Audiobook Review: The Missing Couple by Debra Webb

 

The Missing Couple by Debra Webb

Publication Date: July 28th 2026 by Harlequin Audio

Pages: 220

Audio Book Length: 6hrs 9min

Narrator: Megan Tusing

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Charly discovers that a newlywed couple hasn’t checked out of one of her cabins in her rustic retreat in the Alabama woods. It’s odd because they’ve left everything, even their cell phones.

 

Billie Jager, an investigator for the Colby Agency and the brother of Briana, the missing woman, comes immediately when Charly reveals the details of their disappearance. Charly and Billie work together as Charly has connections with her small town and Billie has the expertise to narrow down the suspect list. There’s a spark of attraction between them, but that goes on the back burner given the urgency of the situation.

 

The motive behind the abduction of Briana and Martin quickly becomes apparent and it seems the crime connects with past disappearances and there’s a few in town that keep popping up as they look into the circumstances of the missing persons. There was no shortage of suspects.

 

I listened to this audio straight through. I was on the edge worried for the missing couple and hoping they’d be found unharmed. I liked how well Charly and Billie worked together and the methodical way they searched for the truth. The ending was an exciting one filled with reveals and danger!

 

I listened to the audio version and I thought Megan Tusing did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. She performed both male and female characters seamlessly with appropriate emotions enhancing my enjoyment of this exciting mystery!

4 Stars

Book Description:

In a small town...they uncover shocking secrets.


Charly Nix could lose everything when her rustic Alabama retreat is rocked by a missing persons scandal. When Colby agent Billie Jagger arrives to help Charly search for the newlywed couple who have disappeared, the stakes intensify when he reveals that it’s his beloved sister who’s missing. And he’ll stop at nothing to find her. But as he and Charly investigate, their solo MOs develop into a partnership with feelings neither expected. Most alarming, the couple’s disappearance may be related to decades of other unsolved crimes in the quiet small town. Can they rescue Briana and Martin — before they’re gone for good?

Review: Devil's Due (Red Letter Days #2) by Rachel Caine

 

Devil's Due (Red Letter Days #2) by Rachel Caine

Publication Date: February 1st 2013 by MIRA

Pages: 329

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Lucia Garza and Jazz Callender, both with law enforcement backgrounds, started up a PI firm with the financial backing of a mysterious organization, The Cross Society. Of course, there are strings. They have to commit to drop everything if they receive a red envelope and follow its instructions. They seem to be acting on some sort of precognitive information from this society, and they do help avert some terrible tragedies, but it seems the organization doesn’t mind letting innocents die for “the greater good”. When Lucia and Jazz start to push back and question their assignments, things turn dangerous! Thankfully, both women are smart and have support as they go up against two powerful organizations.

 

I read the first book, Devil’s Bargain, back in 2013, grabbed up the second book and then never read it! I had hazy recollections but remembered more and more as I kept reading. There’s a bit of a sci-fi/fantasy element with the nature of The Cross Society’s mission.

 

Devil’s Due was an entertaining combination of action, danger, romance with two kick-butt female leads at the center! This series ended up being a duology, as the story wrapped up nicely by the end. Both books are now available through Kindle Unlimited.

4 Stars

Book Description:

The New York Times–bestselling author of Devil’s Bargain brings back two kick-ass female private investigators in a case of premonitions and peril.
 
While Jazz Callender is recuperating from nearly losing her life during their first case for the mysterious Cross Society, Lucia Garza hires a new investigator to their none other than Ben McCarthy. The former Kansas City cop has finally been exonerated of murder, and just in time. Jazz and Lucia have received a new red letter. 
 
But instead of instructions for a high-priority case, this missive contains nothing but a “One of you has made a mistake.” And it’s on letterhead from the Cross Society’s major adversary in a psychic war. With Ben filling them in on his past secretive dealings with the organization, Jazz and Lucia start to believe they may be in bed with the enemy, one that they’ve underestimated at their own peril . . . 

Review: The Dead Come to Stay by Brandy Schillace

 

The Dead Come to Stay (Ardemore House #2) by Brandy Schillace

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by Hanover Square Press & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 368

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 26mins

Narrator: Imogen Church

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

After the events of the last book, Jo Jones is settling into Yorkshire in the cottage on Ardemore. The Jekyll Gardens on the estate are about to open and Jo is still investigating the mystery of her ancestors, but that doesn’t pay the bills, so she’s refurbished the attic space to rent out. However, the first booking doesn’t go as planned and a body turns up right before the Jekyll Garden opening.

 

Detective James MacAdams is called in to investigate this puzzling murder and isn’t surprised when he finds a connection between Jo and the victim.

 

Jo’s memory for detail comes in handy with the murder investigation, but she’s more involved with the mystery of her ancestors and the history between Jo’s mother and uncle. She gets more background from an unexpected source revealing information her mother never shared.

 

The Dead Come to Stay was another fun cozy murder mystery and I enjoyed seeing the relationships solidify and deepen. It was nice for Jo to get some answers and closure, as well.

 

I alternately read and listened to the audio version. I enjoyed Imogen Church’s performance of the female characters, but some of the male voices sounded stuffy and silly. Maybe it was to convey a bit of humor? Even so, I enjoyed the audio version overall.

4 Stars

Book Description:

A delightful new cozy crime novel from the award-winning author of the "twisty, engaging, and thoroughly unexpected" (Deanna Raybourne) The Framed Women of Ardemore House

An amateur autistic sleuth. A wry English detective. A murder case that thrusts them both into the wealthy world of the rare artifacts trade...

Jo Jones can't seem to catch a break. Trading in city life for the cozy, peaceful hills of North Yorkshire to take over her family estate should have been a chance for a "fresh start.” Instead, she's been driven further into the past than she thought possible -- and not just her own. The estate property is littered with traces of ancestors that Jo never knew existed, including the mysterious woman in a half-destroyed painting – and hints about Jo's late uncle, who may hold the key to her cryptic family history. Then there’s the gossipy town politics Jo must constantly navigate as a neurodivergent transplanted American… And of course, the whole murder business.

When prickly town detective James MacAdams discovers a body in the moors with coincidental ties to Jo Jones, they're forced to team up on the case. The clues will lead them into the wealthiest locales of Yorkshire, from sparkling glass hotels to luxury property sites to elite country clubs. But below the glittering surfaces, Jo and MacAdams discover darker schemes brewing. Local teens, many of them international refugees, are disappearing left and right, and each case is somehow linked to a shady architectural firm -- which also happened to employ the dead man from the moor-side ditch.

What begins as  bizarre murder case quickly plunges them both into the black market world of rare artifacts and antique trading... and a murderer who will do anything to cover it up.

About the author:

BRANDY SCHILLACE is the author of several works of nonfiction, including Mr. Humble and Dr. Butcher. She is the creator of Peculiar Book Club, a twice-monthly live-streamed YouTube show. A former professor of English and gothic literature, she writes about gender politics and history, medical mystery, and neurodiversity for outlets such as Scientific American, Wired, CrimeReads, and Medium. She is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation.

Connect with Brandy Schillace:

Website | BlueSky | YouTube | Facebook

Review: The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

 

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by Canary Street Press & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 7mins

Narrator: Vanessa Johansson

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

The Lost Book of First Loves was a moving, feel-good story of friendship and found family with a bit of romance mixed in!

 

Still reeling from the death of her beloved father, Carson Wells, a famous literary author, Alison is informed from a DNA search that she has a sister, Juniper Connolly. Why didn’t her father tell her?

 

In order to get to know her sister and tell her their connection, Alison takes an internship at Juniper’s company, but before Alison shares her bombshell, Juniper collapses. Alison suggests she recuperate at her ranch, The Painted Sky in Bridger, Wyoming.

 

Juniper’s reeling from the shock of what happened and isn’t sure why Alison would make such an offer.  However, the sound of recovering at the ranch of the late Carson Wells, a favorite author, is too good to pass up. She strikes up a reluctant friendship with another rancher, Beckett Hunter.

 

Alison needs to figure out how to tell Juniper and study for the bar exam, when she’s not sure she wants to be a lawyer. And then there’s Xander Scott, her best friend who’s back in town. Alison’s feelings for him are complex.

 

Both Alison and Juniper were at a crossroads in their life. I was invested in their journey, as they sorted out the mystery of the past and what they wanted for the future. I soaked in the gorgeous mountain setting, which was almost a character in itself!

 

I alternately read and listened to The Lost Book of First Loves and recommend either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Vanessa Johansson’s narration in the past and she did a wonderful job bringing all the characters to life!

4 Stars

Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne comes a brand-new story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything…

Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Allison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister that she’s never heard about before, it’s clear there are things her father never told her before he died. Determined to meet Juniper—her half sister—and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper’s intern. She’ll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next…

Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy…until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new—and recently fired—intern to thank for saving her life. It’s clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives in the small town, her life will never be the same.

Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they'll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters. 

Review: The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

 

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

Publication Date: September 17th 2024 by MIRA

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harper Collins | Bookshop.org | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

I absolutely LOVED The Banned Books Club! I had been picking up and setting aside several books, none capturing my attention and then I started it and was hooked from the very first page!

 

Gia loved reading, part of that passion was ignited by her favorite teacher, Mr. Hart, but then he crossed boundaries. Gia reported him and things changed when he lost his job. Some believed Gia and some believed Mr. Hart and so Gia left town after graduating and rarely came to visit. However, she can’t avoid her hometown anymore since her mother is losing her battle with cancer and Gia doesn’t want to miss the precious time she has left with her. Plus, her sister Margot has appealed to Gia to come back and help, which is uncharacteristic. Gia’s worried something’s off with her sister, but Margot is mum on the subject.

 

Margot has her own story, and I was worried for her! She was clearly in danger, and I wondered how it would be resolved!

The Banned Books Club was part romance, and that was a messy situation but so good! It was also emotional on so many levels and suspenseful with a situation that had me on the edge of my seat! I started the story and read straight through in one day! Five stars all the way!

5 Stars

Book Description:

For fans of Elin Hilderbrand, a riveting exploration of family, sisterhood, and the transformative power of literature. When two sisters, one a free spirit at the helm of a rebellious book club, the other a conventional woman locked in the clutches of an unhappy marriage are forced into a reluctant reunion by their mother's illness, they must confront past ghosts that rock the entire community.

Gia Rossi was considered a bit of a rebel in her small hometown of Wakefield, Iowa ever since she challenged the gaggle of well-meaning but misguided women from the PTA who’d insisted the high school English department, drop a number of "controversial" titles from the reading list. Gia had expected her favorite teacher to stand up for the books she loved by explaining why they were so important. Instead, just to avoid a fight, he’d caved in immediately, which was what had incited her to start The Banned Books Club.

That was the first time Mr. Hart had let her down, but it wouldn’t be the last. Because of him she left her hometown when she turned eighteen and graduated. But now, with her sister begging her to return home due to their mother's failing health, Gia will come face to face with the beloved teacher who was fired after she reported him for sexual misconduct. Gia's return has the town divided between those who believe her and those who believe she ruined Mr. Hart's life. Even members of her beloved book club--who've continued to meet virtually over the years--aren't sure who to believe.

Gia's homecoming dredges up a lot of pain from her past. Her relationship with her sister has always been strained but there's no denying that Margot has taken on the burden of caring for their mother and now it's Gia's turn to help. She's grateful to have the time with her mother and to come to terms with what happened to her in high school. What she doesn't expect is for her sister to use Gia's arrival as the opportunity to pack up her kids and leave town to escape her emotionally abusive husband. With the support of an unlikely ally, Gia is able to prove that Mr. Hart really was to blame for his own downfall, supports her mother and her sister when they need her most and finds love and a future in the town she thought rejected her.

Photo Credit: Rudy Meyers Photography

Author Bio: 

Brenda Novak, a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, has penned over sixty novels. She is a five-time nominee for the RITA Award and has won the National Reader's Choice, the Bookseller's Best, the Bookbuyer's Best, and many other awards. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.5 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com. 

Connect with Brenda Novak:

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: 15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne

 

15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne

Publication Date: June 18th 2024 by Canary Street Press

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Ava and Madison survived and escaped a cult/prepper group when they were teenagers. Both have moved on, but Ava’s book detailing the experience brings unwelcome attention and Madison is furious. Why would Ava write this book? Ava’s not comfortable with sharing the past either, so I wasn’t sure why she wrote the book, but all is revealed as the story goes on.

 

Madison sustained lasting physical damage but has worked hard to overcome her trauma. I loved that her main focus in life was helping animals by running a rescue shelter.  Ava’s book has become a national best seller, but she’s put her book tour off because her marriage is in trouble. She needs time back home to lick her wounds and figure out what to do next.

 

The sisters really had a traumatic experience, and it was lucky they had each other to help them get through it and survive the escape! My heart went out to them, and I was enraged over how they came to be in the situation in the first place!

 

15 Summers Later was part romance, with Madison finding love and Ava sorting out her marriage-in-crisis, and part women’s fiction with the sisters reconciling the past and mending their relationship. I adored every minute!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

15 summers ago, everything changed…

Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a secret from her past—the truth of what happened to her and her sister all those years ago—that he’d walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move on with the only person who can truly understand…

Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals every day, and she’s in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But she can’t ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back?

With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have built for themselves, the Howell sisters’ reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their futures, they must face the demons of their past together.

Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan

 

The Sumer Swap by Sarah Morgan

Publication Date: May 7th 2024 by Canary Street Press

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin | Bookshop.org| Books-A-Million | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Loved The Summer Swap! Three women, all at a low in their lives: Cecilia, who’s lived in the shadow of her husband throughout their marriage is now widowed. She has mixed emotions about her loss and how she’ll move on.  Kristen, Cecelia’s daughter, is grieving her father and lonely in her marriage. Kristen has been there for her husband, but he doesn’t make it a priority to be there for her.  Lily, a young woman overwhelmed by the pressure to become a doctor, drops out of college, escaping to Cape Cod where she runs into Cecilia at Dune Cottage.

Cecilia and Lily strike up an unexpected friendship providing support and a listening ear. Cecilia’s reconciling the past and Lily’s figuring out what to do about her future. I was thrilled there was a second chance romance for both Lily and Cecilia! Even though I wasn’t thrilled with Kristen at the beginning, my heart when out to her as all was revealed.

I absolutely loved everything about The Summer Swap! Finding a way to find the courage to grab up happiness and do what you love, no matter your age. Dune Cottage and Cape Code sounded idyllic and a perfect place to start fresh!

4.5 Stars

Excerpt:

 

Book Description:

A recent widow’s plan to spend the summer in Cape Cod hiding from her interfering family is upended when she discovers her beach house has an unexpected guest, and the secret she's been keeping about her marriage threatens to be exposed. Perfect beach reading for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emily Henry.

70 year old widow Cecilia Lapthorne can’t bear the prospect of a family party to celebrate her birthday and the memory of her husband, famous artist Cameron Lapthorne. They had a toxic marriage but stayed together for the children, and bound by a big secret. She runs away to the Cape Cod seashore cottage she owned with Cameron--it’s where they first fell in love--but she hasn’t returned since she discovered him cheating on her there (for the first time). No one in her family knows about it, so she will be perfectly, delightfully alone for the summer.

Except struggling artist Lily has been secretly crashing on the sofa of the seashore cottage for the last couple of weeks. Unable to make rent after dropping out of medical school to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist and working as a housekeeper in Cecilia's Cape Cod enclave,

Photo Credit: Ev Sekkides

Author Bio:

Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary romance and women's fiction. She has sold more than 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives with her family near London, England, where the rain frequently keeps her trapped in her office. Visit her at www.sarahmorgan.com

Connect with Sarah Morgan:

Website | X | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads 

Blog Tour Review: Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Publication Date: March 26th 2024 by Park Row

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookbub | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Five contestants: Maire “The Best Friend” a mother of two young girls, barely scraping by, Camille “The Confidant” a psychiatrist, Richard “The Senator” a retired senator, Samuel “The Boyfriend” a prosecutor and “The Executive” are all invited to compete for $10 Million Dollars in a reality TV show. Locked away from the world on a beautiful winery in Napa Valley. They arrive and it’s quickly apparent that things are not as they seem, but they’re all intent on winning, each for their own reasons. As the game plays out snippets from the past come to light, secrets the contestants do not want revealed.

Everyone is Watching was a page-turner! While the plot was a little predictable, I wanted to find out how it’d all turn out. I was rooting for several characters, but there were a few I wanted to pay for their actions! It’s hard to write much without spoiling things, but I will say it was an entertaining, popcorn thriller!

4 Stars

 

Excerpt:

Book Description:

The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.

When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…

 

Photo Credit: Kate Cousins Photography

Author Bio: 

Heather Gudenkauf is the critically acclaimed author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Weight of Silence and The Overnight Guest. She lives in Iowa with her husband and children.

Review: Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink

 

Trapped in Yosemite by Dana Mentink

Publication Date: February 27th 2024 by Harlequin Love Inspired Trade

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Stella’s in Yosemite to meet up with a client claiming to have tree damage. As a new arborist she’s eager for the job. However, when she shows up things don’t add up. Shots are fired and Stella runs for her life. Running into her ex-fiancé, Von Sharpe, is a shock, but all this must be put on the back burner when a major earthquake strikes. Stella is stunned both by the shooting and earthquake and beyond worried about her baby, Hannah, staying with her aunt.

Von Sharpe, an ex-military K-9 handler, is shocked when he comes upon his ex-fiancée on the side of the road, but answers can wait until they get to safety and escape the dangers caused by the massive earthquake. Landslides, flooding, sinkholes, not to mention a storm rolling in.

Trapped in Yosemite was an action-packed read with a lot of moving parts. A massive earthquake, a shooter in pursuit, and a desperate mother determined to reach her baby daughter in all the chaos. There’s also the drama of Stella and Von’s broken engagement and resultant pregnancy, something Von didn’t know about. Stella and Von’s romance had imploded previously because of immaturity and outside tragic events. I liked seeing them work out things as they tried to survive.

This mystery/romance/thriller is Christian Fiction, so faith and reliance on God is mentioned, but I didn’t find it overwhelming or preachy. More of an inspirational feature in the story. I loved that it was set in Yosemite, a place I’ve visited and hiked through multiple times. Being a native Californian I could easily picture the destruction brought on by the earthquake and aftershocks! The constant attempts on Stella’s life were a mystery and one I was eager to figure out!

4 Stars

Book Description:

When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…

The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake. 

When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.

Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…