and here it is …a fleeting phrase that suggests that they were not particularly sure Samantha was ready to live on her own. Something keeps bothering Kim about the crime scene, something she understands only by looking at the photos and doing a little forensic experiment. Samantha’s case gets reclassified as murder. Kims’ team discover that Samantha stopped using social media three years ago after a particularly bad relationship break-up. Her parents give evasive answers and it quickly becomes apparent they are hiding something.

When a second body is discovered in a nearby park lake, Kim’s team start looking for connections which lead them to the Unity Farm, an incospicuous spiritual commune. Samantha’s parents are convinced it is a cult disguised as a spiritual retreat and wellness centre, but Kim is not convinced. After all, Samantha was an adult free to make her own life choices and capable of making independent decisions. Kim visits meets Jack Black, the man who founded the Farm. jack tells her a bit about their activities designed to provide shelter and help to vulnerable people in need of emotional support. In his opinion, Samantha didn’t want to leave (nobody wants to leave this place), she got snatched by force. Who did it? and is there really more to the Unity Farm than meets the eye? Kim decides to send one of her own, an undercover police officer to get an insider’s view. The only problem is that undercover operations usually take a lot more preparation and special training. Surely, the Unity Farm can’t be that dangerous when all they need is just a one day reconnaissance mission?

As usual in Kim Stone novels, we also have another subplot. This time it is Bryant, Kim’s right hand. He is haunted by one of his first cases, a brutal rape and murder of a 15-year old teenager Wendy Harrison. The perpetrator has served 26 years and has been granted parole. He is about to leave the prison, but Bryant and Wendy’s father are convinced Drake is going to kill again.

Every member of Kim’s team is unique and contributes to the investigation in their way. As this case isn’t as close to home for Kim as the previous one was, we get to see a much calmer, more detached version of her. She notices everything and is there for every member of her team, as a true leader. She is also not afraid to admit to making mistakes.

It is obvious that a great deal of research has gone into this book which taps into our universal fear of being manipulated, especially when we are vulnerable due to grief or emotional turmoil. I learnt a lot about psychological techniques of indoctrination and mind control from this book. Bryant’s subplot comes with its own ethical dilemma: is it possible to find approach to and rehabilitate every criminal or some minds are bound to remain evil forever? I just loved the title which reflects brilliantly both storylines and their big questions that get merged seamlessly in the end.

Finally, can it be read as a standalone? Yes. I enjoyed meeting the team and seeing the developments in their lives, but the book has an engaging plot, clear focus, and flawless writing style that can be enjoyed without having read the previous instalments.
Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

#Book Review # A Secret for a Secret by Helena Hunting

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.

My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.

Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.

(From the blurb)

****

Fans of sports romance in general and Helena Hunting in particular will be delighted with this new instalment of All In ice hockey romance series.

Romance books are full of bad boys who swear, drink too much, treat their parents and friends with no respect and cheat on their partners. And yet, countless readers continue justifying their behaviour and finding excuses for them. There are very few (too few, in my opinion) books where the protagonist is a good man, caring and thoughtful, has principles and lives according to them. I don’t know about you, but I find this kind of guy irresistible.

Ryan Kingston (AKA King) is a goalkeeper. His job is to save and protect, be steady and reliable and have his team’s back. He is also as good of a guy as it gets. ‘A rule-follower’. No lying, drunken one-night stands, no driving over the speed limit, or anything impulsive and chaotic. Partly this can be explained by his family background. He just recently found out that his older sister Hanna is really his mother, and his caring and sometimes interfering mother is ….his grandmother. His older brother (uncle) has been in and out of prison a few times and is one of the reasons why his parents (grandparents) were very strict with Ryan and instilled in him a healthy respect for rules and acting sensibly at all times. Ryan lets his guard just once: the night when he found out that he’s been lied to all his life, shocked, upset, and confused, he gets drunk with Queenie, a beautiful and lonely girl who’s had her own share of trouble. They trade secrets and do shots, and have a wild night with no expectation to see each other again. Until Ryan finds out that Queenie is going to work as the new assistant for the team general manager. Not only that- she is also the manager’s daughter and is strictly off limits for any player on the team.

There is great chemistry and undeniable attraction between Queenie, who might have made a few serious mistakes in her life, and King, who does everything by the book and needs somebody to show him that there is a lot in life he’s been missing out on. Ryan is sweet and tender, but it also takes a special kind of girl to appreciate and love him for himself, not his money or his success or even his family. Queenie is smart, artistic, kind and generous, and needs a guy who is going to be there for her, and will help her face her insecurities and start to believe in herself.

Sweet, sexy (there are a few hot and steamy scenes in this book- this is Helena Hunting, after all) and surprisingly romantic, A Secret for a Secret is a light and enjoyable read for all fans of contemporary sports romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

# Book Review #The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn by Freya Kennedy @ rararesources

Book Synopsis:

A gorgeous new romantic comedy about taking chances and realising your dreams.

Libby Quinn is sick and tired of being sensible.

After years of slogging her guts out for nothing at a PR company, she finds herself redundant and about to plough every last penny of her savings into refurbishing a ramshackle shop and making her dream of owning her own bookshop become a reality.

She hopes opening ‘Once Upon A Book‘ on Ivy Lane will be the perfect tribute to her beloved grandfather who instilled a love of reading and books in her from an early age.

When her love life and friendships become even more complicated – will Libby have the courage to follow her dreams? Or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

****

Title: The Dreams and Hopes of Libby Quinn

Author: Freya Kennedy

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: May 5th, 2020

Genre: Romantic comedy

****

A huge thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my place on the blog tour for this sweet and heart-warming book.

The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn is a lovely story about family and friendships, following your dreams and building a community of like-minded people who care about each other and help when there is need.

Libby’s love of everything bookish was instilled in her by her grandfather Ernie who was a wonderful storyteller and used to buy a book every month to help Libby start her first library. When Libby loses her dead-end job at a PR agency, she decides it’s a sign to do something different with her life. At the same time an old draper’s shop is put on an auction at a reasonable price and Libby knows the best tribute to her late grandfather will be using her redundancy money and her inheritance to open a bookshop. Never mind the terrible state in which she found the place which had been abandoned for ten years, Libby isn’t scared of hard work as long as she can open her dream shop by Grandfather Ernie’s birthday date.
In a sense, I found Libby quite a flawed character. Libby is so determined to realise her ambition that she neglects her best friend Jess. She also needs to think hard why spending time with her boyfriend Ant doesn’t seem to make her happy and fulfiled any more. Or maybe it never did and Libby just needs to redefine what she wants from and hopes for in a romantic realtionship. It might not be the right time for it or Ant might not be the right man for her.

On the plus side, her charming neighbours from Ivy Lane Jo, Noah, Harry, Mrs Doherty, and countless other people are helping her shop turn into a cozy and creative space for book lovers and aspiring writers. Libby is working hard to build a business, but also new important relationships in life, without forgetting and ever grateful for her old support network.

There is romance in this book and it’s my favourite slow-slow-burn. I liked the way you feel that it takes time to build (re-build) a shop and it takes time to get to know somebody if you want a lasting relationship and a happily ever after. Libby doesn’t run away from the problems in her life, she works on them, and this takes courage and good solid character.

The book is very easy to read and leaves you with a warm feeling of having met somebody who is an optimist by choice. I really liked this one and can’t wait to see what Freya Kennedy is going to write about next time.

Goodreads / Amazon

About the author:

Freya Kennedy lives in Derry, Northern Ireland, with her husband, two children, two cats and a mad dog called Izzy. She worked as a journalist for eighteen years before deciding to write full time. When not writing, she can be found reading, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, cleaning up after her children (a lot) and telling her dog that she loves her.

She has met Michael Buble and even kissed him. It was one of her best ever moments.

She believes in happy ever afters.

Freya Kennedy is a pen name for Claire Allan, who also writes psychological thrillers.

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Thank you for stopping by and I hope you’re going to add The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn to your tbr and enjoy reading it as much as I did!

#Book Review # The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

Twelve-year-old Cassie Rodrigues has always been close to her Mom with her courage, strength, caring personality and adventurous spirit. Their trips to the beach were stuff dreams are made of. Kim was a strong swimmer who was in love with the ocean and really enjoyed ice-cream and flying kites. She wanted to swim across the Channel one day and whatever this wonderful woman set her mind on was not impossible. Until she started forgetting things and feeling disoriented. She couldn’t follow a conversation or drive safely. Something was seriously wrong. Cassie’s Mom got diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and everything in Cassie’s life has changed.

Cassie’s Mom’s doctor tried to explain the illness like this: ‘Let’s say you’re trying to connect two pieces of paper together with glue. The pieces of paper are brain cells. On the spot where you need to attach them, there are patches of sand and dirt. And when you try to glue the papers, they don’t stick.’
Relentlessly, Kim is losing her memory and Cassie knows she is running out of time.

The author did a wonderful job showing Cassie’s mixed feelings. She is sad, and angry at the illness, not her Mom, who cannot take care of her the way other parents do, and she is grateful that her Mom is still there with them.

Cassie is an artistic soul, but she seems unable to create, because everything is dwarfed by the enormity of what is happening to her mother. Cassie has always liked maths, numbers and patterns that help her make the sense of the world. Now she has to live with ‘dark, scary, and unpredictable’, like the fact that her Mom doesn’t remember her name anymore.

Cassie tries to use her art to help her Mom’s brain find a way to her memories, which are still there, but are locked and inaccessible.

Cassie is finding it difficult to explain her Mom’s illness and what her family is going through to other people, even to her best friend Bailey, so she is pushing everyone away, until people stop trying to talk to her and she is left alone. Cassie didn’t mean to hurt Bailey’s feelings, but the way back to rebuilding their friendship and opening up isn’t easy. Bringing Bailey home to work on a school project helps Cassie immensely. Bailey helps her see her Mom as a whole person again.
When Cassie’s Dad says it is time to move Kim to a specialised facility, Cassie begs him to give her mother one last adventure, something that was on her bucket list. When he refuses even to consider it, Cassie decides to organise it herself (with a little help of Bailey and her older sister).

This short middle-grade book is both powerful and poignant. It is about family, art, friendship, and dealing with changes. It is difficult for a child to see their parent slip away, and it is difficult for the other spouse to have to make all choices and take all responsibility that used to be shared. Sandy Stark-McGinnis wrote an incredibly deep, beautiful and heart-breaking book about things that make us what we are.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Bloomsbury for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

#Book Review # Mousse and Murder (Alaskan Diner Mystery#1) by Elizabeth Logan

Book synopsis:

A young chef might bite off more than she can chew when she returns to her Alaskan hometown to take over her parents’ diner in this charming first installment in a new cozy mystery series set in an Alaskan tourist town.

When Chef Charlie Cooke is offered the chance to leave San Francisco and return home to Elkview, Alaska, to take over her mother’s diner, she doesn’t even consider saying no. After all–her love life has recently become a Love Life Crumble, and a chance to reconnect with her roots may be just what she needs.

Determined to bring fresh life and flavors to the Bear Claw Diner, Charlie starts planning changes to the menu, which has grown stale over the years. But her plans are fried when her head cook Oliver turns up dead after a bitter and public fight over Charlie’s ideas–leaving Charlie as the only suspect in the case.

With her career, freedom, and life all on thin ice, Charlie must find out who the real killer is, before it’s too late.

My thoughts:

An enjoyable first instalment in a new series of culinary cozies set in a little town of Elkview near Anchorage, Alaska. The protagonist of the series Charlotte (Charlie) Cooke grew up in her parents’ diner The Bear Claw, so she knows ins and outs of the business. Charlie went to a culinary school in San Francisco and worked for one of the best restaurants there, with her menus receiving numerous accolades. Unfortunately, her engagement came to an abrupt end after her hotshot lawyer fiancé got a bit too intimate with one of his paralegals, so Charlie came back to her home town and took over running her parents’ diner.

Charlie is smart, friendly, and curious. She gets on well with everyone, unless you count an occasional argument with her chef Oliver, who is opposed to any changes, and who seems to have a rather short temper. After Charlie decides to add a bit of chocolate to one of the diner’s specialities, Oliver storms off.. and is murdered at the same time as Charlie steps out of the diner for half an hour to go home and take care of her cat, Eggs Benedict, AKA Benny. Obviously, Charlie needs to solve the murder mystery to clear her name.

As any good first instalment, Mousse and Murder sets the scene for the series. I love the small-town setting in general (isn’t it ideal for cozies?), and I love reading about Alaska, so this was a match made in heaven for me. We get to know our protagonist, her best friend Annie Jensen who also runs a family business, a small inn which appears to be always full of tourists, Charlie’s budding love interest, local journalist Chris Doucette, Charlie’s family, and lots of other local people. It is not unusual for the first book to seem a bit overcrowded with characters, even if you take into account the necessity for red herrings. I’m sure some of these characters will become more prominent in future instalments.

As far as the mystery itself is concerned, although you might guess the culprit quite early in the book, the reason why Oliver was murdered doesn’t become clear until the very end.

The pace could have been a bit faster, but I liked Charlie’s sense of humour, and the whole atmosphere of the Bear Claw. I don’t think I’ll be trying to make moose meat loaf in the nearest future, but it is great to know I have a recipe for it, should an opportunity present itself.
I will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Do you enjoy reading mysteries and culinary cozies?
Have you read Mousse and Murder or is it on your tbr?
Have you read and enjoyed any books set in Alaska that you would like to recommend?