Thursday, March 26, 2020

Reading and #Reviews (Eaton, Kidd, Gallant)


I'm a writer, but I'm also a reader. Each month, I'll share with you what I'm reading and reviews of past reads. My available time to read is limited because I write, but I love to curl up with a book or an eReader at night for the last hour of my day.

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. Tomorrow I’ll start a novelette, Precarious: Martini Club 4~The 1940s. Besides Romantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, WWII historicals, mysteries, and some main stream character driven novels.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not too distant past. Maybe you'll discover a new book or author!

A Riesling to Die (The Wine Trail Mysteries, book one) by J. C. Eaton
Cozy Mystery
Norrie Ellington is a successful screenwriter living in New York City. She’s also been a silent partner for her family’s winery upstate—until her sister and brother-in-law take a year-long sabbatical. There’s a local sour grape by the name of Elsbeth whose body is found on Norrie’s property. Norrie dons a sleuthing cap to uncover the identity of a killer who told the B&B proprietress to put a cork in it—permanently . . .

I had fun reading this book. Loved the winery setting. J. C. Eaton gives just enough technical information to put you there and enough lovely scene setting to make you want to stay. The mystery plot is twisted with lots of good characters to follow. I’ll look forward to more in this series.


The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Mainstream Fiction
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna.

“This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.” I have to agree with this statement. I thoroughly enjoyed the book for the story, the characters, the depiction of life in the south in the 1960s, and setting.


Imminent Danger (A Counterstrike Novel book 3) by Jannine Gallant
Romantic Suspense
Brody Grant had it all—wealth, the woman of his dreams, and a young son he loved more than life. But his world came crashing down the day River was kidnapped and murdered. Torn apart by grief, he creates Counterstrike, a covert team of highly trained operatives whose sole mission is to rescue kidnap victims. After losing her only child, Arden Grant tried to pick up the pieces and go on. But her husband is distant, immersed in his perilous quest to save others. Leaving Brody to live in the backwoods of Vermont, she searches for solace in simplicity.

I’ve read the two Counterstrike novels that came before this one, and I have enjoyed all of them. Ms. Gallant did a fine job of depicting what losing a child can do to a couple. I loved the setting Arden chooses after leaving Brody. I wanted to stay in her cabin and drink tea with her. Brody is just macho enough and just tender enough to make a great hero. The suspense half of the book is intense and exciting. The author is talented at weaving romance with suspense.


4 comments:

  1. I'm glad you enjoyed this one, Brenda! Thanks for reviewing.

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    1. You're welcome. I'll get the review posted to other sites today or tomorrow.

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  2. I enjoyed reading your reviews, Brenda--thanks for sharing!

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