Poetic Justice

Restaurantland Romance, #2

by

Kathleen McFall & Clark Hays

A deeply satisfying 1990s return to love at the Rose &Thorn Restaurant.

Poetic Justice is the second book in authors Kathleen McFall and Clark Hays’s Restaurantland Romance series and features Rosalyn “Roz” Anders, a prominent secondary character from the series’s debut novel, Kitchen Heat. Once again, readers are treated to multi-faceted characters dealing with serious, realistic struggles as they navigate their way to true love. 

Roz Anders is fighting for her sobriety, and it’s a day-by-day battle to control her addiction to alcohol. But when head chef Clay hires new line cook Hudson Destry, there’s an immediate attraction that gives her an added incentive to stay on course. However, her previous failed relationships and her debacle of a play for Clay the prior year have made her gun-shy and cautious of moving too fast, wanting to give whatever is growing between them a proper chance to flourish. She pours her heart and soul and struggles into writing poetry and is finding some surprising success when she shares her work at local readings. 

Hudson, newly released from prison where he was incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, is keeping the details of his past under wraps for now. Through a justice project, his wrongful conviction is under review, and he is slowly getting closer and closer to being exonerated for the crime. Hudson wants to share everything about his past with Roz, and while he can be open about being an ex-con, his lawyer has advised against discussing any other aspects of his case until the court makes its final decision. Little does he know a messy twist of fate is about to complicate his relationship with her. 

I loved how the authors told this story from both the woman’s and the man’s point of view and portrayed the physical, emotional, and practical struggles these two characters faced, one as an alcoholic (the aching need for a drink) and the other as an ex-con (the difficulties finding a job and how people judge and forever relate to them.) But between these two damaged individuals, the chemistry is absolute FIRE when they are falling in love and gut-wrenching when they are falling apart. 

The story is set in early through the mid-1990s in a turbulent and environmentally-conscious Oregon. Hudson and Roz’s younger sister are both committed eco-activists. Still, while Hudson favors a non-violent approach to saving Mother Earth, Camille is not averse to using more hard-core methods. The plot unfolds along multiple timelines, moving back and forth through Roz’s and Hudson’s pasts to highlight how the characters came to be working at the Rose & Thorn Restaurant in their present psychological states and the nexus of the tragic lie that put Hudson in prison. I did have a little difficulty keeping the shifts in timelines straight, requiring one to pay strict attention to the chapter headings with dates that progressed days, weeks, or months. However, I did enjoy this method of revealing the backstories of the characters. 

The staff at the Rose & Thorn is still the quirky collection of characters they were when introduced in book one, though it took me going back to my review of that one to refresh my memory as to who everyone was; there are quite a few people to keep straight. As the story progressed, dropped clues to each person’s backstory also helped bring me back up to speed. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember why sweet Meredith was involved with Rob until the mention of her dissertation.

The plot is compelling, interesting, and, at times, suspenseful regarding the eco-terroristic activities, Hudson’s exoneration, and the couple’s rocky journey to a forever romance. The diverse secondary characters entertain and tease more stories to come. I recommend POETIC JUSTICE as a definite must-read for romance readers who enjoy a not-too-distant-past setting, the Pacific Northwest, or a culinary theme in their stories.

Read more of my book reviews at Boys' Mom Reads!

Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas

Murder, She Wrote, #59

by

Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

As Cabot Cove plans its biggest Christmas season ever, someone adds murder to the holiday Calendar of Events.

A Killer Christmas is the 59^th novel in the long-running Murder, She Wrote mystery series penned by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran, and this latest tale does not disappoint. All the regulars are present and accounted for, with some newbies on hand, just in time for the holidays and a homicide. 

Reading a new mystery set in Cabot Cove is like returning to your cozy book hometown. Jessica Fletcher, Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Sheriff and Maureen Metzger, and so many others feel like family. With each added adventure, I’m always left in awe of how the authors maintain such perfect continuity from story to story and are able to work in so many familiar residents. In this story, the whole town comes together to plan a Christmas calendar of events to rival any in the state to win the title of Maine’s Christmas Town. 

The plot unfolds quietly with a lot of focus on the planning of the holiday events, setting arrangements in motion, and Eve trying to secure the sale of a large mansion on the cliffs overlooking the cove that will net her substantial commission. While interesting because I like Jessica and her circle of friends and acquaintances, I thought the build-up toward the murder took too long, Rose Marie’s death not occurring until over halfway into the book. Her death occurs almost on the page, in front of several women, including Jessica, and no one saw anything to make them believe that her time was imminent. And a recent altercation with another character distracts everyone on the case. However, the truth does not stay hidden long, and there is an interestingly calm and tragic resolution to the investigation. 

I recommend A KILLER CHRISTMAS to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy holiday-themed stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

A Hush at Midnight

by

Marlene M. Bell

Exciting and suspenseful culinary-themed cozy mystery!

A Hush at Midnight by fan-favorite veteran author Marlene M. Bell is a new culinary-themed cozy mystery, and this intriguing who-dun-it kept me right on the edge of my seat from the start. The suspicious death of the elderly matriarch of a wealthy local family propels her friend, Chef Laura Harris, to push for answers when the local deputy/coroner seems convinced that it is natural causes. However, when a twist in the will reveals Laura is the woman’s beneficiary, the police take notice, and suddenly, she’s suspect number one in a murder investigation. 

Laura Harris moved from California to the small Texas town of Coldspell to spend precious time with her dying mother in her final months. In the days that follow, Laura takes her mind off her grief by helping a friend with her struggling bakery business. She also makes time to visit her elderly friend and mentor, Hattie, who lives in another town some distance away. 

It’s been ten years since Laura and Hattie last spent time together, and Laura discovers her friend is frail and ailing. The neighbor woman who is helping out as a part-time caregiver doesn’t seem to offer much comfort or care to her friend, and when she hustles Laura out the door after a too-short visit, Laura feels uneasy. Her worry only increases on her drive back to Coldspell, and she turns around to go back and relieve her mind that things are okay. On her return, no one answered the door at the main house, and no one seemed to be on the property. Laura hears Hattie’s corgi barking from inside the guest house and discovers Hattie’s body there in the groundskeeper’s bed. 

Laura is a steady and loyal friend and a highly motivated sleuth, but boy, does she have a hot mess on her hands: her mother’s recent death, Hattie’s death, accusations of food poisoning and acts of sabotage at her friend’s bakery, a questionable pilot boyfriend, and then she’s pegged as a suspect in her friend’s murder! The cookbook she’s writing is going to have to take a backseat for a bit! 

The plot moves quickly, with Hattie’s death occurring early in the book. The initial foot-dragging by the local deputy acting as coroner to take a closer look at the evidence was frustrating, and Laura’s outsider status as a friend rather than next-of-kin didn’t help. With each chapter, some new twist or obstacle appeared, and strange phone calls, texts, and slanderous fliers ramped up the suspense and feeling that Laura was being expertly manipulated. All these elements kept me thoroughly engaged in getting to the final resolution. 

I recommend A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy culinary-themed storylines. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Hey! There Are Monsters at My House!

by

Marlene Thalman

A brave young duo searches their house for signs of monsters!

Hey! There Are Monsters at My House is a new children’s picture book by author-illustrator Marlene Thalman and features a young boy, afraid of the dark, who searches his house with his pet cat for signs that monsters are there. With its rhyming narrative and colorful illustrations, the story is perfect for sharing with children who are experiencing nighttime fears. 

Reggie is the bright-eyed redhead who is afraid of the dark. He and his sidekick, Rufus, team up to search the house – high and low – for the monsters they fear lurk in the dark, out-of-the-way corners of their bedroom, attic, and basement. I liked how the book showed what the rooms looked like with the lights on and then with them off so you see what was really behind the scary images, such as the high-contrast t-shirt in the bedroom closet with the white circles that resemble glowing eyes once the lights are out. 

Fear of things in the dark is a universal one affecting all ages and genders to some degree or another. For me, this commonality is perfectly depicted when Reggie and Rufus bravely descend to the basement, and the lights unexpectedly go out. The knobs and dials on the furnace, washer, and dryer could easily resemble eyes as they reflect any stray source of light. The story would be a fun way to calm children’s fears before bedtime, and I think this book would receive multiple readings. 

I did have a little difficulty clearly reading the narrative at times because of the font used or the placement of the words over some of the illustrations, but I still recommend HEY! THERE ARE MONSTERS AT MY HOUSE to those with children who are expressing fears of the dark. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

The Art of Farming

by

T.D. Motley

Warm and homey farm life of a retired art professor.

The Art of Farming is a new novel by T.D. Motley tells the story of an artist and former art professor’s second career following in the footsteps of his family as a farmer in North Texas. The narrative is warm and welcoming, imparting the main character’s obvious love of the land, nature, and his new life, with lovely imagery and surprising comparisons from art history and other unexpected places. 

Sam Barlett is a man with a diverse history. Although he came from a farming family, he pursued a career in the art world as both a working artist and a college professor. A four-year stint in the Air Force stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota further broadened his life experiences. For his encore, he’s developed a small farm in North Texas, growing and selling organic herbs and specialty vegetables. While officially retired from teaching art, he still creates his own and opens his farm up twice a year to visits from the local college art classes to learn about painting landscapes.

Farming is a 24/7, 52-weeks-a-year occupation, especially when raising livestock as well as growing crops. There is a menagerie on the farm, including a pack of well-loved dogs. Sam shares the sad story of losing a special dog, Murph, and it is absolutely like hearing about the death of a family member. 

The author includes details about the varieties of herbs and vegetables Sam grows or experiments with, and there are some extremely tantalizing discussions of how they are used in cooking. Sam’s partner, Annie, is a writer who researches food for her articles and an in-progress cookbook. She travels to locations where the cuisine featured can be authentically experienced but experiments with what she’s learned once she’s back home at the farm, leading to additions to the farm’s crop list. 

Sam often talks about artists whose work comes to mind when he’s describing his new life, chores, or the views he has on his property. Readers shouldn’t be surprised that Sam’s descriptions are vivid and evocative; he’s speaking from his heart and through the eyes of an artist. In addition, many intriguing facts pop up throughout the book, and I was frequently compelled to pause my reading and Google more about them. The topics were as diverse as an artist mentioned or objects such as an artist’s “donkey” or even the familiar Strategic Air Command. These searches, of course, inevitably led down rabbit hole after rabbit hole. I learned so much and enjoyed every minute. 

I recommend THE ART OF FARMING to readers interested in real farming (not hobby farming), rural life, organic gardening, and living a fulfilling retirement. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.