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THE BEST COWBOY CHRISTMAS EVER by June Faver

December 7, 2020

The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever, Book 1

From the publisher:

Enjoy a down-home Texas cowboy Christmas!

When handsome town sheriff Derrick Shelton meets Angelique Guillory and her young daughter at the Garrett ranch, he is immediately drawn to the woman who seems to desperately need a true family Christmas. Determined to erase the shadows from her eyes, he decides to give her the best holiday she’s ever had.

Angelique Guillory is a woman with a past, haunted by violence and searching for the family she never knew. When she and her little daughter find their way to the Garrett family and meet Derrick, she hopes to have finally found a safe haven.

But Angelique is still looking over her shoulder. Despite her doubts, with a little Christmas magic and the warmth of the Garretts, Angelique may find more love and acceptance than she ever thought possible.

Also by June Faver, the Dark Horse Cowboys series:
Do or Die Cowboy (Book 1)
Hot Target Cowboy (Book 2)
When to Call a Cowboy (Book 3)
Cowboy Christmas Gold (Book 4)

This is only my second read by this author and I’m not sure why. I really liked the first book I read back in 2018. At least this is the first book of a new series so I can feel good about that. Cowboys and Christmas in one book put this on my must-read list. This was a good story, but it definitely had some issues. To be honest, there are enough holes in this story to drive a truck through. That said, the characters were well developed and I liked most of them.

Angelique only learns who her father is as her mother is dying. She also lost her husband, whose father is some sort of New Orleans Mafia chief who decides he is going to raise his grandchild himself. She takes off with the kid and escapes to this small town to meet her long lost father. Here come the holes…

She meets the sheriff on her way into town and apparently, it is love at first sight. She shows up at the Garrett ranch, a very rich homestead, and her father just accepts her word that she is the daughter he never knew about. No DNA test required. Her new half-siblings aren’t as gullible and tend to make her life miserable until they figure out all she really wants from them is family. And a place to live. And a job. And babysitting. And you get the idea.

I liked this book well enough to read the next one in the series. I understand it is sometimes difficult to introduce a bunch of new characters and situations but there is a better way than this.

12/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE BEST COWBOY CHRISTMAS EVER by June Faver. Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 29, 2020). ISBN 978-1728214511. 352p.

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DAYLIGHT by David Baldacci

December 4, 2020

From the publisher:

Atlee Pine Thrillers, Book 3

FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller’s high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy — from which neither of them will escape unscathed.

For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy’s disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister’s kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.

With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo’s last known location in Trenton, New Jersey — and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller’s case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.

Stunningly, Pine and Puller’s joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo’s family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.

In my long and pleasant experience reading novels written by David Baldacci, I have never come upon one that doesn’t capture the attention of the reader at the incept of the book. Nor one that disappoints with a badly conceived plot. “Daylight” continues this practice which makes the first recommendation I have is to get some coffee ready, get comfortable, and be prepared to read until finished.

Two of the author’s main protagonists are combined in a conspiracy that reaches to the very pinnacle of the U.S. government, overseas, and throughout the 50 states. Atlee Pine is an FBI agent with years of experience and considered by her supervisors as a crack operator. She is assigned to an office in the interior section of the 48 contiguous states, but with permission, and to continue work on her cases has traveled far afield. As a 6-year-old she was subjected to the trauma of her parents being killed, and her twin sister Mercy being kidnapped. It has been 30 years since last seeing her sibling and at the opening of the novel, she requests a few days to investigate Mercy’s possible whereabouts and of course, if she is still alive.

John Puller is a member of the U.S. Army and is an active military investigator. He has been working on an investigation of a case involving illegal practices at a large army base located in New Jersey. Not too strangely Atlee has come to New Jersey to pick up on the possible whereabouts of her missing sister and she and John Puller find that there are common factors in both of their investigations. They decide to pool their resources and in doing so come upon a conspiracy involving highly placed officials of the U.S. government, as well as many extremely wealthy and influential men and women. It is realized by both Puller and Pine that the arrangement if made public would shake the very foundations of the nation. The first intimation is made when Puller calls upon a contact of his for help, a highly placed member of the military chiefs of staff, and finds that the man has been suddenly transferred out of his post at the Pentagon with only one day’s notice. This action signals that the conspiracy has reached a level that would be at the very apex of the U.S. government.

The action is constant for both Atlee and Puller. They can be hurt and require recuperation time showing that they are human and not supermen. Baldacci easily pulls his readers into empathy for both. Pine is anguished into finding out if her missing sister is alive and where she is if so. Puller causes a problem for his brother who was asked to help with some fact-finding. John is human in worrying about him when he loses contact and fears for his safety. An excellent and engrossing read and another milestone in the literary career of David Baldacci.

12/2020 Paul Lane

DAYLIGHT by David Baldacci. Grand Central Publishing (November 17, 2020). ISBN: 978-1538761694. 416 pages.

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MURDER RUN by John Hunt

November 22, 2020

From the publisher:

Kyle didn’t like being told what to do. When his brother demanded that he get himself home right now, no stopping, no passing GO and no collecting two-hundred dollars, the order didn’t sit well with him. So, he stopped at a bar in an unknown town. He met a girl. They drank, left, did drugs together, and when he awoke in the morning, her decapitated head lay in his lap. As he pieces together what happened the night before, a police cruiser rolls in behind him. From that moment, the chase is on. What Kyle doesn’t know is that he isn’t the only killer in town.

John Hunt’s forte is telling horror stories. The current one is certainly right smack dab in the genre. The book opens as Kyle is driving home after serving a sentence in prison for second-degree murder. He is an individual whose background is dark and a personality that is unable to control impulses to lash out violently when angered.

He lives with his brother who takes care of him since their parents are both deceased. His brother had told him in no uncertain terms to drive straight home without stopping for anything. Kyle, though decides that it has been a long time since he has had a beer and stops at a bar. While drinking he picks up a woman and they go out to his car for a bit of sexual activity. In the activity Kyle passes out and when he awakens he sees the woman next to him but with her head away from the rest of the body.

The only thing Kyle can think of is to flee the scene and try to make it back to his brother. And therein begins a story which incorporates a lot of killing including a female police officer and friends of the woman whose head he chopped off. It also utilizes the services of a genuine monster who contributes to the number of bodies stacking up. Many of the murders are described in a lurid highly descriptive manner which might bring on a feeling of repulsiveness on the part of the reader. These killings and the manner some are handled are certainly a part of the miasma hanging over the story.

Horror stories are certainly a part of the literary experience and have been so for many years. For example, the books by Edgar Allan Poe are enjoyed today with some of these incorporating horror. Hunt does them well and I can’t see not reading them along with books with other themes to make for a more complete reading experience.

11/2020 Paul Lane

MURDER RUN by John Hunt. Independently published (September 7, 2020). ISBN: 979-8666485477. 299 pages.

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NO OFFENSE by Meg Cabot

November 21, 2020

Little Bridge Island, Book 2

From the publisher:

New York Times-bestselling author Meg Cabot returns with a charming romance between a children’s librarian and the town sheriff in the second book in the Little Bridge Island series.

Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest, most beautiful islands in the Florida Keys, home to sandy white beaches, salt-rimmed margaritas, and stunning sunsets—a place where nothing goes under the radar and love has a way of sneaking up when least expected…

A broken engagement only gave Molly Montgomery additional incentive to follow her dream job from the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Keys. Now, as Little Bridge Island Public Library’s head of children’s services, Molly hopes the messiest thing in her life will be her sticky-note covered desk. But fate—in the form of a newborn left in the restroom—has other ideas. So does the sheriff who comes to investigate the “abandonment”. When John Hartwell folds all six-feet-three of himself into a tiny chair and insists that whoever left the baby is a criminal, Molly begs to differ and asks what he’s doing about the Island’s real crime wave (if thefts of items from homes that have been left unlocked could be called that). Not the best of starts, but the man’s arrogance is almost as distracting as his blue eyes. Almost…

John would be pretty irritated if one of his deputies had a desk as disorderly as Molly’s. Good thing she doesn’t work for him, considering how attracted he is to her. Molly’s lilting librarian voice makes even the saltiest remarks go down sweeter, which is bad as long as she’s a witness but might be good once the case is solved—provided he hasn’t gotten on her last nerve by then. Recently divorced, John has been having trouble adjusting to single life as well as single parenthood. But something in Molly’s beautiful smile gives John hope that his old life on Little Bridge might suddenly hold new promise—if only they can get over their differences.

Clever, hilarious, and fun, No Offense will tug at readers’ heartstrings and make them fall in love with Little Bridge Island and its unique characters once again.

A librarian as the protagonist? In Florida? Hell yes! Off to a good start just from that. The fact that it is Meg Cabot pretty much guarantees a good read, and this book certainly was.

I feel like I’ve read other romances where the librarian and a cop get together, but in real life I don’t think I know of any such couplings. It does seem like a natural, especially here. Librarians as a rule like to help and public librarians serve the public. Cops also serve the public and like to help, at least in theory. The few cops I know personally fall under those parameters for sure, so I can live with it.

This probably falls into the sort-of enemies to lovers category. There is a bit of tension throughout the book, but the chemistry cannot be denied. Cabot once again delivers an entertaining read and a pleasant diversion from reality, which I think we all need right now. Enjoy it!

11/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

NO OFFENSE by Meg Cabot. William Morrow Paperbacks (August 11, 2020). ISBN 978-0062890078. 352 pages.

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PAYBACK by Lorenzo Carcaterra

November 20, 2020

Tank Rizzo, Book 2

From the publisher:

Payback is personal for a former NYPD detective taking on a corrupt cop and a dirty accounting firm in this adrenaline-laced thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepers and Tin Badges.

If there’s one kind of person Tank Rizzo hates most in this world, it’s a dirty cop. Criminals are at least honest about being dishonest; dirty cops are a disgrace to the badge they carry. Detective Eddie Kenwood is one such disgrace. He’s got the highest signed-confession rate in the NYPD and a distinguished career built on putting men behind bars—whether they’re guilty or not doesn’t matter much to him. When Tank’s partner, Pearl, tells him about an old family friend Kenwood put in jail for a murder he didn’t commit, Tank and Pearl vow to take Kenwood down.

Also in need of a takedown: the money-laundering accounting firm where Tank’s brother used to work—before he mysteriously died, leaving Tank the sole guardian of his nephew, Chris. Chris smells a rat, and enlists Tank’s help to bring the men who had his father killed to justice.

Working two big cases means getting out the big guns, and Tank assembles his A-team. With help from a retired mobster, a professional boxer, a Chelsea psychic, a dog named Gus, and the U.S. Attorney—not to mention his and Pearl’s own quick wits and Chris’s burgeoning skills as a computer whiz—Tank gears up to take on his most dangerous and personal cases to date.

Payback is the second novel featuring Tank Rizzo and his friends taking down evildoers in their own inimitable style; not always the absolutely correct way but seeing justice done. Tank was a detective with the New York city police department but was injured in his last take down. His partner at the time, Pearl lost the use of his legs in the same shootout. The two remain good friends and are sometimes involved with a case given to them by their ex chief at the police department. These are situations in which the use of regular department personnel may not be feasible for one reason or another.

Tank’s brother and his sister-in-law were killed in an automobile accident. Their son Chris was taken in by Tank and they are learning to live with each other in spite of his parents and uncle being on the outs for years. The opening of the novel finds that Chris has developed into a very talented computer guru. He has investigated the accounting firm that his father was working for when he died in the accident and found that there were several irregularities that were never thoroughly investigated. He brings his concerns to Tank who decides to investigate the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death. This is a situation that was made more difficult due to the two men not speaking for many years based on an incident in their past.

Pearl, in the meanwhile, has been approached on behalf of an old family friend jailed unfairly by a crooked New York City detective. The man has spent years imprisoned due to a confession he was forced to make by Eddie Kenwood, the detective in question. Pearl and Tank decide to look into that case as well as going after the accounting firm that Tank’s brother worked for.

The investigations are aided by various groups not necessarily on the side of the law. For example, the father of Tank’s girlfriend who just happens to be a mob boss, a crew of knife-wielding thieves, the attorney general (how did they get into that group), a retired boxer, and a cute little dog that Chris has been gifted with. It has been some time that a hard-boiled detective has appeared in fiction but Tank and his allies make for excellent subjects and create an engrossing novel. There is no doubt that Lorenzo Carcaterra has started a series that will be continued in the future and enjoyed by his readers.

11/2020 Paul Lane

PAYBACK by Lorenzo Carcaterra. Ballantine Books (August 25, 2020). ISBN: 978-0399177590. 304 pages.

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WHO WANTS TO MARRY A DUKE by Sabrina Jeffries

November 19, 2020

Duke Dynasty, Book 3

From the publisher:

An Amazon Best Romance of the Month
A USA Today Bestseller

A sexy and distracting rake is tamed by a scholarly heroine with a penchant for the sciences in this dazzling and witty tale of Regency London.

A past kiss with adorably bookish Miss Olivia Norley should be barely a memory for Marlowe Drake, the Duke of Thornstock. After all, there are countless debutantes for a handsome rakehell to charm beyond a young lady whose singular passion is chemistry—of the laboratory type. But Thorn has not forgotten—or forgiven—the shocking blackmail scheme sparked by that single kiss, or the damage caused to both their names. Now Thorn’s half-brother, Grey, has hired the brilliant Miss Norley for her scientific expertise in solving a troubling family mystery. And the once-burned Thorn, suspicious of her true motives, vows to follow her every move . . .

For Olivia, determining whether arsenic poisoning killed Grey’s father is the pioneering experiment that could make her career—and Thorn’s constant presence is merely a distraction. But someone has explosive plans to derail her search. Soon the most unexpected discovery is the caring nature of the reputed scoundrel beside her—and the electricity it ignites between them…

I loved the first book in this series, yet somehow I missed the second. I am very glad I found the third! This one was of the books I read over the past couple of months when I just couldn’t get myself together enough to write a review. Let me tell you, it says a lot about a book, in a very good way, when I can remember the plot and the characters so clearly a few months (and at least sixty books) later. I’m playing catch up now, at least.

This was another in the 21st-century mindset yet historical novels, and it was done very well. I don’t know how many women chemists were running around England in the 1800’s, and I don’t care because this book worked.

Jeffries writes great characters and she really knows how to bring them to life on the page. There was a lot of suspense in this book, and it was very well done. Nothing scary, but always interesting for sure. There was also plenty of squabbling and some sex between the main characters, which made it all the better when they reached their happy ending. I’m going to have to go find the second book in the series, The Bachelor, and get it read before the next one comes out. A very good series probably best read in order, although to be honest, I didn’t realize I missed the second book until I went looking. So never mind. If you like historicals with strong female characters and some hot sex with your romance, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it.

11/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WHO WANTS TO MARRY A DUKE by Sabrina Jeffries. Zebra (August 25, 2020). ISBN 978-1420148572. 352 pages.

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THE MOTHER CODE by Carole Stivers

November 18, 2020

From the publisher:

What it means to be human—and a mother—is put to the test in Carole Stivers’s debut novel set in a world that is more chilling and precarious than ever.

The year is 2049. When a deadly non-viral agent intended for biowarfare spreads out of control, scientists must scramble to ensure the survival of the human race. They turn to their last resort, a plan to place genetically engineered children inside the cocoons of large-scale robots—to be incubated, birthed, and raised by machines. But there is yet one hope of preserving the human order: an intelligence programmed into these machines that renders each unique in its own right—the Mother Code.

Kai is born in America’s desert Southwest, his only companion his robotic Mother, Rho-Z. Equipped with the knowledge and motivations of a human mother, Rho-Z raises Kai and teaches him how to survive. But as children like Kai come of age, their Mothers transform too—in ways that were never predicted. And when government survivors decide that the Mothers must be destroyed, Kai is faced with a choice. Will he break the bond he shares with Rho-Z? Or will he fight to save the only parent he has ever known?

Set in a future that could be our own, The Mother Code explores what truly makes us human—and the tenuous nature of the boundaries between us and the machines we create.

Carole Stivers takes on a topic which almost by definition is beyond any attempts to diagnosis it. It is what is motherhood? What does it signify to those becoming mothers and how they perceive their offspring? How do the children look upon the figure of their mother aside from the normal views of the protector, guide, and the epitome of love?

The story takes place in the near future as a conflict between nations decimates the populations of the countries. The United States tries an experiment by building a group of robots meant for the care and raising of human children. It is hoped that this will allow replenishment of the species. Using advanced techniques the robots are inculcated with an instinct and desire to care for and nurture embryos of human children entrusted to their care. Each robot has a space within them where the child can be protected and guided and used as a living quarters.

The robots are followed secretly and watched as their charges grow and develop. They are guided into taking the children into a situation where they can pick up food and water deposited for them and at the age of 6 years brought together as a means of socializing them. Several of the children are followed as are some of the adults that were involved in setting up the experiment.

It is obviously the author’s opinions that guide the direction of the novel, but she does develop a scenario that makes for a fascinating read, and the question of whether or not an artificial replacement for the human trait of motherhood could ever replace the real thing. A different type of story from any others, and one that is a definite five-star all-nighter and one that poses questions beyond any others I have come across.

11/2020 Paul Lane

THE MOTHER CODE by Carole Stivers. Berkley (August 25, 2020). ISBN: 978-1984806925. 352 pages.

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IF THE BOOT FITS by Rebekah Weatherspoon

November 17, 2020

From the publisher:

Cowboys of California, Book 2

A Smart & Sexy Cinderella Story

Set on a black-owned luxury dude ranch with a fairy tale twist, the second Cowboys of California romance by award-winning author Rebekah Weatherspoon absolutely sizzles! In this thoroughly modern take on the timeless tale of a struggling Cinderella who finds her prince charming at the eleventh hour, an Oscar-winning actor and an aspiring screenwriter attempt to make a relationship work away from the Hollywood spotlight.

A Bustle Best Books of Fall 2020 Selection
An Amazon Best of the Month Selection
An Apple Books Best of the Month Selection
A Best Book of Fall 2020 by NPR’s Boston Affiliate
A Bookish Most Anticipated Books Selection

“Heart-melting…a perfect fit for fans of contemporary romance authors Jasmine Guillory and Alexa Martin.” –Booklist

From award-winning author Rebekah Weatherspoon comes a thoroughly modern take on the timeless tale of a struggling Cinderella who finds her prince charming at the eleventh hour–and the adventure that ensues the morning after . . .

Working as the personal assistant to one of Hollywood’s cruelest divas has left Amanda Queen more determined than ever to sell her screenplay and gain her independence. In the meantime, she’ll settle for a temporary escape. When her employer is felled by the flu on Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, Amanda gets her glam on, struts out the door, and parties with the glitterati. But she never expects to come face to face–and closer than close–with one of the hottest stars in the game . . .

Following up his first Oscar win with a steamy after-hours romp with an enigmatic woman seems like the perfect way for actor Sam Pleasant to celebrate–until she suddenly disappears. Worse, she’s vanished with the wrong swag bag: the one containing his Oscar statue, leaving Sam even more intrigued about the beauty’s identity–and wondering if a repeat performance of their amazing night is in the stars. And when a second chance encounter happens, only a trip to Sam’s family ranch–and revealing the whole, not-always-glamorous, truth about themselves–will give them a chance to turn one magical night into forever . . .

Let me start out by saying I loved this book! It’s set in an (unfortunately) alternate universe where a black Academy-Award-winning actor is the grandson of a woman who has two Oscars. I like this universe, it’s where we should be living.

Sam is the actor in question. On the night of his Academy Award best actor win, he ends up sleeping with Amanda. But she slips out in the morning, figuring it’s better that way. When she gets home, she realizes she grabbed the wrong swag bag; she has his Oscar.

Amanda is the personal assistant to a cruel, selfish bitch of a diva. She expects Amanda to be on call 24/7, even when she’s officially off duty. And she’s really mean to her. Amanda is, as she calls it, “thick;” she’s a size 20 woman living in La-La Land, home of the size 3 is a fat woman. But Sam thinks she’s gorgeous, and while she knows she is big, she also has the confidence and self-esteem to pull it off. But that doesn’t make her immune to the nasty remarks her boss makes.

When Amanda goes to her friend’s wedding, she is shocked to see Sam again. Turns out his family owns this beautiful ranch/hotel/wedding venue. He is thrilled to see her, but Amanda’s a nervous wreck. This wedding is being covered by People Magazine, and she dodges the photographer all night. If her boss finds out she’s there, she will have a fit since she wasn’t invited.

Sam’s so laidback, yet eager to get to know Amanda and she slowly allows him in. But the paparazzi are always on the fringe, and although they try and keep things secret, eventually it all comes out with what seems to be devastating results.

Amanda and Sam are in love, but can their relationship survive the Hollywood assault? Happily ever after is guaranteed, but getting there was so much fun. These characters come alive on the page, as do the secondary characters, and I loved the ranch setting as well. I’m going to hunt down the first book in the series, A Cowboy to Remember, and then wait patiently (ha!) for the next book in the series.

11/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

IF THE BOOT FITS by Rebekah Weatherspoon. Dafina (October 27, 2020). ISBN 978-1496725417. 288 pages.

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BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST by Lorraine Heath

November 16, 2020

Sins for All Seasons, Book 6

From the publisher:

Lorraine Heath ends her bestselling Sins for All Seasons series with the hero readers have been waiting for!

She wants lessons in seduction

Althea Stanwick was a perfect lady destined to marry a wealthy lord, until betrayal left her family penniless. Though she’s lost friends, fortune, and respectability, Althea has gained a scandalous plan. If she can learn to seduce, she can obtain power over men and return to Society on her terms. She even has the perfect teacher in mind, a man whose sense of honor and dark good looks belie his nickname: Beast.

But desire like this can’t be taught

Benedict Trewlove may not know his parentage but he knows where he belongs—on the dark side of London, offering protection wherever it’s needed. Yet no woman has ever made such an outrageous request as this mysterious beauty. Althea is out of place amongst vice and sin, even if she offers a wicked temptation he can’t resist. But as the truth of his origin emerges at last, it will take a fierce, wild love to overcome their pasts.

This has been such a good series, but alas, it’s time for it to end well. Heath finally finds a bride for the Beast. I’ve read all the books in this series so I knew it was just a matter of time for him and all I can say is that it was worth the wait. This is a very sexy romance as our heroine asks the Beast for lessons on how to seduce a man.

But let’s back up a bit here. This series is based on the Trewlove family. Ettie, the mother, is a poor single woman who takes in by-blows to raise. They form a tight-knit family, and most don’t know much about their parentage. All Benedict (the Beast) knows is that his mom dropped him off with Ettie and swore she’d be back for him. But that never happened.

When the Beast sees Althea working as a waitress in the pub his sister owns, he immediately recognizes her as the Duke’s daughter that she is. She denies it but her upbringing is undeniable. Trouble has fallen on her family, leaving her a penniless outcast. She really isn’t cut out for waiting tables in a pub, but she’s not sure what else she could do to earn a living. Then she realizes that should could become some rich man’s lover, and he would keep her in the style in which she was accustomed.

Althea is a virgin, of course, with no notion about how to seduce a man. Until she convinces the Beast to help her. He owns a brothel and she figures he would be an expert. Theirs is a strange coupling, but the chemistry cannot be denied. Beast had never planned to marry but starts thinking differently about Althea.

There are a lot of bumps in the road for this couple to traverse as they find their happily ever after. It is a joyous ride to get there, and I was sad to turn the last page on this series. No doubt whatever Heath comes up with next will be on my reading list.

In case you want to read them in order:

Beyond Scandal and Desire

When a Duke Loves a Woman

The Scoundrel in Her Bed

The Duchess in His Bed

The Earl Takes a Fancy

10/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST by Lorraine Heath. Avon (September 29, 2020). ISBN 978-0062951922. 384 pages.

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MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO PRAGUE by Carol Windley

November 15, 2020

From the publisher:

The acclaimed author of Home Schooling returns with Midnight Train to Prague, a timeless tale of friendship, romance, betrayal, and survival that spans the turbulent decades of the twentieth century, through two world wars and between countries and continents.

In 1927, as Natalia Faber travels from Berlin to Prague with her mother, their train is delayed in Saxon Switzerland. In the brief time the train is idle, Natalia learns the truth about her father―who she believed died during her infancy―and meets a remarkable woman named Dr. Magdalena Schaeffer, whose family will become a significant part of her future. Shaken by these events, Natalia arrives at a spa on the shore of Lake Hevíz in Hungary. Here, she meets Count Miklós Andorján, a journalist and adventurer. The following year, they will marry.

Years later, Germany has invaded Russia. When Miklós fails to return from the eastern front, Natalia goes to Prague to wait for him. With a pack of tarot cards, she sets up shop as a fortune teller, and she meets Anna Schaeffer, the daughter of the woman she met decades earlier on that stalled train. The Nazis accuse Natalia of spying, and she is sent to a concentration camp. Though they are separated, her friendship with Anna grows as they fight to survive and to be reunited with their families.

Carol Windley’s novel is a book about feelings and emotions and reactions to the greatest horror that has touched our planet during its long history.

The opening has two of the principal characters meeting by chance on a train going from Berlin to Prague in 1927. Natalia Faber is traveling with her mother and while the train is stopped in Switzerland meets Dr. Magdalena Schaeffer, a woman whose family will play an important part in Natalia’s life. Later, in Hungary, she meets Count Miklos Andorjan who is a journalist who is not averse to high adventure in going after a story. During the next year Natalia and Miklos marry.

Years later with the Second World War underway, Miklos travels to Russia to report on the German invasion. When he fails to return Natalia travels to Prague where the couple has decided to meet in the event of Miklos’ apparent disappearance. There, she encounters the depravity of the Nazi occupation and loses her innocence in experiencing the killings, the arrests, the persecution of Jews. Natalia is arrested in the last months of the war accused of spying and sent to a concentration camp.

The descriptions of the inmates and what happens to them in the camp is handled in an emotion-charged sequence. The camp is liberated by the British and the captives brought to centers for both medical treatments and attempts to reunite them with family. Natalia, hoping to reunite with her husband, takes a job working for Americans staffing one of the placement centers.

Displaced persons are sent out to receptive people in many countries and descriptions of these are also handled well by the author who does make it a point to indicate that the U.S., England, and other countries turn away the refugees in spite of having adequate room to accept them. It is impossible to read the book without experiencing an emotional attachment with the people described. Needless to say, the novel is an all-night read with a sigh of relief at the ending. Kudos to the author for her work in bringing us this story.

11/2020 Paul Lane

MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO PRAGUE by Carol Windley. Atlantic Monthly Press (November 3, 2020). ISBN: 978-0802119735. 352 pages.