Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

 

I absolutely loved this book! If you love fairytales and books that are similar then you must definitely pick this one up. It is the 3rd(and I believe final) book in the Texas Ever After series. This had so many fairytale nods to it! Scarlett Radcliffe is sent away from home when her uncle tries to have her killed because she is heir to her father's estate. Fast forward 15 years and Letty is now days away from being able to claim her inheritance and once and for all put her uncle away. But first she needs to make it home to her mother safely. That is where Philip Carmichael comes in. He is hired to find Scarlett and get her safely home to her mother. As they get to know each other on the trip Philip can't help but wonder if the sweet girl he knows as Letty(with the red cloak and her wolf Rusty as her companion) will change once she dons her rightful place as Scarlett Radcliffe, heiress to the Radcliffe empire. 

Such a sweet story! And so many references to beloved fairytales! I loved Letty's kind and loving and natural personality. I loved her dog Rusty! He almost felt human! The suspense in a couple parts had me closing the book quickly but then opening it again because I couldn't stand not knowing what happened! Author Karen Witemeyer never disappoints and Cloaked in Beauty was I believe my favorite of the 3 books! 

A Troublesome Heart by Holly Schindler

 

Y'all! I've been looking forward to a Ruby's Place installment for several Christmases now and I have to say, they never disappoint and they always get me in the Christmas spirit. There's just something special about Ruby's Place that reminds the reader of the magic and specialness of Christmas. 

This year's installment takes us back to a few years after the speakeasy that became Ruby's Place was busted. Charlie has regrets about that time that he cannot seem to overcome. Walter is a young boy who is a "tenderheart" much to his mother's dismay. And the town crank is about to secretly remind everyone about the magic of Christmas. 

All of author Holly Schindlers books have captivated me, but the Ruby's Place books are special and truly magical. If you are looking for some books to get you in the Christmas spirit this year I highly recommend you check these books out!

All The Days Of My Life by Debbie Viguie

 

Fans of The Psalm 23 Mysteries have waited a hot minute for this one! It did not disappoint! As exciting as all of the others in the series and just as fast-paced!

When Cindy's church decides to set the example and return to camp Green Pastures for a team-building retreat none of the staff is overly thrilled about going back there. Jeremiah is not happy that Cindy is going. Memories of his last trip there still haunt him and many others. Just as predicted things do not go well. Will they all survive or is someone of their friends destined to not make it back? 

Seriously, you will not be able to put this book down. Of course you need to start at the beginning of the series to understand all of the characters. We are nearing the end and I find myself biting nails, holding my breath and praying for characters that I have come to be invested in! Eeep! What will happen next? I'm staying tuned!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

 

This is book 10 that I have read in the Mystery Puzzle of famous mysteries.

Honestly I can't figure out why this is even considered a mystery. To me it isn't even a psychological thriller. A bunch of college kids drinking and doing drugs. They do something horrible and then have problems dealing with the outcome. I'm wanting to read all of these books so I kept plodding through it but it was long with no redeeming of characters by the end. And speaking of the end...I felt let down and disappointed. But hey, another book down! Go me!

Shadow of Fear by Susan Sleeman

 

As always author Susan Sleeman starts out one of her books with an exciting scene that grabs the reader and doesn't let them go until the very end! Kinsley is being shot at and Devan Graham comes to the rescue of all people! Kinsley is best friends with Dev's sister Jada and years ago Jada made her promise to never date her brother. Even though Kinsley has had a crush on Dev for years she would never break her promise to Jada. Now they are all adults and Kinsley's life is in danger. Can Dev continue to keep his feelings for her secret? Especially since she is now under his protection. As a killer stalks closer and closer to Kinsley, Dev must do everything in his power to keep her safe. 

This is the last of the Shadow Lake Survival series. We are introduced to characters that will be in the next series Lost Lake Locators. I enjoyed the suspense of this one. Having so many suspects kept me guessing as to who was behind the attempts on Kinsley's life and why. The romance between Kinsley and Dev is sweet and I found myself routing for them. A great ending to this series and I'm very much looking forward to the Lost Lake Locators series. 

Gingerbread Danger by Amanda Flower

 

When one of Bailey's employees falls off the roof of the new Candyworks factory foul play is suspected. Of course Bailey is on the job to find out exactly what happened. Caught in the midst of her parents visit, Margot pushing her to help make the Christmas parade a success, being pushed to plan her wedding and Juliette constantly needing her pet pig Jethro pigsat, Bailey has very little time to add investigating to her plate, but she is determined to find out what happened and why. 

I love the Candy Shop Mysteries! Bailey has a good heart and a desire to make everyone as happy and successful as she is. The Amish country setting is perfect for all of the mysteries she finds herself in. I love her relationships with the townspeople and how she has found her place among the Amish and English people. The animals that are always involved in author Amanda Flowers' books are entertaining as well. In Gingerbread Danger Juliette's pet pig Jethro is front and center ready to help Bailey in a pinch as well as get into all kinds of mischief! If you are looking for a cozy mystery to read for the Christmas season this would be the perfect book for you, it will make you want to go back and read the rest of the series as well. 

COVER REVEAL: FATHOMS: Lisa T. Bergren

 

I'm excited to join in the cover reveal for Fathoms by @lisatbergren releasing from @enclavepublishing in April 2025! This is the final book in the romantic fantasy trilogy, Oceans of Time, and is available to preorder in hardcover today.

Synopsis:

Can the She-Wolves of Siena survive the lion’s den?

Luciana Betarrini is living a nightmare. Blinded in battle, she is unsure what her future holds.

When Lady Tiliani Forelli volunteers to serve as the young Lady Romano’s governess—in order to protect the child—Luciana quickly follows suit, volunteering as a tutor. But as they navigate life in the treacherous neighboring castello, they find Lord Ercole a chameleon of adversaries, intent on mastering the She-Wolves of Siena any way he can.

Together, Luciana and Tiliani must find a way to bring Ercole down, and buy time for Domenico and Marcello to establish new allies. But Luciana continues to find herself at a crossroads: Is she willing to risk leaving Sir Giulio Greco forever in order to chase healing through the time tunnel? Or is she called to accept her plight—in light of the myriad blessings of her new medieval life—and make her way through the best she can?

COVER REVEAL:

PREORDER HERE