Sunday Post #360

 

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!

We're finally getting rain here. We had over two inches on Friday, a beautiful sunny day yesterday and today we're supposed to get more. I've been busy working on my CMEs for my registry due by the end of the year. My husband and I got out and walked three times this last week, three miles each time. I also did strength training. I'm aiming to do that twice a week. 

The fall colors this year have been stunning! Even on our drive back from the coast was so beautiful. We drove by a lot of vineyards and they ranged from bright yellow to red. We didn't stop to take photos, though. I have some photos from our walks of the fall color:

Still getting roses!

Forgot to post the photos of an independent bookstore we visited.

Eureka Books:

Eureka Books

Two stories of gorgeousness!

Bought this gorgeous edition!

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Butterfly Garden Nature Montages by Paper Blanks

Puzzle 61 of 2026

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: Harvest Feast by Galison

Puzzle 62 of 2026

Read:

Wood You Be Mine by Daphne Elliot-4 Stars

Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin-4 Stars

Damned Souls and a Sangria by Annette Marie-4.5 Stars

Received:

Merry Little Bookshop by Ali Brady

The First Ladies' Guide to Murder by Amanda Flower

The Christmas Magpie by Mark Edwards

Thank you to Audiobrary, Tantor Media, Kensington, Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm! 

How was your week?

Review: Wood You Be Mine by Daphne Elliot

 

Wood You Be Mine (Lovewell Lumberjacks #1) by Daphne Elliot

Publication Date: November 10th 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Ready to break out of her safe, cautious routine, Alice sells her Massachusetts house to become the principal of a struggling school in small-town Lovewell, Maine. Renting a rustic cabin in the woods seems like a great fresh star, until a few moving-in mishaps lead to some hilarious run-ins with her sexy lumberjack landlord, Henri Gagnon.

 

The romance was the grumpy/sunshine kind with Henri, a grump with a soft, gooey heart and Alice a sunny optimist. It was sweet and pretty spicy!

 

I really enjoyed Alice’s pluck and her determination to turn things around for the school. She had some great ideas and, more importantly, listened to the locals and included them in finding solutions. Tucker and Goldie, two siblings in foster care, really grabbed my heartstrings and I was so happy Alice was there for them!

 

Meanwhile, Henri has been running his family’s lumber business alongside his siblings since their father’s death, working hard to finally get the company back in the black. Along with some operational hiccups, there are lingering questions about his father’s passing, a mystery I think will carry over into the next book.

 

Wood You Be Mine was a fun grumpy/sunshine romance with plenty of spice. I think Alice and Henri’s personal journeys elevated the story and gave it satisfying depth.

4 Stars

Book Description:

A grumpy small-town lumberjack and his sunny new-in-town neighbor cross axes and risk their hearts in this swoony romance, now in a print edition with exclusive bonus material!

This stunning first-edition paperback features gorgeous plaid stenciled edges.

The first time I met the grumpy lumberjack next door, I almost burnt down his cabin.
The second time, I was in an argument with a moose (don’t ask).
The third time, I was naked.

Henri Gagnon is not just my neighbor and landlord, but a flannel-clad foe who helps run his family’s lumber business. His protective streak clearly does not apply to me, since he’s convinced I won’t make it through the Maine winter.

But I’m going to show Henri and the rest of this small town that they’re wrong. I have one year to prove myself as the elementary school’s principal or I’ll be getting the axe.

So I simply just don’t have time to pine away for the lumberjack next door, no matter how good he looks chopping wood in his suspenders, or the way it makes me feel when he calls me buttercup.

I definitely don’t have time to wonder what would happen if I asked him if he wood be mine...

Review: Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin

 

Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin

Publication Date: November 10th 2026 by Berkley 

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Lillian and Will are traveling to his family’s Texas ranch to celebrate his mother Faye’s birthday. Will believes Faye is still grieving the loss of his father, but from the moment they arrive, she doesn’t seem much like a sad widow to Lillian.

 

Faye has big news about the future of the ranch and shocks everyone by announcing her engagement to neighboring rancher Cal Truitt, a man the entire family despises. Her children are shocked and completely opposed to the match. But before they can come to terms with the announcement, Cal is found murdered. He was a vile man, so there’s no shortage of suspects.

 

Detective Kate Graham is assigned to the case, and it quickly becomes clear that something isn’t right. With the sheriff pressuring her to produce quick results, Kate begins to wonder if she’s being set up to take the fall when things inevitably go wrong.

 

The story is told from three perspectives: Lillian, Faye, and Kate. Kate works to piece together the truth while managing the unrealistic demands of her boss. Both Lillian and Faye’s POV sort of muddied the waters because neither were entirely forthcoming and I wondered at their motivations. I was surprised at how it all came together, but I loved it!

 

Filled with family secrets, shady characters, and an unexpected twist, Thunderbird Ranch was a page-turning mystery that kept me guessing until the very end!

4 Stars

Book Description:

When a prominent Texas family’s celebration ends in murder, local law enforcement discovers they are keeping dark secrets in this tense new suspense novel from USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Cal Truitt is dead, no one knows who killed him, and everyone is a suspect.

Perhaps it’s his bride-to-be, ranching heiress Faye McCann, who’s facing a midlife crisis after falling into deep debt and being forced to convert her property into a posh retreat. Or maybe it’s one of her three children—who all despised Cal and were summoned to the ranch by Faye to learn some long-buried family secrets.

Lilian Lasko is new blood, but she has some secrets of her own. She sees her boyfriend's family, with their bitter rivalries and resentments, through the eyes of a wary outsider. Lilian is eager to please, but by the night’s end, she’s running through a creek bed, covered in blood.

Only one person knows the the killer.

Detective Kate Graham is determined to unravel the family’s toxic manipulations and lies to reveal Cal Truitt’s murderer. But with a family that hates and loves one another with equal fervor, Kate’s pursuit of justice becomes more complicated and dangerous with each passing hour.

Review: A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh

 

A Waltz to Remember (Ravenswood #6) by Mary Balogh

Publication Date: October 26th 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Lady Stephanie Ware has mostly overcome the insecurities that she’s struggled for years, but facing her longtime crush, her brother’s best friend Bertrand Lamarr, brings some of them back. The last time she saw him, she rejected his invitation to dance in a completely rude way and has regretted it ever since. Now she’ll be seeing him at her brother's wedding.

 

Bertrand, Viscount Watley, hasn't forgotten Stephanie's rejection and plans to keep his distance. However, things don’t go as planned.

 

I’ve been looking forward to Stephanie and Bertrand’s story ever since hints of their feelings appeared in earlier books. Stephanie’s insecurities were easy to relate to, and I appreciated how she came to understand the root of those feelings by reasoning it out with family. As she got to know Bertrand better, Stephanie realized he wasn’t the perfect man she’d imagined but someone with feelings and struggles of his own. Watching them truly see and understand each other was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their relationship felt like a genuine meeting of hearts and minds, and I adored both characters.

 

A Waltz to Remember is another touching addition to the Ravenswood series. I’ve grown to love these characters over the course of the series, and each new release feels like a visit with old friends. I’m already looking forward to the next book!

5 Stars

Book Description:

The youngest Ware daughter, Stephanie, has always harbored secret passion for the best friend of her brother. In her eyes Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, is perfect. For many years she thought of herself as quite the opposite. When he surprised her by asking her to save a waltz for him, she panicked - and refused him in the unkindest words.

Stephanie's guilt over her behaviour is such that she now dreads seeing him, as she inevitably must, at the Christmas family reunion she is attending. She wants to hide from him, but what she doesn't know is that Bertrand has always admired her from afar and is determined to overcome her apparent dislike of him and win his waltz. For he believes there is magic between them, and they will discover it can conquer all their regrets and fears if they but give themselves a chance.

Audiobook Review: Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

 

Fifty-Fifty (Eddie Flynn #5) by Steve Cavanagh

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Pages: 384

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 44mins

Narrator: Adam Sims

Source: Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

I’ve been loving the Eddie Flynn series since I listened to the prequel last year and then jumped right into Two Kinds of Stranger (book 9) because I had a review copy. After finishing I went back to the beginning and have been listening to the audios.

 

I haven’t read book 3 because you can’t get it here in the US (same with book 7, The Accomplice). My daughter bought a paperback copy of The Liar and The Accomplice from the UK and read them and passed them onto me, but I’m partial to listening to the books because Adam Sims is the perfect Eddie Flynn to me! I just found out book 3, The Liar, and book 7, The Accomplice, are coming out in audio June 2027!

 

At any rate, I haven’t talked about Fifty-Fifty yet, but it was amazing! My husband and I listened to it last week while on vacation and finished it on our car ride back home.

 

Sophia and Alexandra Avellino, two sisters, each claim the other murdered their father. It’s a gruesome scene and the guilty person is definitely unhinged, but which one is telling the truth? Eddie represents Sophia, who he believes is the innocent one and a new defense attorney, Kate, represents the Alexandra in a joint trial. Several murders and twists! I was riveted!

 

If you haven’t tried this series, you are missing out!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Alexandra Avellino has just found her father's mutilated body, and needs the police right away. She believes her sister killed him, and that she is still in the house with a knife.

Sofia Avellino has just found her father's mutilated body and needs the police right away. She believes her sister, Alexandra did it, and that she is still in the house, locked in the bathroom.

Both women are to go on trial at the same time. A joint trial in front of one jury.

But one of these women is lying. One of them is a murderer. Sitting in a jail cell, about to go on trial with her sister for murder, you might think that this is the last place she expected to be.

You'd be wrong.

Sunday Post #359

 

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!

We had a nice time in Mendocino with my sister and her husband. We did a railway bike into the forest, hiking in the redwoods, visited Point Cabrillo Lighthouse and Mendocino Botanical Gardens. We cooked a couple of simple dinners at the house, everyone pitching in and did a bunch of puzzles.

Mendocino Coast

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

Anemone (above) and Marigolds (below) at the Mendocino Botanical Garden

500 Piece Puzzle: National Parks by Pippi Post

Puzzle 57 of 2026

My sister and I worked all these puzzles below:

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: Bookish Cats by Mudpuppy

Puzzle 58 of 2026

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: Home Hobbies by Happy Piece

Puzzle 59 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Blossom Bliss by IdeaBazar

Puzzle 60 of 2026

We came home from our vacation on Tuesday and I worked the next day. Spent time doing laundry and sorting everything out. 

Read:

A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh-5 Stars

Conspiracy Theory by Phillip Margolin-3.5 Stars

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh-5 Stars

A Hard Luck Christmas by Brenda Novak-4 Stars

Received:

Wood You Be Mine by Daphne Elliot

Hate and Other Acts of Fiction by Megan Oliver

Swipe Bite by Alexandra Vasti

Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin

The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos

Thank you to Berkley and Minotaur Books!

How was your week?

Review: A Hard Luck Christmas by Brenda Novak

 

A Hard Luck Christmas by Brenda Novak

Publication Date: October 27th 2026 by Harlequin Special Edition

Pages: 272

Audio Length: 7hrs 43min

Narrator: Em Eldridge

Source: Publisher 
Rating: ★★★★
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Patience, a single mother, is determined to make the town's Christmas festival a success and bring much-needed business to Hard Luck.

 

Kanon is back in Hard Luck, a place that holds bad memories, to turn the motel he’s inherited part of into a success. Luckily for him, his stepsister is more relieved than upset by Kanon now being a co-owner. She needs help and Kanon is ready to make a go of things, which is how he ends up helping Patience with the Christmas festival.

 

Patience had her own personal issues besides trying to save the town: a manipulative ex-best friend and an overbearing, self-righteous father. Boy, did I want to strangle him at times!

 

I rooted for Patience and Kanon in their efforts to revitalize the town, working together as they fell in love. I also cheered as Patience gained confidence, saw things in a different light, and decided to stand up for herself.

 

A Hard Luck Christmas was a feel-good story about second chances, community, and healing from the past. I enjoyed every minute!

 

I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook and can recommend either version. I thought Em Eldridge did a wonderful job with all voices, male and female in a range of ages!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Enjoy small town charm, Christmas cheer and a heartfelt second chances/opposites attract romance from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak!

Single mom Patience Mather is focused on two things—her daughter and planning a Christmas festival that will contribute to the revitalization of Hard Luck, Nevada. She has no time for complications—or sparks with returned bad boy Kanon Kincaid. He’s back to claim an inheritance of half of a failing motel. He'll fix what’s broken…starting with his own reputation.

As a pastor’s daughter, Patience knows better than to fall for someone who might skip town again, and Kanon believes someone steady and safe is what Patience deserves. But in the glow of twinkling lights and holiday magic, their undeniable connection makes every choice harder. Can Christmas in Hard Luck deliver a second chance…or just heartbreak?

For fans Christmas Sparkle Small-Town Romance Opposites Attract Good Girl/Bad boy