Review: Lead Me Home by Catherine Bybee

 

Lead Me Home (Queen Anne Hill #1) by Catherine Bybee

Publication Date: June 9th 2026 by Montlake & Brilliance Audio

Pages: 351

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 37min

Narrators: Laura Jennings, Alex Knox & Catherine Bybee

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Luna’s smart and accomplished as a forensic accountant and happy on her own. Living in the big Victorian left to her and her siblings by their grandmother. Luna’s assigned to a case with Nate, a former FBI Agent specializing in white collar crime, and there’s an immediate spark. When her car is stolen from airport parking and Nate steps in to help, their work relationship shifts into something more personal.

 

Unfortunately, Luna’s narcissistic mother, Karen, shows up without notice, staying with Luna and her roommate, Miley.

 

While Luna was fine on her own, she truly deserved a guy like Nate! I loved their low-drama romance and the way he was there to support her in any way he could. Luna also had support from her friend Miley and her brother and sister and I adored them!

 

Luna’s mother was something else! I felt for Luna so much because everything was about Karen, both in the present and past, whether or not it put her kids in danger. I was outraged on their behalf! Things come to an ugly and dangerous head. I was happy for the way Luna handled things in the end.

 

The author’s note really got to me. Everything she’s been through and accomplished is an inspiration for others!

 

Lead Me Home was captivating from the very first page! I’m guessing the next couple of books will focus on Luna’s siblings, Harper and Ash. I eagerly await the next story!

 

I alternated between a print and audio copy and recommend either version. Laura Jennings had a wonderfully calm voice that had me engrossed with every word. Alex Knox did a wonderful job performing Nate. The dual narration was a treat!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Luna Canning trusts numbers more than people-and for good reason. As a forensic accountant who specializes in exposing fraud, she knows numbers never deceive, unlike the toxic family she's spent a lifetime trying to escape. Now living in her grandmother's Victorian home, Luna has built a carefully ordered life behind walls she thought were unbreakable.

When her car is stolen from an airport parking lot, former FBI agent turned PI Nate Warren steps in to help-and proves more dangerous to her defenses than any thief. Despite Luna's iron-clad rules about mixing business with pleasure, their chemistry ignites, and for the first time, she considers letting someone past her guard. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Luna's manipulative mother arrives unannounced, dragging with her a dangerous man and decades of unresolved trauma that threaten everything Luna has built.

Now Luna must confront the ghosts of her past-both metaphorical and possibly literal, as strange occurrences in her historic home suggest she's not alone. With a violent threat looming and her heart on the line, Luna discovers that sometimes the hardest person to trust is yourself.

About the author:

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written nearly 50 books that have collectively sold more than 11 million copies. Her titles have been translated into more than 20 languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the popular Not Quite, Weekday Brides, Most Likely To, First Wives, D'Angelos, Heirs, and Queen Anne Hill series. 

Connect with Catherine Bybee:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | TikTok

Review: The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne

 

The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne

Publication Date: June 2nd 2026 by St. Martin's Press MIRA & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 384

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 46min

Narrator: Carly Robins

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Emma was learning to drive in bad weather and crashed the car killing her father. Rosie, her mother, never blamed Emma for the accident, but Emma left soon after and spiraled. Only when she became pregnant did she clean up and get her life back on track.

 

Now, Emma is back home with her three-year-old daughter, Olive, to help her mother run The Rainy Day Bookshop while her grandmother is laid out with a broken ankle. Rosie is thrilled to have her daughter back home after years apart.

 

Emma never told her mother what caused the tragic accident that killed her father, and she doesn’t intend to, because she doesn’t want to shatter her mother’s memories. Now she’s happy to be back at home, close to her family with Olive. She’s had some hard years raising her young daughter on her own while working and earning a degree and so she appreciates the opportunity to have some support and get close again with her family.

 

I loved The Rainy Day Bookshop and felt deeply for both Emma and Rosie as they navigated their shared grief and guilt. Watching the two of them slowly rebuild their relationship was moving. Olive was adorable, and seeing her bond with her grandmother was touching. There were romances as well: Andrew, the reclusive writer for Rosie, and Bryce, the construction foreman for Emma. Both were sweet, low‑drama, and genuinely lovely!

 

I alternated between the e-copy and audio version and can recommend both. Carly Robins has a pleasing voice and added warmth and emotion to each character. I thoroughly enjoyed her performance! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

Sandwiched between caring for her mother and rebuilding the relationship with her estranged daughter, Emma, Rosie Lucas’s life is full. In the best way. With Emma and her 3-year old daughter, Olive, back home, Rosie has a partner for The Rainy Day Bookshop, the family business, and a chance to fix the past. What she doesn’t have time for is a romantic relationship. And even if she did, Andrew Morgan is the last person she’d choose. Not only is he an arrogant and reclusive writer, but he’s a single dad with two young kids. She’s already been there, done that. Still as an irresistible flirtation builds between them, he becomes her unexpected confidante on the distance Rosie can’t seem to overcome with Emma, a secret she can’t quite unravel…

Emma isn’t proud of her past. But she’s pulled herself up by the bootstraps, caring for her own daughter, and protecting her mom at all costs. Just as she always has. She never told Rosie what she saw all those years ago and she never will. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and sometimes the truth is more shocking than fiction. Rosie and Emma will have to navigate an unimaginable path forward. Together.

Sunday Post #341

 

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!

Nothing exciting to report here. I was able to make it to the read-along chat (hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart) for The Guild Codex series by Annette Marie last Sunday and that was fun. The weather warmed up to the mid 80s low up so we had to get our walks in early. 

We went to a library sale and I donated a bunch of books and bought three books for my shelf, of course. I donated more than I brought home, so that was progress. We went to lunch after, hit the grocery store and then came home. I worked on a puzzle while listening to my audiobook. 

I'll be working tomorrow (Sunday).

Flowers from the garden

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: Fruit Market Lemons by Werkshoppe

Puzzle 30 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Serenity Meow by Galison

Puzzle 31 of 2026

Read:

Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, Robin Rosenthal (Illustrator)-5 Stars

A Murder in Hollywood by Michael Crichton-4 Stars

Marion by Leah Rowan-4.5 Stars

The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne-4 Stars

Received:

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood

Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances

Storm Tide by Paul Doiron

The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne

Thank you to Berkley, Macmillan Audio, MIRA, and Harlequin Audio!

How was your week?

Audiobook Review: Marion by Leah Rowan

 

Marion by Leah Rowan

Publication Date: June 2nd 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 25min

Narrators: Natalie Naudus, Tawny Platis

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

One of the most iconic moments in film history is the shower scene in Psycho. We all know what happens to Marion Crane, but what if she fought back? What if she survived and Norm didn’t?

 

In this reimagining, “Marion” is devastated to learn her sister has been abused by her husband. Desperate to help her escape, she steals cash from the ad agency where she works and heads to Saratoga Springs. But when her bus breaks down in a tiny town, she’s forced to take the only available room at a rundown motel. Norm Billings, the owner, seems harmless enough and so at first, Marion is thankful she has a place to stay, but things go horribly wrong from there!

 

The story alternates between Marion and Hannah, a new investigator searching for a missing woman. I liked Hannah, but I was rooting for Marion from the start!

 

I loved this re-telling with Marion as the victor instead of the victim! Yes, in real life this is a no-no, but have you ever sided with a woman who was tired of being the victim and took justice in her own hands? A few famous (infamous?) examples come to mind for me! This was a wild ride and I wasn’t sure how it would work out. The little vigilante in me was hoping! There were some twists I didn’t see coming, too!

 

I listened to the audio version narrated by Natalie Naudus as Hannah and Tawny Platis as Marion which gave a clear voice each to POV. I thoroughly enjoyed both narrators and it enhanced my enjoyment.

 

Marion was a riveting, clever reimagining! A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

A twist on Hitchcock’s iconic classic Psycho—where the leading lady doesn't die, but instead turns the knife on Norm, kicking off a crime spree that turns the silver screen victim into a heroine for our times.

NORMAN WAS HER FIRST.

Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back...

Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does?

In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.

Review: Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren

Scent of Hope (Call of the Wild #2) by Susan May Warren

Publication Date: June 1st 2026 by Revell & Recorded Books

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 57min

Narrator: Brian Hutchison

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Harley’s back in Copper Mountain, Alaska, hunting down a thug from her past who’s now a drug dealer tied to the dangerous criminal organization Mars Sorros. Returning home is bittersweet. She loved the rugged beauty of the Alaskan wilderness and the life her parents built for her and her brother, but their tragic deaths still hurt. To add to that pain, her first love, Jericho Bowie, left her when she needed him most.

 

Harley’s shocked to find out Jericho is assigned to help her track down Mars with his scent dog, Orlando.

 

I rooted for Harley and Jericho as they sorted through their past hurts while working together to catch the bad guy. It was a clean romance with elements of faith threaded throughout.

 

I really enjoyed this story, a great mix of action and suspense, with danger coming from both the brutal Alaskan winter and the criminals they’re chasing. A few twists kept things interesting, and I especially loved the setting. Harley’s family home and the family’s remote cabin sounded absolutely gorgeous.

 

I listened to the audio version and alternately read a print copy and can recommend either version. I thought Brian Hutchinson did a wonderful job bringing characters to life with emotions appropriate for each scene.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Two broken hearts. One deadly mission. And just one avalanche dog standing between them and a killer.

Harley Tatum made a vow to never return to Copper Mountain, Alaska, where a drug dealer destroyed her family and the man she loved walked away. But when that same criminal escapes and justice calls her name, she has no choice but to face everything she buried.

Jericho Bowie remembers things differently. She left him. And he's spent years wondering why. Now Harley needs his search-and-rescue dog, Orlando, to track a fugitive through treacherous mountain terrain--and Jericho refuses to let her go alone. Not again.

But as they push deep into the frozen wilderness, the hunter becomes the hunted. Old feelings resurface at the worst possible time, and survival depends on two people who don't know if they can trust each other--or their own hearts.

Susan May Warren packs action and heart-pounding suspense from the rugged wilderness of Alaska into a nonstop adventure where the greatest danger might be opening your heart again. 

 

Audiobook Review: A Murder in Hollywood by Michael Crichton

 

A Murder in Hollywood by Michael Crichton

Publication Date: May 5th 2026 by Blackstone Publishing

Pages: 244

Audio Book Length: 4hrs 42min

Narrator: Ray Porter

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this murder mystery set on an Old Western movie location in the 1970s! It had a classic film noir, old Hollywood vibe.

Told from the POV of Harvey Jason, the film production publicist, basically in charge of fixing whatever problems arise and keeping things flowing smoothly. Not an easy job! When the screenwriter is found dead in his room, Harvey is charged with trailing the insurance investigator, Harlow Perkins, brought in to solve the case. Perkins is well-known as sharp and determined and Harvey is mystified by some of his requests.

I blew through this in an afternoon and enjoyed every minute! I love Ray Porter’s narration (he narrated Project Hail Mary)! He did an excellent job bringing all characters to life, male and female, and played up the splashes of wry humor enhancing my enjoyment of this entertaining mystery!

4 Stars

Book Description:

From Michael CrichtonCreator of Jurassic Park , ER , Twister , Rising Sun , and Disclosure

Writing as John Lange

Comes a new Hollywood mystery thriller, originally written in 1973 by Crichton but never before published, that will keep you guessing until the very end.

In the glitz and decadence of 1970s Hollywood, an era when sex and drugs were readily available on any movie set, the writer of the next Western blockbuster, Bloodrock, has just been found dead in his motel bathtub. Now publicist Harvey Jason is desperately trying to keep the project on track while the famed Harlow Perkins, a brilliant and ruthless investigator, begins to unravel the mystery and hunt the killer down.

From scorching-hot desert locations to sleazy motel bars, the members of the cast and crew—each one with a very dark secret of their own—will send this case deeper and deeper into a maze of confusion and shadows until the shocking truth is revealed.

Will the murderer be found?

Picture Book Review: Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, Illustrated by Robin Rosenthal

 

Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, Illustrated by Robin Rosenthal

Publication Date: March 31st 2026 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Pages: 40

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I’m not the usual audience for a picture book, but I couldn’t resist a story featuring a sassy cat with her cute stuffy, Noodles!

 

Serafina hates water with a passion, so she’s appalled when her parents enroll her in swimming lessons!

 

This was an adorable story with a nice message: trying something new can open up a whole world of fun!

 

The illustrations, in pretty pastels with dramatic lettering, vividly brought the story to life with humor and charm!

 

Would make a PURR-fect gift for a beloved youngster!

5 Stars

Book Description:

This purr-fectly adorable picture book introduces an irresistibly over-the-top new kitty character who’s ready to make a big splash!

Meet Serafina! If there’s one thing you should know about Serafina, it’s that she absolutely, positively HATES water. Running faucets, rain, or the sea? No thank you. So even though she looks fantastic in goggles, Serafina is NOT happy to be forced into a swim class by the powers that be. NOTHING can convince her to get into that disgusting pit of seething water. Nothing, that is, except maybe a very beloved old friend who needs a hand.

From acclaimed creators Matthew Burgess and Robin Rosenthal comes an unforgettable picture book that shows how trying new things can lead to unexpected joy.

Sunday Post #340

 

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 had my sister and her husband over for dinner on Friday night so I did a bunch of housecleaning and cooking. We used some of my canned apple pie filling for apple pies. 

It rained off and on all last week, which was nice for the garden but made it hard to get out on our walks. It finally cleared yesterday and we got out early and then did a bunch of weeding and cleanup made easier by the rain. We ate dinner out by the Solo Stove last night.

 

I've been seeing Red-winged Blackbirds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Oak Titmouse and of course the ever present Stellar Jays in the garden this week. We bought my MIL a birdhouse that has a camera in it and it records whenever a bird lands and gives an identification. It's pretty neat and we can see the feed from out phone, too. It was quite the project to get it up and running for my husband. He regrets having it sent and not being there in person to get it running as he had to tell his mom what to do over the phone. At any rate, we might get one for our house. 

Birds (photos from Photogrid) Red-winged Blackbird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Oak Titmouse, and Stellar Jay

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Mabel the Stowaway by Hasbro 2003

Puzzle 29 of 2026

Read:

Hellbound Guilds and Other Misdirections (The Guild Codex: Warped #2) by Annette Marie & Rob Jacobsen-4 Stars

The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #5) by Annette Marie-4 Stars

A Curses of Beasts and Magic (Beautiful and Beastly #1) by Jeaniene Frost-4 Stars

Scent of Hope (Call of the Wild #2) by Susan May Warren-4 Stars

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto-4 Stars

I had a solid reading week and finally caught up with books for the read-along Anne @Books of My Heart is hosting.

Received: 

Moss'd in Space by Rebecca Thorne

Headlights by CJ Leede

Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry

Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

A Murder in Hollywood by Michael Crichton

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Blackstone Publishing!

How was your week?

Review: Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto

 

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publication Date: April 28th 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Mebel’s a sixty-three-year-old who excels at being a “trophy wife”. She maintains her body and looks and has built her life around what her husband, Henk, wants. However, her life is turned upside down when he asks for a divorce. He’s taken up with their twenty-four-year-old chef, Wendy. Mebel isn’t going to take this lying down, though, and decides to go to school to become a chef to win her husband back.

 

Right away, things don’t go as expected and instead of attending a glitzy school in Paris, she’s mistakenly enrolled herself at the campus England, in the very unglamorous town of Cowley. The classes are more work than she thought, and all the students are younger than her son. But soon Mebel is enjoying the feeling of accomplishment she has mastering the skills. She’s even making friends and even though they’re much younger, she feels truly seen for who she is as an individual apart from her husband.

 

Ms. Mebel was a lot of fun with Ms. Sutanto’s signature humor!  Mebel was a character with her brutal honesty and Chinese grandmother ways, but this was also a touching journey. It was satisfying to see Mebel start over and find joy!

4 Stars

Book Description:

A nearly divorced housewife enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband, only to start questioning the strange antics of her classmates in this new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.

Retirement should mean long-awaited trips to the sapphire waters of Santorini or careening down a sand dune in Dubai. For sixty-three-year-old Mebel, retirement means her husband of more than forty years announcing that he's leaving her for their private chef. Mebel isn’t sure who's the bigger loss.

Not to worry, Mebel has the perfect plan: she’s going to win back her husband. No one knows what he needs better than her—after all, she's been anticipating his needs their whole marriage. And if he wants a wife who can cook (why else would he leave her for a chef?), she will simply go to cooking school. Luckily, class at the renowned Saint Honoré School of Culinary Arts in France starts in just four days!

However, Mebel quickly realizes that her culinary school is not in illustrious Paris but rather in England—and some small village outside of Oxford no less. Despite the less-than-warm welcome from her much younger classmates, Mebel manages to befriend Gemma, the breakout star of the program, who offers to help Mebel on their first day. When Gemma stops showing up to class, Mebel knows she must figure out what—or who—caused her friend’s sudden disappearance. After all, Mebel may not know the first thing about how to cut a potato, but she certainly knows how to identify a fraud, and there’s definitely something fishy going on.

Audiobook Review: A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost

 

A Curse of Beasts and Magic (Beautiful & Beastly #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Publication Date: May 26h 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 361

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 28min

Narrators: Tavia Gilbert

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

At fifteen, Raine lost her family in a brutal attack, and she’s been left with the Beast responsible inhabiting her body. Her job as an ER nurse helps satisfy the Beast’s needs to feed on pain and her patrolling at night for criminals helps as well.

 

Everything changes the night she rescues an elderly man from his attackers and draws the attention of Remy, the Warden tasked with policing magical beings. It’s frightening to find out there’s a whole magical world she wasn’t aware of, but it’s also a relief to find out exactly what she has inside her. Remy helps her get her Beast in control in exchange for helping heal his grandfather and pretending to be his girlfriend.

 

With this arrangement, Raine is dragged into the politics of a magical world she knows nothing about. While there’s a growing romantic relationship between Raine and Remy, she discovers there’s a lot of information he’s holding back. I really liked Raine. She had a strong moral compass and worried over having this powerful entity trapped inside and what it might do to others. She trusts easily, because she assumes the best of people. I think she’s going to be more cautious going forward.

 

A Curse of Beasts and Magic delivers action, romance and dangerous political maneuvering. The final battle is a high‑stakes showdown packed with reveals and consequences that I’m sure will play out in the next book. I’m eager to find out what comes next.

 

I listened to the audio version narrated by Tavia Gilbert. I like her female voices, but the male voices less so. Still, the performance overall made for an enjoyable listen.

4 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this dark fantastical retelling, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone was the sole survivor of a horrific creature while camping. Her account of the attack was attributed to shock, but Raine knows all too well that her story is true because now she carries that same Beast inside her!

She’s been restraining its violent urges by letting it 'feed' on the pain and chaos she’s exposed to as an ER nurse, and by playing vigilante against would-be muggers at night. But when Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal a frail elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack, she opens herself to a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows that the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very thin; he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. He also rules the supernatural creatures living in secret among us. Raine’s Beast makes her an intruder on Remy’s territory, but the elderly gentleman she saved is Remy’s grandfather, and her Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if Raine allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will the dangerous attraction between them turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?