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. 

 

Review: Wolvers by Taylor Brown

Wolvers by Taylor Brown

Publication Date: April 7th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Recorded Books

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 7min

Narrator: Ramiz Monsef

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Trace Temple is bitter after losing his family’s New Mexico ranch, a loss he pins on the protected wolves roaming the land. So, when a local militia hires him to track down and kill One‑Eleven, the famous female wolf who survived her mate’s death and raised her pups against all odds, Trace agrees without hesitation.

 

But the hunt doesn’t go as planned. A run‑in with a mysterious mountain recluse named Horn, followed by a near‑fatal accident, forces Trace to confront the wilderness, his own mortality, and the beliefs. By the time he makes it out, he’s not the same man who went in. His shift in perspective doesn’t sit well with the militia.

 

Unfortunately, walking away isn’t that simple. Trace soon realizes these dangerous men haven’t abandoned their mission, or their grudge. As a new hunter enters the chase, both he and One‑Eleven find themselves in the crosshairs.

 

Wolvers is a compelling blend of thriller and character study, following Trace, the new hunter, and One‑Eleven herself.  Yes, the wolf gets her own POV, and I loved every minute of it! I was rooting for her and her little pack from the very beginning. Trace’s bitterness made sense, but watching him gain clarity, compassion, and even a spark of happiness (there’s a touch of romance) was deeply satisfying, especially as danger closed in around him.

 

The writing is beautiful and atmospheric without slowing the pace. 

 

I alternated between an e-copy and audiobook, and can recommend either format. Narrator Ramiz Monsef was new to me, but he delivered a standout performance, giving each character a distinct voice and emotional weight that heightened the entire experience.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

From the Southern Book Prize winning author of Rednecks: a thrilling novel of pursuit, survival, and redemption between two species in the American Southwest

Broke, dispossessed, and angry at the government after losing his family’s New Mexico ranch, Trace Temple is looking for revenge. He’s living out of his truck when a shadowy militia movement hires him to take down the legendary she-wolf of the Dark Canyon pack, One-Eleven. But One-Eleven is no ordinary wolf. Cunning, fiercely protective of her young, and seasoned in the ways of men, she leads her pack deep into the forbidding desert peaks and canyons, always one step ahead of pursuit.

After a harrowing brush with death in the backcountry, Trace has a change of heart—only to be replaced by a professional hunter and assassin named Murdoch, who ruthlessly pursues his animal quarry while stalking Trace himself.

To survive, Trace must join forces with a pair of unlikely a survivalist animal protector who deploys feral senses and deep wilderness skills to protect the wolves, and Imogen Cruz, a local rancher, childhood friend, and unrequited love of Trace’s early years. Together, they must fight to protect not only themselves and the Dark Canyon pack, but ultimately, the Gila Wilderness itself—the world’s first designated wilderness area.

In Wolvers, award-winning author Taylor Brown presents a suspenseful, thrillingly-written tale set at the burning edge of today’s Southwest, where once-extinct wolves have returned, the land is tinder-dry and fragile, and desperate men seek to reclaim what they believe is theirs to rule.

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 Specimen by Jaima Fixsen

 

The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen

Publication Date: October 15th 2024 by Poisoned Pen Press & Recorded Books

Pages: 416

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 3min

Narrator: Cathleen McCarron

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

It’s 1826 in Edinburgh, Scotland when Isobel’s seven-year-old son, Thomas, goes missing. She’s wild with grief and hounds the police daily, but there’s not sign of him anywhere. Months later, Isobel, at the urging of friends, is attending a museum of morbid curiosities when she starts to hear the beating of Thomas’ heart!

 

The Specimen was suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat as Isobel searches for the truth and stumbles on a way to do it that puts her in danger! I was rooting for her as she uncovered the details and looked for a way to serve up justice! There’s a splash of spine-tingling supernatural here, too!

 

The writing was rich and vivid without sacrificing pace! Don’t miss reading the author’s note at the end which gives a bit of the history of the true story The Specimen was based on and how she came up with the story!

 

I alternately read and listened to The Specimen. The audio was fantastic! Cathleen McCarron’s Scottish accent was wonderful to listen to and there were pronunciations I wouldn’t have got right otherwise. She seamlessly performed both male and female voices. Loved!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Walk carefully, lest you become a part of Dr. Burnett's collection…

1826. Isobel Tait finds herself, by chance, staring at a tiny human heart floating in a jar. It should be of little consequence; Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this, a juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve, is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare, and that Isobel's young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the ailment.

A phantom pulse beats in Isobel's ears. She knows something here isn't right.

Missing persons cases are all too common in Edinburgh, where people simply vanish like mist. But Burnett is obsessed with his specimens – how far would he go to acquire a new one? Determined to investigate, Isobel joins his staff as the keeper of his collection. What she'll unearth, though, is far worse than any of her nightmares…

Based on true crimes, The Specimen is a mesmerizing story about one woman's search for truth and vengeance in the darkest of places—where the deadliest secrets lie hidden in plain sight, on a freshly dusted shelf.

Audiobook Review: Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

 

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

Publication Date: October 24th 2023 by HighBridge/Recorded Books 

Pages: 260

Audio Book Length: 5hrs 39min

Narrator: Jennifer Pickens

Source: Library

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Independent bookstore owner Madeline survived a brutal attack, but her friends weren’t so lucky. They caught her attacker, but Harley Granger, a famous true crime writer/podcaster is in town asking questions. Is Madeline sure Evan acted alone? When a new girl goes missing, Madeline isn’t so sure.

I really enjoyed this mystery and even though I narrowed down the list of suspects, I wasn’t absolutely sure until the end! This is my first time reading Lisa Unger, but won’t be my last!

Three POVs: Madeline, Harley and the new missing girl. I enjoyed all three. Would love more books featuring Harley in more cases!

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed Jennifer Pickens’ performance of both male and female voices. Would definitely listen to her again. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed. The audio is on the shorter side: 5hrs 39min so it’s a fast, exciting listen!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Instead of presents this Christmas, a true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case…

Madeline Martin has built a life for herself as the young owner of a thriving business, The Next Chapter Bookshop, despite her tragic childhood and now needing to care for her infirm father. When Harley Granger, a failed novelist turned true crime podcaster, drifts into her shop in the days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that Madeline would much rather forget. She’s the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, the man who was convicted of murdering her best friend Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also good friends of Madeline’s, who have been missing for nearly a decade. It’s an investigation that has obsessed her father Sheriff James Martin right up until his stroke took his faculties.

Harley Granger has a gift for seeing things that others miss. He wasn’t much of a novelist, but his work as a true crime author and podcaster has earned him fame and wealth—and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Still, visiting Little Valley to be closer to his dying father has caused him to look into a case that many people think is closed—and some want reopened. And he has a lot of questions about the night Stephanie Cramer was killed, Ainsley and Sam Wallace disappeared, and Madeline Martin was left for dead, bleeding out on a riverbank.

Since Evan Handy went to jail, three other young women have gone missing, most recently a young college dropout named Lolly. Five young women missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there some else there that night? Someone who is still satisfying his dark appetites?

As Christmas approaches and a blizzard bears down, Madeline and her childhood friend Badger return to a past they both hoped was dead—to find the missing Lolly and to answer questions that have haunted them both, discovering that the truth is more terrible and much closer to home than they think.

Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling suspenseful plot, Christmas Presents is a chilling seasonal novella that can be enjoyed all year long.

Audiobook Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

 

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros

Publication Date: May 2nd 2023 by Recorded Books

Pages: 498

Audio Book Length: 20hrs 43min

Narrators: Rebecca Soler & Teddy Hamilton

Source: Purchased, library lend

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

I’m not going to give a summary since this has been reviewed a million times, but the hype is real! Finished the audio of Fourth Wing last night and boy was it good! Even my husband loved it. I will say that I think the spicy parts wouldn’t been better if they were shorter, not so long and drawn out, but there weren’t very many, maybe two (?) so it's just a little niggle.

Other than that, the story and pace were top notch! Exciting and action packed with plenty of surprises! Some stories sacrifice emotional depth or character development when there’s a lot of action but that wasn’t the case here! Violet and her friends are well-fleshed out, their fear, joy, anger and longing palpable!

The audio narration was perfection! Rebecca Soler acted her heart out! She made you feel the intensity and urgency of the story as well as a whole range of emotions! Teddy Hamilton performs Xander in the end and he was excellent as well.

I borrowed a library copy and mine was the updated version. I guess there was an issue with the first recording. I also bought a copy since my lend was about to expire and I had to finish the story!

That ending! I wouldn’t say it’s a cliffhanger, more to be continued… but still! I’m eager for the next one!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

Review: Remember Me by Mary Balogh

 

Remember Me (Ravenswood #2) by Mary Balogh

Publication Date: June 20th 2023 by Berkley

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Lady Philippa’s family was disgraced when her father’s infidelity was exposed publicly. She had been about to make her debut, thinking the gossip had died down, but changed her mind when she overhears a visitor refer to her as “spoiled goods” at a country dance. Those words hurt and humiliated her, so Philippa withdrew and refused to be presented in London.

However, four years later her beloved brother Devlin, now the Earl of Stratton after her father’s death, has helped her to see that her choice was ruining her chance at happiness because she wants to marry and have a family of her own. Unfortunately, on her first outing she’s introduced to the very man who uttered those cruel words, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors out there, now looking for a wife, and it seems his family has their heart set on Philippa to fill those shoes.

Lucas wishes he didn’t utter those careless, cruel words and knows he doesn’t deserve Philippa who he’s come to realize is beautiful both inside and out. He had no idea she heard him, or the effect his words would have on her. At the time he was crushed by grief and bitterness. There’s a backstory there that isn’t hard to figure out.

I absolutely loved Lucas and Philippa’s journey! They were complex, multi-layered characters and I felt their emotions: anger, regret, longing, and joy right along with them.  It was clear they were a love match, but they had to figure it out for themselves, and reconcile the past. They had the “help” of Lucas’ bull-headed grandfather. I had to laugh at the old curmudgeon, and it was hard not to be won over by his well-meant scheming. Really, both families were so lovely!

Remember Me is the second book of the Ravenswood series, but I don’t think it’s completely necessary to read the first book as the events from the last book are touched on. However, I think you’d appreciate the story more by starting with the last book. Both are a total recommend!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Can Lady Philippa Ware forgive the man who once shattered all her youthful dreams? Discover the passionate and heartwarming new novel on the redemptive power of love from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.

Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa's hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father's identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year.

The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister's new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: "Remember me?" And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry--even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants.

Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love.

Photo credit: Sharon Pelletier

About the author:

Mary Balogh has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series. Learn more online at www.marybalogh.com. 

 

Review: In Isabeau's Eyes by Lora Leigh

In Isabeau's Eyes (Kentucky Nights #1) by Lora Leigh

Publication Date: March 21st 2023 by Berkley & Recorded Books

Pages: 288

Audiobook Length: 9hrs 24min

Narrator: Manxie Hardy

Source: Publisher & Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Isabeau Boudreaux lost her sight at fifteen when her parents were killed in an apparent murder suicide and she was shot in the process. However, her eyesight and memories have slowly been coming back, and she’s beginning to think the story she was told may not be the truth.  Especially since there’s been several “accidents” where she narrowly escaped with her life over the years. 

In the latest attempt on her life, her friend Angel is almost killed as well, and Angel’s brother Tracker is furious. He’s sure all the past “accidents” are attempts on Isabeau’s life and he’s determined to find the person behind it all.

In Isabeau’s Eyes is a quick action-packed read, full of danger and passion! I really liked Isabeau, she was level headed, thought of others, and had some backbone. Tracker was fun too. Total alpha male sort of caveman. I did like that he did consider Isabeau’s feelings and choices even though he came off as bossy. There were a lot of sizzling encounters! Lots of hot stuff.

Even though this is the first in the Kentucky Nights series, there are a lot of characters I wasn’t familiar with that probably had their stories in previous books. I still enjoyed Isabeau and Tracker’s story, which wraps up. I’m thinking Tracker’s brother Chance will get his own story in the next book and I look forward to it.

I alternated between and e-copy and the audio version and recommend either version. Manxie Hardy is a new-to-me narrator. I really enjoyed her performance of all voices! She had a sultry, smooth voice and gave just a hint of a Southern accent that felt spot on for the characters. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

The first novel in a new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh—you've met the Mackays; now it's time to meet their friends.

Danger is stalking Isabeau Boudreaux. After the deaths of her parents ten years ago during a violent attack that left her blind, remnants of her vision are returning. But a series of accidents has convinced her friends the Mackays of Somerset, Kentucky, that someone wants her dead. When a roadside blowout proves to be almost fatal for Isabeau and her good friend Angel, Angel’s brother mercenary Tracker Calloway knows this was no accident.

After a particularly bloody job, the last thing Tracker wants to do is get involved. But whoever is after Isabeau almost hurt his sister, and Isabeau is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Tracker is determined to protect her but knows staying away from Isabeau is impossible. He begins a steady seduction to tempt the innocent woman into a world of hunger like she could have never imagined. And keeping her is the only option—if he can save her from an unknown enemy as her sight begins to slowly return.