Review: The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick

 

The Bride Wore White (Burning Cove #7) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 2nd 2023 by Berkley Books

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Prudence Ryland makes her living interpreting dreams for her clients, but pressure from a rich, determined client has her making plans to leave town and pursue other avenues of employment. However, a bad session with a client has her packing up sooner than she planned and moving to Southern California under a different identity. Thing go from bad to worse when she’s drugged and kidnapped, waking up in the hotel room of a dead man, wearing a wedding dress drenched in his blood. Who could be behind this obvious ploy to set her up to take the fall for a murder she didn’t commit?  She manages to escape unnoticed but knows she must seek help before her situation escalates further.

Prudence reaches out to Luther Pell, a man with a reputation for fixing problems, for help. Luther and his associate Jack Wingate take on her case and arrange for Prudence to stay with Jack as his personal “psychic dream consultant” and splash it all over the gossip channels to lure the killer out. Jack Wingate believes most in the psychic business to be frauds and con artists, but something about Prudence intrigues him. Jack rubs Prudence the wrong way and so their pairing has some fun verbal sparring, with sparks of attraction flying between them.

The story is set in the fictional town of Burning Cove, California, a beautiful coastal retreat for the rich and famous back in the days of glamorous, old Hollywood. It’s a magical time period to be immersed in and Ms. Quick captures it beautifully.

The Bride Wore White was an entertaining historical mystery containing a bit of a paranormal aspect and a dash of romance.  Action, thrills, and a bit of danger kept me turning the pages to see how it all worked out! This is the seventh installment in the Burning Cove mystery series, but it’s not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this one. Each has its own mystery and couple it focuses on.

4 Stars

Book Description:

A psychic desperate to escape her destiny—and a killer—finds her future in the coastal town of Burning Cove in New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick’s latest novel.

Being Madame Ariadne, Psychic Dream Consultant, wasn’t Prudence Ryland’s ideal gig, but it paid well which was reason enough to do the work—until she realizes that her latest client intends to kill her. But Prudence, a master at reinvention, finds a new job and home as far away as possible and is finally able to relax—which turns out to be a big mistake. Letting her guard down means being kidnapped and drugged and waking up in a bloodstained wedding dress in the honeymoon suite next to a dead man. With the press outside the hotel, waiting with their cameras and police sirens in the distance, it’s obvious she’s being framed for the man’s murder. Prudence knows who is responsible, but will anyone believe her?

It doesn’t seem likely that rumored crime boss Luther Pell or his associate, Jack Wingate, believe her seemingly outrageous claims of being a target of a ruthless vendetta. In fact, Prudence is convinced that the mysterious Mr. Wingate believes her to be a fraud at best, and at worst: a murderer. And Jack Wingate does seem to be someone intimately familiar with violence, if going by his scarred face and grim expression. So no one is more shocked than Prudence when Jack says he’ll help her. Of course, his ideas for helping her involve using her as the bait for a killer, but Prudence feels oddly safe with Jack protecting her. But who will protect Prudence from her growing fascination with this enigma of a man?

Photo Credit: Marc von Borstel

About the author:

Amanda Quick is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author, under various pen names, of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print. She is also the author of the Ladies of Lantern Street novels and the Arcane Society series. Learn more online at www.jayneannkrentz.com.

Romantic Suspense/Mystery Book Giveaway!

 Hello readers! I'm listing another giveaway because my bookshelves only have so much room!

I loved all three of these stories! I've linked them to my reviews.  

All are hardcover:

Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner (I accidently bought 2 copies!!)

Sweetwater & the Witch by Jayne Castle

When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

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Review: When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

 

When She Dreams (Burning Cove #6) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 3rd 2022 by Berkley

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Maggie Lodge hires Sam Sage, a private detective to help to find the person trying to blackmail her employer, the woman behind the Aunt Cornelia advice column. Their quest takes them to the glamorous town of Burning Cove, the hot getaway destination of the rich and famous and where Maggie runs into a dangerous man from her past. Sam and Maggie may butt heads a few times at the start of their investigation, but they quickly come to respect each other’s strengths and talents as they get to know each other, and an attraction builds between them.

As with the previous stories, there’s a bit of a paranormal element. Lucid dreaming for Maggie and Sam with his uncanny intuition.

The Burning Cove mysteries are delightfully entertaining!  The 1930s time period is vividly portrayed: art deco, dressing up for dinner, dancing and cocktails, and old Hollywood glamour. Danger, thrills, and romance made for a fast addictive story, easy to fly right through. When She Dreams is book six in the series, but each book can be read as a standalone with a unique mystery and romance.  

4 Stars

Book Description:

Return to 1930s Burning Cove, California, the glamorous seaside playground for Hollywood stars, mobsters, spies, and a host of others who find more than they bargain for in this mysterious town.

Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client, but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.
 
In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams—dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.
 
When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

 

Photo Credit: Marc von Borstel

About the author:

Amanda Quick is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author, under various pen names, of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print. She is also the author of the Ladies of Lantern Street novels and the Arcane Society series.

Review & Giveaway: The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick

The Lady Has a Past (Burning Cove #5) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 4th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

After realizing her father will never let her run the family’s shipping business and a failed engagement, Lyra Brazier is trying her hand at private investigation in Burning Cove, California. It quickly becomes apparent that Lyra has a knack for investigating as she has an uncanny way of getting people to talk to her.

Lyra’s thrown into the thick of things when her boss, Raina Kirk, proclaims she must leave town to take care of some personal business. Raina disappears and Lyra knows she must find her. Luther Pell, Raina’s powerful and mysterious gentleman friend, insists on joining in the investigation and sending Simon Cage with Lyra to the fancy spa resort Raina has reportedly ran off to.

Simon has his own special abilities, even though officially he’s an antique book dealer, he secretly works with Luther in his clandestine investigation/solution business.  Lyra and Simon pose as newlyweds and check in, noting right away things are not as they seem and Raina’s nowhere to be found.

At first Lyra and Simon knock heads and don’t get along, but they must put aside their differences to get to the bottom of Raina’s disappearance. Gradually, Simon and Lyra form a begrudging respect for each other’s talents and can’t help the irresistible pull of attraction they feel.  Dodging danger, and the intense situation they find themselves thrown into mean they have to focus on finding Raina and trying to stay alive, but they do manage to steal away for a few steamy encounters!

There’s an undercurrent of danger and I was worried for both Lyra and Raina! I appreciated that the drama and conflict in the story didn’t come from the relationship woes, but instead the mystery Lyra and Simon are trying to solve. Luther and Raina’s (side characters that have shown up in previous books) relationship features prominently, too.

The Lady Has a Past is set in the town of Burning Cove in the 1930’s, where the rich and famous come to relax and be seen. I’ve enjoyed the beautiful coastal setting and peek into the glamourous past depicted here! Danger, thrills, mystery, and romance combine for an exciting story! It was easy to breeze right through while enjoying this by-gone era. While there are some returning characters, each story in the series can be read as a standalone.

 4 Stars

Book Description:

Beauty and glamour meet deception and revenge in this electrifying novel by New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick.

Investigative apprentice Lyra Brazier, the newest resident of Burning Cove, is unsettled when her boss suddenly goes on a health retreat at an exclusive spa and disappears without another word. Lyra knows something has happened to Raina Kirk, and she is the only one who can track her down. The health spa is known for its luxurious offerings and prestigious clientele, and the wealthy, socialite background Lyra desperately wanted to leave behind is perfect for this undercover job. The agency brings in a partner and bodyguard for her, but she doesn't get the suave, pistol-packing private eye she expected.

Simon Cage is a mild-mannered antiquarian book dealer with a quiet, academic air, and Lyra can't figure out why he was chosen as her partner. But it soon becomes clear when they arrive at the spa and pose as a couple: Simon has a unique gift that allows him to detect secrets, a skill that is crucial in finding Raina.

The unlikely duo falls down a rabbit hole of twisted rumors and missing socialites, discovering that the health spa is a façade for something far darker than they imagined. With a murderer in their midst, Raina isn't the only one in grave danger—Lyra is next.

The lovely people of Berkley have provided a Hardcover Copy of The Lady Has a Past and I've decided to give it away to one lucky reader! The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

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Review: Close Up by Amanda Quick

Close Up (Burning Cove #4) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 5th 2020 by Berkley
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher
Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills.

After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims—details that only another photographer would have noticed—details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.

Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it—his curse—along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse—all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders.

My Thoughts:

Vivian Brazier was born to a wealthy, well-connected family, and left a life of luxury to pursue her dreams of becoming a photographic artist.  Her parents were not pleased with her decision so she’s on her own trying to make her way in the coastal town of Adelina Beach in California. To supplement her income Vivian snaps photos of crime scenes, and one in particular sets her on edge: the victims of the Dagger Killer. This killer poses the victims is such a way that makes Vivian think this murderer has a background in photography.  As if this isn’t strange enough Nick Sundridge, a private investigator, shows up on her door saying he’s been hired to be her bodyguard after information comes out that names Vivian as the target of a deranged killer.

I’ve really enjoyed the Burning Cove series! Set in the 1930s on the California Pacific Coast, Burning Cove is a resort/hotel that caters to the rich and famous. It’s a town described with the beauty of Big Sur or Carmel: cliffs with breathtaking views of the Pacific with the added enticing feel of Old Hollywood.

I loved Vivian! She was a strong, clever woman, and she never seemed to let life’s setbacks get her down or derail her from her goals.  Nick and Vivian’s chemistry was palpable from their first meet, and of course working together closely their romance turns from attraction to more quickly.

 The initial call to Vivian’s aid was made in conjunction with a supernatural lead, and I liked this bit of paranormal element added to the story. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, keeping my attention firmly focused on the story unfolding!

Close Up is the fourth installment in the Burning Cove series, but you don’t have to read the previous stories to enjoy it.  Each book is a separate mystery/romance that wraps up nicely. I’ve read several books by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) and this is my favorite series by her.

4 Suns

Review: Tightrope by Amanda Quick

Tightrope (Burning Cove #3) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 7th 2019 by Berkley

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

An unconventional woman and a man shrouded in mystery walk a tightrope of desire as they race against a killer to find a top secret invention before it's too late.

Former trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn moved to Burning Cove to reinvent herself, but things are not going well. After spending her entire inheritance on a mansion with the intention of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast, she learns too late that the villa is said to be cursed. When the first guest, Dr. Norman Pickwell, is murdered by his robot invention during a sold-out demonstration, rumors circulate that the curse is real.

In the chaotic aftermath of the spectacle, Amalie watches as a stranger from the audience disappears behind the curtain. When Matthias Jones reappears, he is slipping a gun into a concealed holster. It looks like the gossip that is swirling around him is true--Matthias evidently does have connections to the criminal underworld.

Matthias is on the trail of a groundbreaking prototype cipher machine. He suspects that Pickwell stole the device and planned to sell it. But now Pickwell is dead and the machine has vanished. When Matthias's investigation leads him to Amalie's front door, the attraction between them is intense, but she knows it is also dangerous. Amalie and Matthias must decide if they can trust each other and the passion that binds them, because time is running out.

My Thoughts:

Amalie came from a family of flying trapeze artists but quit the profession when a crazed man almost took her life.  An exciting opening to a thrilling story!  Deranged murderers, spies, espionage, non-stop action and romance makes this tale difficult to put down!

Amalie now resides in Burning Cove after buying a beautiful mansion with the intension of using it as a glamourous inn to house the rich and famous who’d like to get away.  She got the mansion for a song, not before finding out about the rumors that it’s supposedly cursed.  Her first guest, a famed inventor, is murdered, fueling the speculation.  Enter Matthias Jones a man supposedly connected to the mob asking a lot of questions, and not giving a lot of answers.  Amalie is damned if the inventor’s murder is going to put her out of business and inserts herself into Matthias’ investigations. 

Amalie and Matthias dodge danger at every turn, and the intensity quickly bonds them making the attraction they’ve felt from the start ignite, turning into a fierce passion!  I loved their chemistry and was happy that almost none of the conflict or drama came from their developing romance.

Loved the setting of Burning Cove, a fictional California coastal town set in the 1930s. A picturesque getaway for the rich and famous.  The winding seaside cliffs overlooking the gorgeous Pacific Ocean reminds me of Big Sur, Monterey or Carmel, but with a bit more old-Hollywood glitz. This is the third installment in the Burning Cove series, but each can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.  While Amalie and Matthias’ romance wrapped up nicely there was a little discovery that hinted there’s more to come, but maybe focused on another couple?  I look forward to it!

4 Suns