Review: Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer

 

Taming Lady Temperance (The Secret Society of Spinsters #1) by Karen Witemeyer 

Publication Date: February 17th 2026 by Bethany House Publishers & Recorded Books

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 51min

Narrator: Kate Forbes

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Noreen O’Sullivan is determined to shut down the local tavern, warning anyone who’ll listen that strong drink destroys families, something she knows all too well. So, when she’s invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, she’s thrilled. With their support, she finally has the numbers and the confidence to push her cause forward.

 

Sheriff James Paxton admires Noreen’s conviction, even if her crusade tends to stir up trouble with the tavern’s owner and patrons. The complaints keep landing on his desk, and he worries her boldness will eventually put her in danger. When Noreen asks for his help, he knows he must remain neutral as the county’s peacekeeper, but that doesn’t stop James from quietly offering guidance and keeping a watchful eye on her.

 

At first, Noreen seemed a bit fanatical, but once her heartbreaking past came to light, her determination made perfect sense. Her stepfather was truly awful, and I was relieved to see she never let him break her spirit. I admired her grit, her compassion, and her willingness to listen and grow.

 

Taming Lady Temperance was a touching romance rooted in redemption and forgiveness. Faith and scripture play a meaningful role, but the story never felt preachy, more uplifting and hopeful. There’s a thread of mystery and danger woven throughout, and I genuinely worried for Noreen, though she always had her Spinster Sisters, and James at her back. I’m excited for the next romance in the series. Maybe Jane or Martha will get their turn!

 

I alternated between an audio version and e-copy and can recommend either version. I thought Kate Forbes did a wonderful job narrating all the voices; male, female and a range of ages seamlessly and with appropriate emotions!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

When passion for justice conflicts with the heart, which will prevail?

Noreen O'Sullivan is an enthusiastic member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and believes herself called to defend the cause of prohibition. When she's invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, Noreen jumps at the chance to rally others to her movement and shut down the local saloon for good. However, her passionate campaigning often puts her at odds with the men around her--including the local deputy.

Deputy James Paxton believes in preserving the peace, but Miss O'Sullivan has been disturbing his peace for months. If James wants to be elected sheriff, he can't afford to be seen as her ally. But when Noreen ropes him into helping her plan a temperance march, their growing closeness sparks unexpected feelings. Then tensions escalate at the saloon and accusations fly. James must choose between upholding his badge and protecting the woman who's captured his heart--knowing either choice could cost him everything.

Karen Witemeyer presents a swoony Western romance with a determined heroine, cowboys, prohibition, and the rivals-to-lovers and duty vs. desire tropes. Fans of Mary Connealy and frontier romances set in the Old West will savor this clean, historical read.

 

Review: The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

 

The Magic of Untamed Hearts (Wild Magic #3) by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Publication Date: January 13th 2026 by Berkley 

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Sky, the youngest of the Flores sisters, spent eight years presumed dead, living like a ghost, when in reality she’d been sheltered and kept alive by the forest. Two years after her return, she’s still trying to find her footing, and my heart ached for her. The town treats her like an oddity, whispering behind her back, and the cruelty she faced ticked me off. One of her only friends is her elderly neighbor. She makes a homecooked meal for him to share weekly and this is where she runs into Adam, his grandson, and her former crush.

 

Despite a rocky first encounter, Adam turns out to be an absolute sweetheart. I loved how fiercely he defended Sky and how gently he helped her see that she never needed to apologize for who she was. Their chemistry is undeniable, though once they officially get together, the romance leans heavily into the spicy scenes. They’re steamy, no doubt, but Sky discussing every detail with her sisters gave me a bit of the ick. Still, I adored Adam and Sky together.

 

I did wish Sky’s sisters had shown her more support. I understand they were overwhelmed by their own struggles, but it still stung on Sky’s behalf.

 

Having enjoyed Sage’s and Teal’s romances, I was excited to finally get Sky’s story, and it didn’t disappoint. Her magical ability to communicate with animals is one of my favorite gifts in the series, and watching her journey unfold was both enchanting and emotionally satisfying. It was an entertaining, engrossing journey to their HEA. I’m happy with how it all turned out.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

After several years stuck as a ghost, Sky Flores learns to reconnect with the living again with the help of her handsome neighbor in this lush romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Witch of Wild Things.

Like her sisters, Sage and Teal, Sky Flores has a touch of magic, and it’s caused nothing but heartache. Not only did she disappear into the woods years ago and reappear with no rational explanation, she’s also more comfortable talking to animals than to people. Different and misunderstood, Sky is shunned in the small town of Cranberry.

Sky’s neighbor, Adam Noemi, has his own problems. After being laid off from a prestigious newspaper, Adam, ever the ambitious reporter, needs a big headline to redeem his career. Enter Sky, a girl with a story that news outlets have been chasing for years. Sky agrees to grant Adam an exclusive interview on one that he befriend Sky, in a very public way, to prove to everyone in Cranberry that she’s not an outcast.

As Sky shares her experiences with Adam, something much bigger than a simple agreement begins to grow between them. But for love to take root, Adam will have to take a leap towards a life that defies expectations, and Sky must open her heart – full of flora and fauna and mystical energies – to his curious mind.

 

Sunday Post #327

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday! 

I didn't post last week because I was sick. Got the flu (as in Influenza A) and I don't recommend it! I was in bed for two days solid and there wasn't one part of my body that didn't hurt. I finally got anti-virals and started feeling somewhat human on Monday. 

Anyhow, besides that we got snow! At first it was snow then rain and then it became full on snow. About a foot altogether. It's still here but it's sunny, cold and melting slowly.

Snow out front

Starla, Smokey and Peanut were a bit stir crazy. They kept going out on the covered front porch but then would quickly come in. The birds were crazy outside! Lots of Juncos, Stellar Jay and Oak Titmouse, and so they made do making bird calls as they looked out the windows.

Making bird calls

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Jacob Amherst Dove by Charles Wysocki (Hasbro 2007)

Puzzle No. 6/2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Classic Book Covers by Gibson Games

Puzzle No. 7/2026

Read:

This looks like a lot but this is 2 weeks of reading. 

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall-4 Stars

The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland-3.5 Stars

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong-5 Stars

First Ranger: A Short Story by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson-4 Stars

Untouchable by Jeffery Deaver-4 Stars

Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer-4 Stars

Dark Arts and a Daquiri by Annette Marie-4 Stars

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz-5 Stars

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman-4.5 Stars

Received:

Half City by Kate Golden

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

Thank you to Berkley!

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How was your week?

2 Romance Book Giveaway!

 Happy Friday! 

How's your week been? We got a bunch of snow, the power was out for two days, but it's sunny today and the snow looks so pretty!

I'm finally feeling back to normal after being sick.

I thought I'd post a giveaway:

Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

The Mating Game by Lana Ferguson

The giveaway is open to US Residents Only. Fill out the Giveaway Tool for a chance to win!

Good luck!

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Review: First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

 

First Sign of Danger (Haven's Rock #4) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: February 17th 2026 by Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 38min

Narrator: Thérèse Plummer

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

First Sign of Danger is the fourth installment in the Haven’s Rock series, and while each book features its own mystery, the ongoing character arcs and history make it far more rewarding to read in order. Better yet, start with the original Rockton series to fully appreciate how this off‑the‑grid refuge came to be.

 

Like Rockton before it, Haven’s Rock is designed as a sanctuary for people who need to disappear. Victims fleeing stalkers or abusive partners, individuals escaping unjust convictions, anyone who needs a second chance. Every applicant is vetted to ensure they pose no threat to the community.

 

In this installment, Casey and Eric encounter a couple hiking near the settlement under circumstances that immediately raise red flags. Are they harmless backpackers, or are they spying on Haven’s Rock? Hunting for someone inside the community? Or connected to the nearby mining camp that’s been a growing concern?

 

The situation goes from uneasy to dangerous when they discover one of the hikers dead the next day. Casey, Eric, Anders, Yolanda and the usual crew at Haven’s Rock work the evidence to figure out what’s going on. All the while keeping an eye on the miner’s camp. There’s also a curious break-in without theft in town that seems unrelated. Casey and Eric examine all the details at every angle and a darker picture emerges.

 

First Sign of Danger starts quietly but soon spirals into the kind of tense, layered mystery this series excels at. I was genuinely surprised by how the pieces ultimately fit together, and by the thrilling revelations that set the stage for the upcoming final installment!

 

I’ve alternately read and listened to the entire series and I recommend either version. Thérèse Plummer narrates the audios and they are fantastic! She expertly performs male and female voices and a variety of age ranges and emotion.

5 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong continues the atmospheric Haven's Rock series as Casey Duncan investigates a threat to their off-the-grid Yukon town.

Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are entering a new chapter of life as parents to their six-month-old baby. Their family is hidden away in the sanctuary town of Haven's Rock where they can live safe and private lives. But when they encounter hikers too close to the borders of Haven's Rock, they realize they're in danger of being exposed.

When they find one of the hikers dead the next day, they realize that their paranoia was justified, but they're no closer to finding out who these people were and what they were doing in the vicinity of Haven's Rock. Only by tracing the hikers' movements, as well as examining the recent behavior of their closest neighbors, the workers of a secretive mining camp, will they be able to figure out where the threat is coming from and shut it down. Otherwise, the lives of everyone in Haven's Rock--and their safe, secure new existence--are at risk.

Audiobook Review: Untouchable by Jeffery Deaver

 

Untouchable by Jeffery Deaver

Publication Date: February 17th 2026 by Brilliance Audio

Pages: 137

Audio Book Length: 3hrs 17min

Narrator: Christina Traister

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

While working a case in Prescott, Illinois, FBI Agent Constant Marlowe spots an unsettling exchange between a college student, Kathleen, and a man who instantly sets off her instincts. When Constant steps in, she learns Kathleen is being stalked and threatened after writing a letter to the university about potential brain injuries among the school’s football players. Instead of taking her concerns seriously, the situation spiraled when a chauvinistic talk‑show host blasted her name on air and twisted the facts for outrage and ratings.

 

I was relieved Constant intervened, Kathleen was getting almost no support from campus officials or local police, and that radio host was a piece of work!

 

This short mystery isn’t as straightforward as it first appears and I enjoyed seeing it all play out in such a satisfying way!

 

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Christina Traister, and she was fantastic. Her calm, steady delivery suits Constant perfectly, and she shifts into the other characters’ voices with ease. A really strong performance that enhanced the story.

4 Stars

Book Description:

For Special Agent Constant Marlowe, a quiet college town hides a nest of malice and revenge in this twisty novella by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver.

Special Agent Constant Marlowe is passing through the charming college town of Prescott, Illinois, when a chance encounter with a terrified student stops her in her tracks. Kathleen Delaine thought she was doing the right thing when she demanded an inquiry into traumatic brain injuries among the university’s football team. But after a manosphere shock jock picks up the story on his radio show and makes it personal, the online uproar bleeds into the real world. As Constant works to identify which of the host’s fanboys is threatening Kathleen, she discovers that behind the bullying campaign lies a vast and deadly conspiracy.

 

Audiobook Review: Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer

 

Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin (The New Adventures of Enola Holmes #4) by Nancy Springer

Publication Date: February 10th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 6hrs 59min

Narrators: Tamaryn Payne & Matt Biddulph

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Enola Holmes is attending a graveside burial when she hears a bell ringing from a freshly dug grave. When she investigates, she makes a chilling discovery: a young woman named Trevina, buried alive and with no memory of how she ended up there.

Realizing Trevina is still in danger, Enola brings her home and nurses her back to health while trying to uncover who sealed her in that coffin, and why. Soon, Enola and her charge are thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse as the culprit, none other than Moriarty himself, sends his thugs after them. To complicate matters further, Enola learns that her brother, Sherlock Holmes, is investigating the same villain and warns her to stay away from the case.

 

I haven’t read the previous Enola Holmes books, though I’ve enjoyed the movies, and I’m not usually a big YA reader, but I found Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin a page-turner! It was clever, suspenseful, occasionally funny, and had a dark, sinister edge. Mystery and suspense fans will find plenty to enjoy here.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. Tamaryn Payne narrates most of the story, with Matt Biddulph voicing the epilogue. Payne delivers excellent performances across the board, male and female characters alike, with just the right emotional nuance, and her English accent is a delight. The audio format really brought the story to life.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Enola Holmes—international bestselling and Netflix streaming sensation—returns when the rescue of a young woman sends her into battle with her brother Sherlock against his most deadly, implacable enemy - Professor Moriarty.

In February 1891, London, Enola Holmes—the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes—is attending a burial when she hears the faint sound of a handbell in the graveyard. It is not in Enola’s nature to ignore such oddities, no matter the occasion and when she investigates further, as is the Holmes' family instinct, she discovers something absolutely chilling. The ringing bell is attached to the tombstone erected over a recent gravesite and someone, buried within, is pulling the string to ring the alarm.

Galvanized into action, Enola and her companions swiftly and successfully unearth the coffin within, freeing a still-living young woman, one Trevina Trairom. Enola, by predilection and by trade a Scientific Perditorian, a finder of lost things, finds herself comforting and protecting this young girl. The girl herself is a mystery – she remembers very little, including her identity, and has no idea who has buried her alive, much less why. While protecting this mysterious girl from an enigmatic enemy, she discovers that Sherlock is engaged in a related mystery. Enola joins Sherlock in his battle against the scourge of London, the Napoleon of Crime himself, Professor Moriarty. Facing her most brutal foe ever, determined to protect and unravel the secrets surrounding the mysterious Trevina, Enola takes her place more fully than ever as a proud member of the Holmes family.