Posted on by Jacquie Biggar

End of July #BookReviews Part 1- #Reading @danniowenjones @jaxandwillsmum @supermegawoman @JanSikes3


This week it’s my daughter’s *** birthday! It seems like yesterday that I was teaching her to walk and now she’s a mother with an almost-grown son of her own. Where does the time go?

This is one of my favorite pictures of her as a baby- isn’t she cute? 🙂

I’ve read a couple of interesting contemporary romances from NetGalley, a wonderful middle-grade mystery from blogger, Darlene Foster, as well as a suspense from Jan Sikes.

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From the moment Lucy – Miss ‘my self-worth comes from setting myself impossible standards of perfection’ – meets Zack – Mr ‘I’m your infuriatingly laidback yet impossibly ripped new yoga teacher’ – it’s hate at first sight.

Interior designer Lucy is a workaholic, and it ends up costing her when she takes her job to a wedding stagette, ruining the night for everyone. To make amends, Lucy gets drunk and sends out a group email with demeaning comments to all her high-end clients and loses her business, as well.

As if that’s not enough, her family home goes on the market, and she can’t afford to buy it back. Until a sexy, sarcastic yoga instructor offers to share the mortgage and hijinks ensues!

This is a fun enemy-to-lovers romance with plenty of witty repartee, a hunky hero, and a sassy heroine. My only critique is the slow start to the story. It took too long to get to the good stuff and almost made me quit reading- I’m glad I didn’t!

Everyone has a story. You just have to read between the lines…

Amazon Link

Elodie is the face of her family’s famous empire and as such, she is always on display, a puppet pulled by her mother’s strings. Her escape is books. So, when she learns of the pending foreclosure of a beloved library from her past, Elodie goes undercover to save the business and maybe, find herself in the process.

This is a sweet, uplifting book about second chances, friendship, and learning to speak up for what you believe in.

An enjoyable read!

Amanda explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, while being drawn into the mystery surrounding the destructive fire of Notre Dame cathedral.

Amazon Link

Amanda is invited to Paris with her best friend Leah, and Leah’s Aunt Jenny while she does some research. They stay in the famous Shakespeare & Company Bookstore in trade for a few hours of volunteer work (called tumbleweeds), and visit many of the city’s famous sites.

Amanda meets a young man who offers tickets to see a play at the Notre Dame Theatre, but a fire breaks out endangering lives and priceless artifacts. Scared and horrified at the destruction, Amanda, Leah, and Aunt Jenny help the locals by joining a relay line to remove what they can before it burns.

Is the fire caused by arson, or is it accidental? Amanda is drawn into the mystery when a man they met briefly at the bookstore keeps showing up at odd moments, and Leah is drawn to a rough-looking teen with a shadowy past.

The tension rises as the girls step out of the city to visit the golden Versailles Palace and run afoul of a rough group of boys.

This is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of wow moments- I loved it!

On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann’s cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed.

Veteran Vann Noble is a wounded soldier who wants nothing to do with the outside world. He’s comfortable in his cabin in the woods and rarely ventures into town for anything except supplies for him and the stray dog he’s taken in.

On one such trip, a young woman dashes in front of him, terror on her beautiful face. When she collapses on the side of the road, Vann helps her to his vehicle and takes her home to recover.

Nakina awakens in a stranger’s cabin, but the threat that’s been after her for days is gone. She feels safe with the quiet Vann Noble and his protective Shepherd and soon relays the story of why she’s on the run. Vann insists on helping her even though it places him, and the family he loves, in danger.

Though they barely know each other, Vann is determined to protect the mysterious woman he’s drawn to even if she could never love him in return. The loss of his leg and the PTSD he carries is more than he can expect her to live with.

This is an inspirational love story with a touch of metaphysical. I connected most with Vann. He’s been through physical and emotional trauma, and even though he doesn’t see it in himself, his actions throughout the story proves he’s a hero.

Excellent summer read!

Before I go, I have to show you our apple tree. It’s only three years old, but it’s loaded! These are Honey Crisp apples. We also have four other varieties growing on this tree; Macintosh, Braeburn, Gala, and Fuji. I can’t wait until they’re ripe for the picking, lol

64 Replies to “End of July #BookReviews Part 1- #Reading @danniowenjones @jaxandwillsmum @supermegawoman @JanSikes3”

  3. A very good mix of books here, Jacquie. I have a couple Elodie and Stuck with Him to read and I am looking forward to them. By the Way, it is not the end of July, we have 11 more days. I don’t want the year to go by any faster. 😁 That is quite interesting that your tree has several different apples growing on it. Enjoy the fresh fruit.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Oh, Jacquie, I am beyond honored that you’d take the time to read and review Jagged Feathers! I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the beautiful review!! And yes, the baby picture of your daughter is adorable. Time sure has a way of flying by. Hugs!

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    1. I like that, John- the giving tree 🙂
      We’ve always grown crabapples (coming from a cooler climate) but this is the first apple tree we’ve had, and are excited by its bounty 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I recently read Jagged Feathers and have enjoyed the first two books in Jan’s excellent series. I’m also a big fan of Darlene’s Amanda series. Rebecca is new to me, but her book sounds appealing too.

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  11. Thank you so much, Jacquie for reading and reviewing Amanda’s latest adventure. So pleased you enjoyed it. Happy Birthday to your amazing daughter. I also love your apple tree. I can see apple crisp in your future. xo

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  15. Your apple tree is amazing. I saw the price of Honey Crisp apples in the grocery story today. Savor each bite. 🙂 A teacher where I used to work had a farm and honey crisps apple trees. We looked forward to fall when she’d bring in bushels. Happy Birthday to your daughter. Thanks for sharing your reviews, Jacquie. It looks like some fun summer reading.

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  20. Happy Birthday to your daughter, Jacquie, and your apple tree looks awesome. Yum. Thanks for the book reviews and recommendations. I’ve read Jan’s book and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I’ve read other books from Darlene, using them as travel guides! Thanks for the intro to Danielle’s and Rebecca’s books too. They sound like wonderful reads. Hugs.

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    1. Jan writes flawed characters who win readers’ hearts, while Darlene’s stories sweep us to countries most readers will never visit.
      We’re so happy to see the bountiful crop on the apple tree this year- another step toward sustainable gardening 🙂
      Thanks for the birthday wishes!

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  25. Happy birthday to your daughter and happy birth-day to you, Jacquie! I know what you meant about time flying by. Your daughter’s picture is very cute. It put a big smile on your face every time you look at it. Great summer book reviews. I have two of them on my Kindle and hope to read them soon. I just found out my niece and her husband moved to Vancouver. My niece is a Canadian citizen. She went back to Hong Kong after she finished high school. She then finished college and got married in Hong Kong. I think my nephew and his wife will move back soon. He graduated from college in Vancouver the same year my niece graduated from high school. You’ll see me in Vancouver more often now!! 🙂 ❤

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      1. Oh! When my sister and the family immigrated there 18 years ago, they had friends there in that Chinese community. Their friends bought a house and furnished it for them before my sister arrived.

        My niece is working, so it must be okay with them.

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