Summer at Rose Island is a sweet romance, appropriate for most readers, as it has only a few loves scenes, and those are less graphic than a lot of romance novels. Darcy Davenport has moved to White Cliff Bay and sparks fly between her and lighthouse owner Riley, an American.  The plot is unique and there are some funny moments, especially during the town festival when Darcy finds herself involved....

I knew I had to read this book. I shelved it one day in May, but instead of filing it by number, I set it as a face out to get it more attention. The artwork on the cover is eye catching and I live in an area of the country that is familiar with Prince.  After Prince's tragic death there has been a lot of interest in his work.  I mainly see his music CDs coming and going.  But I wanted to know mor....

I like to listen to audiobooks as I use my elliptical. It is a great way to pass the time when you are tired of reruns on TV. RoomHate by Penelope Ward was my latest choice. My library has an app called Hoopla that allows audio lending and that's where I found this. I had no idea what it was about, but the narrator's voice passed the initial "listen test" so I gave it a chance. (Yes, I have stoppe....

The Chosen is the latest novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. The title refers to Layla, a "Chosen" and the story is mainly about her and her love interest Xcor. Ward's writing style is to weave a couple story lines into a single book, leaving most to continue into another book. In addition to the main love story, the author highlights Tohr and V, two brothers who's stories don't seem exac....

I spent the weekend reading Devoted, romance novel by JC Harroway.  It is the story of Tyler and Mallory, two people each dealing with loss in their own way.  The circle of their lives intersected in the tiniest way years ago and now they have met again as adults. Tyler is a movie director and Mallory is the manger of her sister, a rising star for Tyler's latest project. But can two people find lo....

Each day I spend time in the children's picture books.  It's so fun to walk among all the bins and let my eyes wander over the artwork. Recently I picked up Won Ton and Chopstick by Lee Wardlaw/Eugene Yelchin. I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only is the artwork lovely but the book is written in a pattern called senryu. Senryu is similar to the Japanese poetry called haiku. For those who aren't fa....

Into the Water is the latest novel by Paula Hawkins.  Like her previous best seller, The Girl on the Train, it is a blend of troubled relationships and murder.  The novel starts out fast with Jules Abbott being notified that she needs to return to her hometown as her sister Nel is dead. Seems like Jules would be crushed at this news, but no, she seems angry.  I feel that the relationship between t....

Looking for something to creep you out and make your skin crawl? The Bones of Paris will do just that. This is a mystery novel with a private detective named Harris Stuyvesant as the main character. It is Paris in 1929 and the culture is wild, free, and bohemian. It is in this setting that Stuyvesant is asked to take on a case of a missing American girl named Pip. Stuyvesant is an interesting char....

I started reading The Fever Tree without really knowing anything about it, and I am so glad I did. This novel by Jennifer McVeigh is one of the most compelling stories I've read in a long time. Frances Irvine finds herself in terrible circumstances after the loss of her father. Her mother passed away when she was a child and there is really no one left who cares for her. On top of that her father ....

A mystery on a fancy boat. Sounds like fun? Right? Well, I thought it was fun. It seems that there is some debate as to whether or not this novel and Lo, the female protagonist of The Woman in Cabin 10,  are any good. So what if Lo is a bit unreliable? And maybe she does drink too much.... and proceed to forget things. Who's perfect anyway? It is one of the ways the author creates atmosphere in th....