Welcome Home, Katie Gallagher - Seana Kelly (HS #2091 - July 2017)

Nobody said a fresh start would be easy
 
A clean slate is exactly what Katie Gallagher needs, and Bar Harbor, Maine, is the best place to get it. Except the cottage her grandmother left her is overrun with woodland creatures, and the police chief, Aiden Cavanaugh, seems determined to arrest her! Katie had no idea she'd broken his heart fifteen years ago…
 
Terrific story about trust, letting go of the past, and new beginnings. I loved the characters, the emotional angst, and the humor that balanced it out.
 
Katie spent her summers in Maine with her grandparents. She was full of energy and had the reputation as a hellion,  thanks to actions that "seemed like a good idea at the time." When she grew up, the man she married turned out to be a cheating, controlling nightmare. Nothing Katie did was ever right or good enough. He even withheld the news of her grandmother's death, so she didn't go to the funeral. Now, she is in the midst of divorcing him, and she sets out for a fresh start in Maine in the house her grandmother left to her. She runs afoul of the police chief, Aiden, on her way into town in a hilarious encounter that has his head spinning.
 
Aiden grew up in their town but left for college and some time with the Boston police department before returning home. Now, he is the police chief. Aiden was dumped by his fiancée the day before their wedding and is still bitter about it a year later. He is convinced women can't be trusted and refuses to get involved with anyone. The last person he expects to see is Katie, the girl he crushed on as a teenager.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Katie and Aiden develop. Both have been hurt in the past, so neither wants to admit the attraction. Their interactions are frequently hilarious. Aiden is determined to keep his distance but can't ignore his need to watch over her. Katie's house is a critter-infested mess, and watching her try to deal with it provides some of the funniest moments in the book. Every time they encounter each other, the sparks fly. Katie begins to accept her growing feelings for him, but whenever Aiden gives in to his attraction, his insecurities send him running. His hot-and-cold attitude stirred up Katie's insecurities. Sometimes, I wanted to shake both of them and lock them in a room until they got past their hangups. Matters come to a head when Katie finally has enough of Aiden's waffling and calls him out. He deserved some suffering after realizing what an idiot he'd been, so I was happy to see that Katie didn't give in too quickly. I loved the epilogue.
 
Supporting characters: I loved Bear, the handyman. He wanted sparks between him and Katie, and they just weren't there. But he turned out to be a good friend. Aiden's grandfather, Conner, was sweet once they got past their initial meeting. I loved his support of Katie. I also enjoyed the relationship between him and Aiden. He won my heart when he helped make Katie's dream come true. And I can't finish the review without mentioning Katie's dog, a Newfoundland named Chaucer. He was a big ol' goofball, and I loved how he was always there when Katie needed him. 

 

Unsolved Bayou Murder - Carla Cassidy (HI #2188 - Jan 2024)

Series: Swamp Slayings (Book 1)
 
There's only one way to clear his name.
But he needs her help.
 
Freed from prison after fifteen years, Beau Boudreau turns to Peyton LaCroix. Their love affair ended the night he was wrongly accused of murder. Now Beau needs the Black Bayou defense attorney to help clear his name. With the case -- and reawakened passion -- heating up, time is running out to find someone who has killed before. And is getting ready to kill again.
 
I have mixed feelings about this book. The mystery/suspense kept me reading well into the night, but I wasn't really feeling the romance. Fifteen years earlier, Beau and Peyton were a couple. She was eighteen, and he was twenty-one, and they had big dreams for their future. But Beau was accused and convicted of murdering a "working girl" and sent to prison. He swore he was innocent, but Peyton was influenced by her wealthy parents, who never approved of "swamp rat" Beau. She caved into the pressure to believe he was guilty.
 
Fifteen years later, Peyton is a defense attorney who returned to her hometown to start her own firm. The last thing she expected was Beau to come to her after his release from prison. He wants her help in finding out who really killed Lacey. This is where Peyton's actions first turned me off. She still believes he's guilty and doesn't see why they should stir things up again. It isn't until he reminds her of a critical piece of evidence that she realizes he is innocent, and she finally agrees to help him. I was irritated that she had had no faith in the man she supposedly loved. Now, she's all in on uncovering the truth.
 
The sparks of attraction between them are still intense, but Beau is wary of getting involved with Peyton again. He is still hurt and angry over the way she abandoned him all those years ago. In addition, he's now an ex-con with a bleak future, thanks to a betrayal by his best friend. He feels there is no way he and the respected attorney can have a future together. But as they work together to clear his name, there is no denying the feelings that keep growing stronger. I liked that once she believed Peyton was all-in on the investigation and refused to back down when threatened. Their road to a future together still has a few bumps - prove Beau's innocence and convince him they have a chance to be happy.
 
The suspense of the story is what kept me hooked. It is evident from the start that Beau's arrest and conviction resulted from prejudice and incompetence. I liked seeing Peyton dig into the details of the case. A lot is working against them because the townspeople still believe he is guilty. There is also someone determined to stop the investigation. Attacks on Peyton and Beau increase in intensity the closer they get to identifying the murderer. The final confrontation was intense, with a twist that surprised me. I was happy to see Beau's reputation restored. 

The Little Irish Farm - Michelle Vernal (Bookouture - Aug 2024)

Jess Báre moved to the Emerald Isle to chase fairy tales. But when one takes her to an isolated farm in the clover-covered countryside, will she find the happy ending she's been searching for? Or are some tales best left untold?
 
Pursuing her dream life in Ireland, twenty-something Dublin newspaper columnist Jess is now half a world away from her family and feeling pretty lonely. At least she has her childhood collection of antique fairy tales. But she longs to be out exploring all the old stories Ireland is famed for.
 
So when she finds a heart-breaking dedication to a little girl in a new addition to her collection, Jess knows that the story behind it would be perfect for her next column. And, when her research takes her to a tumbledown farmhouse in a tiny Irish village, she can barely contain her joy. The endless rolling hills surrounding the small cottage are just like the scenes in Jess's favourite novels.
 
She even warms to the dark and brooding farmer hosting her, Owen. He may come off a little grumpy, but it doesn't take long for Jess to be swept up by his dark eyes and quiet charms as they walk together across the fresh green fields of the farm. And Jess's heart melts when she discovers he is hiding a tragic secret…
 
One wrapped up in the history of the farm, and very same little girl Jess is here to research. But, with the demands of her job calling her back to the home she hates, she must decide: does their story end here at the farm? Or could following her heart heal the wounds of a devastating past, and set her and Owen on the path to happily ever after?
 
Good book with an interesting storyline. Jess is a New Zealander who moved to Dublin to work as a journalist. She has a weekly column in the newspaper and is always looking for interesting things to write about. She also collects children's fairy tale books. Jess's latest find has a little girl's name in it and she gets the idea to track down the previous owner and see what she's doing now. She connects with the little girl's brother, Owen, a gruff, moody pig farmer, and learns about Amy's tragic fate.
 
Jess has two good friends, Brianna and Nora. Brianna is married with a small son, and Nora is single and constantly looking to set Jess up with blind dates. I loved the fun they had together and how they had each other's backs, whether they needed support or a kick in the pants. In this book, Nora is dating a film star, and sets Jess up with his friend, Nick. Nick is a handsome, wealthy property developer who wines and dines her. Jess wonders if Nick might be The One. At the same time, she feels a connection with Owen as she spends time with him, learning about Amy.
 
I enjoyed watching Jess with the two men in her life. Nick is smooth and flashy and rather full of himself. She's pretty taken with him, but I had reservations about him, mainly when he talked about his work. Being around Owen was like being on a roller coaster. He could go from grumpy and curt to charming and talkative at the drop of a hat. He has issues from his past that make it difficult for him to trust, and Jess frequently bumps up against those issues. Owen and Jess have some work to do before fully trusting each other.
 
Another part of the story deals with the tension between Jess and her mother, Marian. Marian can be quite pushy when "encouraging" Jess to get out and find a man. I laughed at many things she said, but I was also glad I wasn't the one on the receiving end. Jess panics when Marian visits Ireland because she knows what her mom can be like. Matters come to a head when Jess and Marian visit Owen. This time, Jess's insecurities are creating problems. I loved the emotional scene in the car when Jess and Marian finally clear the air between them. The ending was sweet, and I loved the epilogue.
 
Jess's treatment of Amy's story was terrific. I loved the mix of innocent young girls caught up in events beyond her control and its effect on her family's lives. That touch of sadness was a good foil for the amusing parts of the story and gave a good balance. 

 
 

Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Nancy Gideon (SIM #851 - Apr 1998)

Series: Whose Child?
 
TROUBLE'S BACK IN TOWN
 
He'd always been the wrong-side-of-the-tracks bad boy of Sweetheart, Iowa -- the kind a "nice" girl like Bess Carey wasn't supposed to want. But that hadn't kept her from loving him -- not even when he disappeared without a word....
 
Now Zach Crandall had returned to uncover the truth about the tragedy that had driven him away. But this town was determined to keep its secrets. And Bess lived in fear of what would happen if he knew her most shattering secret -- the truth about the child he'd never known....
 
Good second chance story. Zach and his siblings grew up in an abusive home, looked down on by most of the people in town. Zach reacted by living down to their expectations. The only person who saw through his façade to the vulnerable boy underneath was Bess. She was his tutor for several classes and got to know him well, going from wary to in love with him. But Zach disappeared the same night his father was murdered, leaving people believing he was the murderer. His mother claimed to have done it and went to prison.
 
Bess grew up with a straight-laced and controlling mother. She was raised to be a "good girl" and constantly warned about protecting her reputation. That didn't stop her from loving Zach despite her mother's objections. When Bess discovered she was pregnant after Zach's disappearance, it was her mother who took control.
 
Seventeen years later, Bess's mother is dead, and Bess inherits the family bookstore. She runs the store, dresses conservatively, is on many committees, and does her best to evade the local matchmakers'  attempts to find her a husband. The high points in her life are when her niece, Faith, comes to visit. The last thing she expected was for Zach to return to town.
 
Zach returned to town to be there when his mother returned from serving her sentence. He also wants to find out the truth about who killed his father. He's sure that his mother didn't do it. He also wants to see Bess again.
 
I ached for Zach and Bess. Zach's return sets the entire town on its ear. They still treat him as though he's guilty of murder. But Zach has a surprise for them all when he shows up for the first day of his new job. I laughed out loud at the shock and consternation of the residents and loved seeing him trample over their expectations. Bess is shocked at his return and stunned to discover she still has feelings for him. She also fears him discovering her secret. But her mother's influence is still strong, and she is torn between those feelings and her fear of others' opinions. It takes an eye-opening conversation with her niece for Bess to break free of the chains that have held her back. I loved her big moment at the end.
 
Zach stirs up a hornets' nest when he starts asking questions about his father's murder. As he and Bess dig into his father's past, they find themselves the target of someone who doesn't want them to succeed. Escalating attacks kept them on edge, while the twists of their investigation kept me guessing. The final confrontation was intense and not who I expected. 

The Lyon's Saving Grace - C.H. Admirand (Dragonblade - Aug 2024)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 63)
 
A man with nothing to lose…
 
Lieutenant Lord Alec Quinton gambled and lost in the Lyon's Den. But Mrs. Dove-Lyon grants him a second chance. Will he win the hand of an heiress this time, or face his worst fear?
 
Forced to retire from the Navy when an injury leaves him with one and a half legs, his pride takes a second hit when he returns home and his fiancée cries off. His dream is to breed horses, but needs an influx of ready coin. He seeks to marry an heiress who will agree to a marriage in name only.
 
A hoyden on the verge of losing everything…
 
Lady Catherine Huntington's widowed mother is bedridden, and her aunt has struck a bargain with the Black Widow of Whitehall, but time is running out. She must marry by her twenty-first birthday, or lose her inheritance and the ability to pay for her mother's care.
 
She'd rather spend her time in the country, racing her gelding through an open meadow, than attending the tedious round of entertainments in London. If only she could find a man agreeable to a marriage in name only.
 
Mrs. Dove-Lyon has made the perfect match: two people who love horses and want a marriage in name only. But will their stubborn pride bend and listen, when their hearts cry out for more?
 
Terrific book. I was so happy to see Alec get another chance at finding love after losing one of Mrs. Dove-Lyon's challenges. Unlike many of the other defeated contestants in her contests, Alec is a good man and deserves his chance. I ached for him and everything he has gone through. He was forced to retire from the Navy after the Battle of Trafalgar when his injuries resulted in the loss of part of his left leg. In another blow, his fiancée cried off. Because of that, he seeks a marriage in name only. I especially loved his commitment to help other returning veterans.
 
Kit needs to marry before her twenty-first birthday or lose her inheritance. She needs that money to take care of her bedridden mother. She tried the usual route of Society balls, but she'd rather be in the country with her horses. This unconventional attitude and tendency toward direct speech limit her desirability in Society's eyes. All she wants is a marriage in name only and the opportunity to be with her horses. Her aunt makes a deal with Mrs. Dove-Lyon to find her a husband.
 
Alec and Kit first encounter each other during the Lyon's Den masked ball. They are immediately drawn to each other. Alec does something that gets him banned from the Lyon's Den before he can uncover the mysterious lady's identity. Fortunately, with the aid of two friends, he convinces Mrs. Dove-Lyon to give him a second chance. His biggest obstacle is to win the challenges set up to win Kit's hand - challenges that involve his greatest fear. I loved his determination and how he faced those fears. Kit fell quickly for the man who saved her from a drunken patron but had no idea who he was. She was thrilled when she discovered he would be one of those vying for her hand.
 
I loved their quick connection. They are open and honest with each other, which goes a long way toward achieving their happy-ever-after. Though both looked for a marriage in name only at the outset of their journey, their growing feelings led to the decision to make it real. I ached for Alec, whose injuries have made him wary of trusting someone with his heart. Kit won my heart with her love and acceptance in an emotional scene on their wedding night. Not everything is sunshine and roses. Alec and Kit must contend with a sore loser in the marriage competition who is bent on revenge.
 
I loved the characters' appearances from the author's other series and previous books in the Lyon's Den. The seamless inclusion of those such as Captain Coventry and members of the Duke's Guard are always fun to read. 

A Scandal at Stonecliffe - Candace Camp (HQN - Aug 2024)

Series: Stonecliffe (Book 3)
 
After the scandal of his broken engagement, Nathan Dunbridge accepted his fate as a bachelor -- so of course that's when the most ineligible woman of all turns up in disguise at a society event: Verity Cole, former spy and Stonecliffe's resident troublemaker… a woman Nathan finds equal parts alluring and irritating.
 
Living in London under an assumed name, Verity runs an investigation agency. So when a stranger shows up claiming to be the rightful Dunbridge heir, Nathan turns to Verity to help him uncover the truth. Verity agrees, always eager to unravel a mystery -- especially when it involves the handsome Nathan Dunbridge.
 
As Nathan's family secrets threaten everything he's known, he finds Verity is the only person he wants to confide in. But Verity has secrets too -- secrets that make it impossible to be with a proper gentleman like Nathan. And when an enemy from her past appears, will Nathan and Verity be able to hold on to their impossible love, or will they be torn apart?
 
Fun story. Nathan and Verity were secondary characters in the previous book, A Rogue at Stonecliffe. Nathan had the unenviable role of Annabeth's fiancé and lost out to that book's hero, Sloane. He spent several months traveling in Europe to get over his heartbreak. Nathan is a nice guy who gave up the woman he loved so she could marry the one she truly loved. Once he returns to London, he slowly gets accustomed to seeing Annabeth and Sloane. Life returns to normal until a man who claims to be his brother and the rightful heir confronts him. Nathan doesn't believe him but needs to be sure. He knows exactly who he needs to help him investigate.
 
Verity was previously Sloane's partner as they spied for the Crown during the war. After retiring, she set up a discreet private investigation firm that has become quite successful. She is content with her independence and living life on her own terms, even if she's a bit lonely at times. The secrets in Verity's past make her believe she has no chance of marriage.
 
Nathan and Verity knew each other in the previous book. They frequently butt heads, but under the antagonism are sparks of attraction. When Nathan encounters Verity at a Society function while she is working on a case, he unexpectedly finds himself helping her. I loved his internal conflict. He feels that what she is doing is dangerous and foolhardy, but he must also protect her. Matters between them become complicated when he asks for her help investigating the stranger's claim. Nathan won't sit back and let Verity investigate on her own, but he insists on being involved. I enjoyed watching them work together and how they balance her tendency to take chances with his resistance to taking risks. Their teamwork was very effective, and I loved seeing Nathan get into the spirit of the chase.
 
There is no shortage of action and dangerous situations to keep me invested in the mystery. Some things didn't make sense, leading to questions about who was really behind the claim. The twists and turns of this investigation kept me guessing to the end. I was glued to the pages during the final confrontation as the intensity of the danger peaked. There was also a secondary mystery as Verity's past returned to haunt her. The resolution of that was not what I expected and brought unexpected happiness to Verity.
 
I liked watching the development of the relationship between Nathan and Verity as they went from antagonists to partners to friends to more. I liked seeing how Nathan's growing feelings for Verity took him by surprise, opening his eyes to the differences between his former feelings for Annabeth and his feelings for Verity. I liked his persistence in pursuing her once he realized the depth of his feelings. I ached for Verity because of her belief that there was no chance they could be together. I loved the emotional scene as he overcame her insecurities, opening up the opportunity for the future they wanted. The epilogue was terrific. 

Simon the Coldheart - Georgette Heyer (Fawcett - Jan 1962)

Series: Beauvallet (Book 1)
 
In the early 15th century, during the middle of the Hundred Years' War, England and France were fighting for sovereignty over France. It was a time of hand-to-hand combat, the invention of the longbow, and real knights in armor.
 
Simon was born in 1386, the illegitimate son of Geoffrey of Malvallet. After his mother's death in 1400, he and his half-brother, the legitimate son and heir of his father, became great friends of the Prince, fighting against France. Simon of Beauvallet is what he called himself. But as the tales of his chivalrous exploits spread throughout the realm -- even to the king's chambers -- the people who loved him would call him Simon the Lynx-Eyed... the Soft-Footed... even Simon the Lion. Indeed, Simon was all of these things. Valiant and strong, with a keen mind and fair visage, he had defied his ignoble birth to become a page, then a squire, and at last a lord of the land.
 
Friend of kings and princes, gentle and just with his people, and known for his silence Simon seemed to lack only one emotion -- the ability to love. In truth, not even the most lovely and charming ladies of his time could stir the sleeping passion within him. For this they called him Simon the Coldheart. Until he came upon Margaret, a French Lady. The Amazon. The Tigress. After the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, he was sent to besiege Belremy, where he met the heartless beauty whose courage and strength of will were more than a match for this knight in gilded armor. Margaret, who eventually surrendered to the English and became his bride. Although he had captured her kingdom, Simon would never capture her heart....
 
This is one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books, and I was long overdue for a reread. I love the blending of relatable characters and history. This reread of the book was especially enjoyable as I recently visited the Normandy region of France and recognized many of the place names - especially Bayeux.
 
Simon is the illegitimate son of Lord Malvallet. When he is fourteen, he wants more than a peasant's life and goes to his father's greatest rival, looking for a place in his household. The meeting between Simon and Fulk of Montlice is hilarious. Simon is cool and determined, while Fulk is a blustering bear of a man. Fulk sees something special in Simon, and within a few years, Simon goes from squire to knight to landowner. Simon is called coldhearted, but he is ruthlessly honest and absolutely unflappable in all circumstances. That coolheadedness brings him to the attention of King Henry and sets him on the path to success.
 
I loved following Simon's career and activities, from his training to battlefield experiences to his work taming his property. The story is rich with the details of his day-to-day life and the life-changing events. The one thing Simon lacks is any knowledge of love, for he has experienced none of it during his life. His two best friends are Alan of Montlice, his mentor's son, and Geoffrey Malvallet, his legitimate half-brother. I enjoyed the strong friendship among these three men who always had each other's backs in battle and life. Their interactions frequently show a different side of Simon than the warrior knight.
 
Simon's life takes an unexpected turn when he is ordered to take Belremy. Others have failed to best Margaret, Countess of Belremy, who holds the lands. But Simon has never failed to achieve his mission and isn't about to start now. Margot is equally determined to keep her lands. Their first encounter gave a good preview of what they could expect from each other. The sparks between them flew fast and furiously, but underneath the antagonism were sparks of another sort, though neither wanted to acknowledge the attraction. Margaret's stubborn refusal to give in causes her to do something that puts her and her friend Jeanne in grave danger, and it's up to Simon to save them. It was an eye-opening experience for both, and I loved its effect on them. The ending was terrific.
 
A secondary romance between Geoffrey and Jeanne is a delightful contrast to the fire between Simon and Margaret. It is through Geoffrey and Jeanne that we learn a little more about Simon and Margaret as they share stories about their friends.