The Slow Burn of Silence by Loreth Anne White

Title: The Slow Burn of Silence

Series: Snowy Creek #1

Author: Loreth Anne White

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Release Date: June 24, 2014

From the crossroads of small town mystery and dark suspense comes a romance that explores the bonds of family, the power of love, and the potentially explosive collateral damage of the secrets we keep... Sometimes a contract to forget can be as powerful as a promise to remember...

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An ex-con, wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime, returns to a small mountain town determined to prove his innocence, reclaim the heart of the woman who helped put him behind bars, and win back the right to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. But his arrival stirs up dark secrets and re-ignites a fierce and consuming passion that just might get the woman he loves, and his child, killed.

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Nine years ago Rachel Salonen and Jeb Cullen were soul mates--deeply, irrevocably in love. Until the night two young women went missing from a party in the woods. One was found raped, beaten and pregnant with no memory of what happened. The other is still missing. A small mountain community was torn apart and a young relationship shattered when nineteen-year-old Jeb was arrested for the heinous crime, and Rachel was forced to help put the man she loved behind bars. Now, nine years later, Rachel believes she's finally put the past to rest when her sister dies suddenly in a fire and she's made guardian of her adopted niece. A child, she learns, who was conceived that terrible night of violence, a child whose DNA was used to convict Jeb. And when Jeb is unexpectedly released from max security, Rachel sees that the past has only just begun... ... Because Jeb has come straight home to Snowy Creek. To prove his innocence, reclaim his life, his home. And to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. A daughter Rachel will do anything to protect. And when the town turns violently on Jeb, Rachel will once again be forced to take sides. This time she chooses with her heart. But her decision could cost everything she holds dear--including her niece's life. Because someone in town will do anything to keep the truth buried...even kill.

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A suspenseful winner!

Nine Years ago, Jeb Cullen went to prison for the rape of one woman and the disappearance of another one. The survivor lost her memory of the events during the attack but she became pregnant with his child, Quinn. Jeb always claimed he was innocent. He admitted he had a consensual sexual encounter with Amy Findlay but he remembers driving Amy and her friend, Merilee Zukanov in his car to an intersection, and then the women asked him to let them out, which he was happy to do. He remembers driving away,  getting to his house and then crashing on his bed until the next day.

Jeb's girlfriend at that time, Rachel Salonen, didn't believe him. She and the testimony of four other men sealed Jeb's future. He was sent to prison. Now, Jeb has been let go on a technicality and he's back in Snowy Creek to set the record straight. He wants his daughter back and to get her, he needs to prove his innocence. He knows those four men lied but he doesn't know why. He's back to rattle some cages and get to the bottom of the events that occurred during that awful night. 

As a fan of Loreth Anne White, I might be biased but I thought The Slow Burn of Silence was just one huge success. From the very beginning to the last page, this reader couldn't get enough. There was so much suspense and you never knew who was going to attack next. In the last few chapters, it was aa delight to see all the dominoes falling. 

Of note, even though, this book says it's a part of a series, I could only find one. I wonder if she's ever going to revisit some of the characters who were left in this one. I believe she has plenty of material to go back and write about Annie Pirello.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

Title:  Head Over Heels

Author: Hannah Orenstein

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: June 23, 2020

The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri.

Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she’s surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine.

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I was excited to read about this gymnastics' romance. I've always liked watching gymnastics during the Olympics. 

I remember when I was a kid, listening to the name Nadia Comăneci so many times. She was a true treasure. I remember watching her routines and to me, they felt flawless. I did gymnastics as a kid but don't remember much now about it. If I tried it now, I probably break something. 

The Olympics has always been something I enjoy and look forward to. I also enjoy movies about it, Hockey anyone? And I love The Cutting Edge (toe pick, haha). Anyway, I was ready to start Head Over Heels. 

Avery Abrams is ready for a new beginning. Her career as an aspiring gymnast in the Olympic team came crashing after she suffered an accident during the Trials. For Avery, this event is devastating. As a kid, teenager, and adult, she never had a desire to do anything else but this sport. So when this avenue closes, she feels uncertain, demoralized, and depressed. To makes matters worse, she never finished college and never trained to do anything else in life. 

When her current boyfriend's career as a football player catapults him to stardom, she is left behind. With her heartbroken and nowhere else to turn to, she travels back home, to live with her parents and dwell on her sorrow.

Then, Ryan, an ex-Olympic athlete approaches her. He's currently training Hallie, a teenager with an amazing future in the field if only with the right guidance. Ryan knows he needs help coaching Hallie on the floor routine and he knows Avery is the person to do it.

I enjoyed most of the story. It was nice to learn more about the terms in gymnastics and how incredibly demanding this sport is. What didn't click for me was the actual romance. I never felt like Ryan was invested. The exchanges were cold and short. To me, Avery's relationship with Hallie, Jasmine and Sara was better developed than hers with Ryan. 

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

Title: Dear Emmie Blue 

Author: Lia Louis 

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Release Date: July 14, 2020

In this charming and poignant novel, teenager Emmie Blue releases a balloon with her email address and a big secret into the sky, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy who finds it; now, fourteen years later, the one thing Emmie has been counting on is gone for good, and everything she planned is up in the air.

At sixteen, Emmie Blue stood in the fields of her school and released a red balloon into the sky. Attached was her name, her email address…and a secret she desperately wanted to be free of. Weeks later, on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau discovered the balloon and immediately emailed the attached addressed, sparking an intense friendship between the two teens.

Now, fourteen years later, Emmie is hiding the fact that she’s desperately in love with Lucas. She has pinned all her hopes on him and waits patiently for him to finally admit that she’s the one for him. So dedicated to her love for Lucas, Emmie has all but neglected her life outside of this relationship—she’s given up the search for her absentee father, no longer tries to build bridges with her distant mother, and lives as a lodger to an old lady she barely knows after being laid off from her job. And when Lucas tells Emmie he has a big question to ask her, she’s convinced this is the moment he’ll reveal his feelings for her. But nothing in life ever quite goes as planned, does it?

Emmie Blue is about to learn everything she thinks she knows about life (and love) is just that: what she thinks she knows. Is there such thing as meant to be? Or is it true when they say that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans? A story filled with heart and humor, Dear Emmie Blue is perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Evvie Drake Starts Over

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Guys, This is my favorite book so far this year!

Oh, the feels! So many feels. It was everything I wanted it to be. 

There were tears, sad moments, happy moments, don't-leave types of moments, and ecstatic moments. 

As a lover of romance, Dear Emmie Blue melted my heart. My kindle is full of highlights. So many favorite one-liners <3.

So what's the book about?

I almost don't want to tell you. I want you to experience it yourself.

But in case you're wondering......

Emmie Blue is turning thirty. Her life is not where she envisioned it. Far from it. She is living in Louise's house. An older lady, who rents a room and is as quiet as Emmie. She's working at a hotel instead of working at a high school. She never met her father and her mother is as warm as a cactus (please forgive me cactuses for the comparison). Emmie's mother has been in and out of Emmie's life as far as she can remember.

Emmie's best friend is Lucas. The boy who found her balloon all those years back. The boy who knows her secret. The boy who is now a man and whom Emmie has fallen in love with without telling him. The man who shares her own birthday. The man she's waiting for him to notice he loves her back.

When Lucas asks Emmie to meet him in France (he lives there, she lives in the UK) for a special dinner, Emmie thinks this is it. He's finally going to pop the question. Yet, this is not what happens. Instead, her heart is broken. With the news he gives her, she knows things will change between them. 

Dear Emmie Blue was a charming, endearing story with lovable characters. Ballon Boy stole my heart. At the 53% mark, I hit my forehead when I finally realized what my heart was telling me to be true.

The secondary characters were so well done. Rosie was the best girlfriend someone could have. Her sincerity, no-nonsense personality and her humor made her stellar. Fox's company complimented the trio well. Louise also found a place in my heart. She was a quiet presence until she wasn't anymore. 

Dear Emmie Blue is a road to self-discovery for our main character, Emmie... A time to grow and do some needed soul-searching. To stand up and become stronger. To learn that despite adversity and a lousy past, you can be better. You can be happy ❤️❤️❤️

Thank you, thank you, Atria for sending me this book!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Atria via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Title: The Girl from Widow Hills

Author: Megan Miranda

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: June 23, 2020

A suspense novel about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.

Everyone knows the story of “the girl from Widow Hills.”

Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps, and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye.

Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She’s managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she’s being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even waking outside her home. Until late one night she jolts awake in her yard. At her feet is the corpse of a man she knows—from her previous life, as Arden Maynor.

And now, the girl from Widow Hills is about to become the center of the story, once again.

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Olivia (Arden Maynor) suffered a traumatic event when she was only six years of age. She was trapped during a rainstorm for three days before she was found and rescued.

Since those days, everyone has wanted a piece of Liv's story through her childhood, teenage years and young adulthood. To start over, after college, she changed her name. She moved and currently she works in the administration office of a hospital. 

Her childhood marked her. She doesn't like closed-in spaces. She remains leery of giving any details from her past to anyone, including her friend Bennett and lately, her new friend Elyse. Liv broke up her relationship with Jonah, her ex, who was a professor at the school but she never told him about her past. Every year during the anniversary of her rescue, she feels her body tensing and waiting for something to happen. For someone from her past to find her. For her life to become one more nightmare.

Liv's disappearance as a child was thought to be due to her sleepwalking. Then, it starts happening again. One night, Liv wakes up outside her new house without recollection of how she got there. She's terrified her sleepwalking is back. She's so scared when her neighbor, an older man, finds her. Rick used to be the owner of the house she's currently occupying. The next night she sleepwalks is not her neighbor who wakes her up, but it's her tripping over a dead body outside her property line.

Who is the man dead outside her property? Who killed him? Did she do it? Did her neighbor do it? Or is someone else out there lurking and trying to harm her?

The Girl from Widow Hills is the third book I read by Megan Miranda. I have liked her other two and I find myself enjoying this one too. The narrative starts slow but the pace changes by the last third of the book. I was invested in learning about both mysteries. What really happened to the six-year-old Arden and who was trying to hurt her now. I do wish the ending was more detailed and I felt that an epilogue was missing. Anyway, I still enjoyed the hours of distraction Megan Miranda gave me.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Simon and Schuster via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For Reasons Unknown by Michael Wood

Title: For Reasons Unknown 

Series: DCI Matilda Darke #1

Author: Michael Wood 

Publisher: HarperCollins, Killer Reads

Release Date: October 1, 2015

Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more…

DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word.

Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda's case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more…

A darkly compelling debut crime novel. The start of a brilliant series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, and James Oswald.

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A really good beginning to the series!

A cop down on her luck, a cold case, and a new murder. This particular mix was enough to keep my attention throughout the book.

Matilda Darke is coming back to work after a long absence and having had the most difficult time in her life. She has lost her husband and a prominent case she was working on went south. This has left her suffering from panic attacks and she has lost her self-confidence. Coming back to work after nine months only makes her anxiety less manageable. She questions herself. She's not sure she can still do her job. When her superior assigns her a twenty-year-old cold case, the Harkness murders, as her next investigation, her uncertainty about keeping her position as DCI doubles.

The Harkness case is well-known to the community. Miranda and Stefan Harkness were murdered around Christmastime. The only witness to the crime, a then eleven-year-old, Jonathan. Jonathan was so affected by what happened that night, that he stopped speaking. He was sent to live with his aunt.

In the present, Jonathan is now an adult. He has learned his childhood home is being demolished. He knows reporters will come back knocking and by Matilda investigating the case, he knows his anonymity is about to end. 

Then a new murder occurs and the connection to the Harkness case is undeniable. The past and the present collide and it's up to Matilda to unearth the truth.

I was pleased by the start of the series. It was was a good storyline with interesting characters.

Matilda was such a broken character at the beginning. Her imperfections only make me like her more and I was rooting for her to succeed. 

The rest of the team complemented her well. The doc was a true friend to Matilda. She was there for her. The drama inside the police station helped with the narrative instead of becoming a distraction.

I'm glad that there are more books already out. I can see my self reading the next one soon.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The Birthday by Carol Wyer

Title: The Birthday

Series: Detective Natalie Ward #1

Author: Carol Wyer 

Publisher: Bookouture

Release Date: September 27th 2018

One hot summer's afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home ...

When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava's body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party ...

Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.

Natalie soon discovers that Ava's mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she's sure Ava's father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she's not telling Natalie ...

Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn't come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?

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A girl, Ava Sawyer, has been taken during a birthday party at Uptown Craft Centre and Farm. The last time someone saw her, she was going to the restroom. After an exhausting search and without new leads, her disappearance becomes a cold case. Two years later, her body is found buried in the same place where she vanished.

Natalie Ward, a detective with the Samford Police Force is the leading detective assigned to Ava's case. Natalie is still dealing with the disappearance of another girl. One that was found too late. She still blames herself for not being able to get to her on time. Seeing another young girl's body is bringing all those memories back. She wants to find the person who took Ava. Natalie with the help of her team, Lucy, Ian, Murray and detective Mike would do anything in their power to seek justice for Ava.

I can say I'm invested in this team. Natalie is an interesting character. She's dealing with a demanding job and also personal issues. Her marriage is on the rocks. Her husband, David has lost his job. Her kids are teenagers and her son is having issues adjusting in school. She is also keeping a secret from her husband.

I also liked Mike Sullivan who's in charge of the forensic unit. He seems to understand Natalie and support her. I also liked the rest of the characters. Lucy's girlfriend wants to get pregnant. PC Ian's girlfriend is having a baby. Murray is a good friend to Lucy but is not always pleasant to Ian.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge by Debbie Mason

Title: Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge

Series: Highland Falls #1

Author: Debbie Mason

Publisher:  Forever 

Release Date:  May 26, 2020

Sparks fly between an L.A. career woman and a former Army Ranger in this delightful enemies-to-lovers romance from the USA Today bestselling queen of small-town love stories.

Welcome to Highland Falls, a small town where love is always in the air.

In just a few months Abby Everhart has gone from being a top LA media influencer to an unemployed divorcée living out of her car. So inheriting her great-aunt's homestead comes at the perfect time. Abby heads to Highland Falls, North Carolina, to spruce up Honeysuckle Farm before putting it on the market for some much-needed cash. But instead of finding a charming getaway, she discovers a serious fixer-upper, complete with a leaky roof, overgrown yard, and a reclusive -- albeit sexy -- man living on the property.

Ex-Delta Force soldier Hunter MacKenzie has faced war and loss, but nothing has quite prepared him for an outgoing redhead who's determined to turn his life upside down. Hunter doesn't want to get involved with anyone, especially a city girl who plans to sell the only place he's ever felt at home. But the sparks between them are undeniable. Spending time with Abby is easy. Convincing her to stay for good is another matter entirely.

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I loved this one. It was sweet and heartwarming!

Down on her luck, Abby Everhart is moving to a small town in North Carolina to start over. In her great aunt's will, Abby has inherited the Honeysuckle Farm. Beggars can't be choosers and after living in her car in L.A. for the last six months, she's ready for a change. In tow with her dog, Bella and her luggage, she takes an uber ride to her aunt's property. When she arrives, she realizes this is more than she bargained for. Still, her idea is to find help remodeling the house and then to sell it. Afterward, she will return to L.A. with her head held high and show her ex-husband, Chandler and his new girlfriend, Juliette, that their actions didn't break her. There is only one problem, part of her aunt's property is not hers. 

Hunter MacKenzie enjoys the peace the farm gives him. His only company is his dog, Wolf. Hunter is a former soldier and when he came back two years ago after losing his best friend, he couldn't be the same person he was before he enlisted. The town believes him to be a recluse and his family is worried about the distance he has placed between them. Liz, Abby's great aunt, had been his only friend in the last couple of years. Before passing, she had always said she was leaving the property to him. He was shocked to learn that it was not so, Abby has inherited the house and part of the land. 

When Hunter and Abby meet with the help of Bella and Wolf, his solitude is threatened. His priorities start shifting. Parts of his old self starts making an appearance. He grudgingly has to admit that having Abby around is not awful and he actually enjoys spending time with her. The question is, Is she going to stay?

A really adorable love story. I love Abby. She was a quirky heroine who had had it rough most of her life. She was a trooper and tried her best. Learning about her past, made me like her even more. Hunter was the perfect opposite of Abby, yet little by little, he opened up and started living again. Of course, I can forget Bella and Wolf. Their interactions made me laugh at loud.

Highland Falls is my favorite new place. I can't wait for the next romance in this series. Please hurry up, Mrs. Mason.

A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs