Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Spotlight: The Royal Street series

Today we are featuring all three novels from Karen White's Royal Street series! They are best read in order, so get all cozy and start with the first one.

The Shop on Royal Street 

After a difficult detour on her road to adulthood, Nola Trenholm is looking to begin anew in New Orleans, and what better way to start her future than with her first house? But the historic fixer-upper she buys comes with even more work than she anticipated when the house’s previous occupants don’t seem to be ready to depart.

Although she can’t communicate with ghosts like her stepmother can, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who is able to—even if he’s the last person on earth she wants anything to do with ever again. Beau Ryan comes with his own dark past—a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina—and he’s connected to the unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole cottage Nola is determined to make her own...whether the resident restless spirits agree or not.

The House on Prytania

Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she’s spent enough time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are definitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this world. And not all of them are benign. 

But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan’s long-lost sister, Nola has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when the tempting—yet firmly unavailable—Beau, wanting to mete out justice to those he blames for Sunny’s kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks her to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the reason for Nola’s bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael’s powerful family was behind Sunny’s disappearance and that Michael is the key to getting information the police won’t be able to ignore—if Nola is willing to risk everything for which she’s worked so hard. 

Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn’t realize until it’s almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house—a startling revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake...

The Lady on Esplanade 

Nola is ready to focus on starting over in the Big Easy. She wants to get back to work on the renovations of her Creole cottage, and she is eager to launch a new murder-house-flipping business with contractor, closet psychic, and part-time nemesis Beau Ryan. After a near-death ghostly encounter and the return of Beau’s missing sister, they are confident that the ghost of his mother can finally rest.

Nola believes the shotgun house on famed Esplanade Avenue is a prime fixer-upper for her first project. It may have been the site of a woman’s murder and the disappearance of an entire family, but the house will be perfect for new-to-town Cooper Ravenel—who happens to have caused Nola’s first heartbreak.

That’s the least of Nola’s worries, though. In addition to the elusive spirit of an angry young woman who accompanied Cooper to New Orleans, the house on Esplanade has its own ghosts, including one that is becoming increasingly dangerous as he tries to hide his dark secrets. And the wet footprints from the spirit of Beau’s mother have returned to let them know there is still unfinished business before she can rest. Spectral danger is headed toward them, and it’s up to Nola to convince Beau to help before it’s too late. . . .

(All synopses are courtesy of Amazon.)

Karen White is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Tradd Street series, The Last Night in London, Dreams of Falling, The Night the Lights Went Out, Flight Patterns, The Sound of Glass, A Long Time Gone, and The Time Between. She is the co-author of The Lost Summers of Newport, All the Ways We Said Goodbye, The Glass Ocean, and The Forgotten Room with New York Times bestselling authors Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. She grew up in London but now lives with a spoiled Havanese dog near Atlanta, Georgia.

Visit Karen online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

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Monday, November 24, 2025

Book Review: Pickle Perfect

By Allyson Bales

Lulu Gardner only takes predictable shots. After faulting on tennis stardom at eighteen, Lulu, now a thirtysomething single parent, is in control of her game. But when an unanticipated blunder threatens her teaching job, Lulu’s stable, well-planned—okay, boring—world spins out. And somehow, her godparents convince her to join them for a “de-stressing” destination pickleball vacation in Costa Rica. Maybe an all-inclusive picklecation is just the pick-me-up she needs to loosen her grip.

Or it would have been if she wasn’t backhanded by the sight of her high school fling Tyler Demming on the beachside courts. Fresh off the pickleball pro tour, the reigning bad boy of paddle sports is as studly and snarky as ever. Even though his public image took a hit with a ballsy publicity stunt, Tyler seems to be the big shot he’s always been.

But Lulu’s had years to steel herself against his rugged good looks and hypnotic charm. Despite the changes she sees in Tyler since their teenage days, Lulu will have no problem keeping her head in the game and her heart on the sidelines. Or so she tells herself…. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I enjoyed Long’s debut novel Pickleballers (reviewed here) and was looking forward to being back in the pickleball world again.  This story focused less on pickleball and more on romance and I really enjoyed that! I would say this story is a combination of sports romance and travel romance and this perfect cozy read! 

In Pickle Perfect you get to meet Lulu and Tyler.  Lulu makes a big mistake and decides she needs to get away.  Tyler is handsome and also going through something and it was fun to follow along as they reconnect after not seeing one another since high school.  This story had so many fun things going for it!

Firstly, the setting!  I have always wanted to go to Costa Rica and I loved the way Long takes you to the jungle and the beaches and so much adventure!  Secondly, you get to see Tyler and Lulu grow as characters and that is always my favorite.  I loved their second chance romance and am always a fan of a main character that challenges herself and steps out of her comfort zone!  Lulu is a mom and, as a new mom myself, I really resonated with some of what she was going through in terms of how to stay true to herself. 

If you can, I would definitely get my hands on the audio.  It is narrated by the author and I really enjoyed how she brought the story to life!

If you are looking for a quick and easy read and one with a lot of heart, read this one!  

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Friday, November 21, 2025

What's in the (e)mail

All (or most) of these books can be found on AmazonBarnes & NobleBookshop.orgAppleKobo, etc.

NG = NetGalley

Melissa:

Chasing Stardust by Erica Lucke Dean from Lake Union (NG)
Bluebird Gold by Devney Perry from Kathleen Carter Communications (print)
Lady X by Molly Fader from Ballantine (NG)
Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey from Gallery (NG)
The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh from Viking (NG)
Abby Offsides
by Anna McCallie from Ballantine (NG)
Gap Year by Lindsey Goldstein from Egret Lake Books (NG)
My Year of Really Bad Dates by Rachel J. Lithgow from BookSparks (print)
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan from Putnam (NG)
Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez from St. Martin's Press (NG)
You Can't Hurry Second Chances
by Michelle Stimpson from Sourcebooks (NG)
Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven from Flatiron (NG)
The Parisian Chapter by Janet Skeslien Charles from Atria (NG)
Take Me with You by Steven Rowley from Putnam (NG)
The Phone Swap by Lia Louis from Atria (NG)
A Fortune of Sand
by Ruta Sepetys from Ballantine (NG)
Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away by Reyna Marder Gentin from Caitlin Hamilton Marketing (NG)--Don't miss out on our giveaway!
The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen from Forever (NG)
It's Not Her by Mary Kubica from Harlequin (print)

Sara:
I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig from Berkley (NG)
No Matter What by Cara Bastone from Random House (NG)
One Beautiful Year of Normal by Sandra K. Griffith from BookSparks (NG)

Jami:
The Hostess by Courtney Psak from Kaye Publicity (NG)


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Book Review: The Measure

By Melissa Amster

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.

One morning, small wooden boxes appear on doorsteps across the world. Inside each is a string that reveals exactly how long its owner will live. From city apartments to desert tents, everyone faces the same haunting question: Do you want to know your fate?

As society tilts between chaos and connection, eight lives become entwined — best friends whose paths diverge, strangers who find solace in letters, a couple forced to confront time’s limits, a doctor unable to heal himself, and a politician whose decision sets off a national reckoning.

In The Measure, Nikki Erlick weaves a sweeping, deeply humane story about choice, destiny, and the fragile beauty of the time we’re given — a novel that asks not how long we live, but how fully.

The Measure was my book club's pick for October and I feel like this is their best pick of the year! I am so glad I finally got a chance to read it. It was thought-provoking, captivating, touching, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It led to a lot of interesting discussions at the book club meeting.

There was a lot of relevance to current events, even though this released three years ago. Almost eerie in some ways, like Nikki had predicted the future when writing this novel. It reminded me a bit of the movie Crash and the novel They Both Die at the End. There were also some similarities between this novel and Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty. 

I liked all the characters except one, who is meant to be a nemesis. Everyone was just really interesting to me and I felt bad for the ones with short strings, as well as their long-stringed loved ones. It made me wonder if I would open the box or not want to know. I'm leaning toward the latter, like one of the characters in this story was resolute about doing. There's a lot of emotional distress, as well as dilemmas about what to do in certain situations. I got really angry with people at times (mostly the villain and the mob mentality). However, there's a nice string of hope woven throughout and you will even see kindness shine through.

My only concern (which was a concern for Here One Moment too) was that the connections were too coincidental. Most of the characters live in New York City, which is huge. How do they all manage to link up so easily? Of course, we could take it as the author finding a segment of the city and taking a snapshot of a group of people who could likely connect with each other due to proximity. 

As soon as I finished this novel, I knew I had to read The Poppy Fields right away and have done so recently. I'll be reviewing that one soon, as well. I highly recommend The Measure and even told my husband he has to read it!

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:

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TW: Multiple shootings. Loss of loved ones. Death at a young age.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Sara and Melissa Talk About...Museums of Our Lives

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now into our sixth year!

This month, Sara gave the prompt that she got from someplace: Create a museum of your life. Talk about the objects or images you would include and why.

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

I can’t remember what I’d read online that prompted our topic for this month, but I thought a museum of one’s life was a pretty interesting concept. I think a lot of us tend to think that what we’ve done or accomplished isn’t something to be celebrated, but we all contribute to the interconnectivity that makes humanity what it is. To those who know you, you are important and valued. And what you’ve done means something, worthy of a museum.

Some of what I’d have displayed in my own museum:

Teen years are some of the most angsty years we’ll ever go through, and I love how open and wild I am at seventeen. 

This was not expected. I was never meant to go to college. I’m the first person in my family to attend and graduate from a four-year institution, with a 4.5 GPA. If you’d known me when I was seventeen, you wouldn’t have expected it, either.

 

My family will always be displayed in my museum. I would not be where I am or who I am without them. 


I’ve taken some time away from it, but I write.

I also garden. I grew up with grandparents who celebrated gardening, but I didn’t get into it until much later in life. I get a kick out of seeing things grow. 

No matter what else I choose to do, I always go back to running.


I joke and say that Sedona, Arizona is my spirit animal. I love it out there. 


We recently lost our beloved cat, Chance. The funny thing is, he was cantankerous for years and only seemed to love me, but in the last half decade or so, he settled in and had trust in us, his family. The same spirited creature who would bite you if you even attempted to pet him, would allow us to rub his belly and give him lots of love; he’d chilled out. Finally. This felt like a huge loss for all of us. If anything could be said about Chance, it was that he did things on his own terms and had such a huge personality. 

Me, now. Getting ready to garden.


Melissa Amster:

A long time ago, Sara and I did this blog project with two other friends. One of the topics was inspired by How I Met Your Mother, where the characters are seeing their past selves as museum exhibits. I wrote about my college personality for that topic. Today, I'm writing about who I am now and what a museum of my life would look like.

I can tell you this...it would probably be chaotic and cluttered, much like how certain parts of my house are, as most of that is my doing. (I still haven't put non-perishable groceries away and some are sitting out from weeks ago.)

For the museum of my life, I am just going to share about some rooms that you would likely see if you visited. 

The Book Room. Like that's not obvious or anything. It would be a smaller-scale version of the library in Beauty and the Beast because I love that movie so much and I can relate to Belle a lot.

The Obsessions Room. This would be a room that had different video stations where people could watch (or stream) one of my many past or present obsessions, whether it's Rent, Hamilton, Schitt's Creek, Ghosts, The Princess Bride, Rocky Horroretc.

The Family Room. This would be a room showcasing photos and videos of my husband and kids from various times in our lives. I'd also include some extended family stuff, like photos of my adorable nephew (as long as my sister is okay with that). 

The Friends Room. This would be set up in a different way, where you can press a button next to someone's name and learn about how we became friends and see what our friendship dynamic is like. If you are new to my life, you can even take a compatibility test to see what your friendship with me would be like.

The Jewish Room. This room would have Judaica objects, samples of food like challah, brisket, cholent, potato kugel, matzo ball soup, babkas, etc. Yes, you get to try food like you're in a Costco. This room would also look like the inside of our sukkah. 

The Thrift Shop Room. I would just show off a lot of my fun thrift shop finds, which is mainly clothes. 

The Theater Room. Not only would this be decorated with Playbills from all the musicals I've seen, but it would also have a stage where people could do showtunes karaoke or put on improv shows. 

The Nostalgia Room. I love 80s and 90s stuff and would be sure to stock the room with things that I grew up with, such as Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears, Baby-sitters Club and Sweet Valley High books, Rainbow Brite dolls, old school Barbies, a Nintendo with my favorite games, cassettes of music from that era, VHS tapes of movies from that era, etc. 

Saw this at a Vrbo house we rented. Brought back memories!



What would be in the museum of your life?

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Lorraine Zago Rosenthal delivers a memorable story...plus a book giveaway

Today we are pleased to have Lorraine Zago Rosenthal visiting us. Her latest novel, Always and Forever, is now available and it sounds like a powerful story. Lorraine has one copy to share with a lucky reader!

In addition to her latest novels, Always and Forever and Charmed, Lorraine Zago Rosenthal is the author of Other Words for Love, published by Random House (Delacorte Press), New Money, and Independently Wealthy, both published by Macmillan (St. Martin’s Press). 

Lorraine was born and raised in New York City, and she is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in education and English. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband. 

You can visit Lorraine at her website and you can connect with her on Instagram.

Synopsis:
Three decades ago, a tragedy ignited a chain of events that devastated two New York City families and still haunts them today. Even their youngest members, Suzanne Starek and Jay Darnell, haven’t been left unscathed.

Suzanne is at the end of her twenties and has been plagued by misfortune, including her parents’ ill-fated union and the abrupt demise of her promising childhood career. Although she treasures her lifelong bond with Jay, being his best friend isn’t enough. She has spent years hiding her feelings for him and trying to understand her mother’s cryptic warning to keep him at a distance.

Suzanne wavers between staying safe and reaching for love while she helps Jay cope with his own mother, a glamorous and troubled widow. But when a clash between the families reveals shocking truths, Suzanne must decide how she will move forward from the heartbreaking past. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"An elegant, slow-burning portrait of quiet heartbreak and enduring love.

Always and Forever ...explores love, loss, and the people we can't let go. [Lorraine Zago Rosenthal's] prose is quietly luminous and deeply empathetic...the book is populated with rich supporting characters...the narrative is layered with personal and familial drama...bitter generational conflict, and unresolved grief. At the beautifully melancholic story's heart is Suzanne's aching question: What do we do with the love we can't express?

 OUR VERDICT: GET IT" - Kirkus Reviews


What is a favorite compliment you've received on your writing?

When my first novel, Other Words for Love, was published, several positive reviews expressed surprise that the book is a debut. These comments are certainly flattering; however, although Other Words for Love is my first published novel, it took many years of work, study, and practice of the writing craft to achieve that goal. It didn’t happen overnight. 

How is Suzanne similar to or different from you? 
One similarity is that Suzanne tries to see conflict from different perspectives. For example, there is tension and resentment between her mother and her grandfather, and even though her grandfather once made a decision that damaged her mother’s life, Suzanne still has compassion for him. As an author of realistic fiction, I strive to view conflicts from all sides and to portray characters neither as saints nor as villains. 

If Always and Forever were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
When I write a novel, I definitely visualize actors as most of the characters—but I don’t publicly reveal the identities of these actors, because I want readers to have their own unique vision based on the descriptions in the story. But if Always and Forever became a movie, I would be quite outspoken about the casting choices! 

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I’ve been so busy lately with the publication process for Always and Forever, I haven’t had much time to read—but when I’m able to find some free time for a good story, I watch TV or a movie—so I’ll recommend a TV series that is very similar to a novel. 

I recently re-watched The Night Of, which originally aired in 2016. It’s about a young man accused of a terrible crime, and his family and his defense lawyer don’t know if he’s guilty—and neither does he. He is imprisoned while awaiting trial, and his personality is drastically altered by the experience. The story, setting, and struggles of all the characters are incredibly well done. The series delves so deeply into the personality and evolution of each character that it feels like a book come to life on the screen. I have learned a great deal about writing from studying TV and film—and The Night Of is a masterclass. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
That’s a tough one! I guess it would be fitting to choose somebody with a New York accent. I think my own accent has been diluted from years of living elsewhere, but people tend to know where I’m from before I tell them—so I guess I still sound more like a New Yorker than I realize. 

If we were to visit you right now, what places would you take us to see?
My house was renovated not too long ago, and I had a great time redecorating, so I would love to show you around my home—especially after I deck the halls for the upcoming holiday season!

Thanks to Lorraine for chatting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.



Giveaway ends November 25th at midnight EST.

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Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Book Review: Ask for Andrea

By Becky Gulc

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common.

They were all murdered by the same man.

He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves.
He’s gotten away with murder three times now.

The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered.

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him.

The haunt is on.
(Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I saw many recommendations of Ask for Andrea on a particular Facebook group I’m part of, so I simply had to get hold of a copy and see if would really be as great as everyone was saying! But what is it about?

Ask for Andrea centres around three women (Meghan, Brecia and Skye) who are all horrifically murdered by the same man. The plot is based on these three women seeking justice - ensuring the man does not get away with his crimes and can never hurt another woman. How can they do that beyond the grave? As ghosts of course!

Now I’m not usually into the supernatural within fiction, I wouldn’t usually gravitate towards this, but I found it completely compelling and unique. It took me back to when I first watched Ghost, a film I loved! My heart was broken for each of the women with their lives cruelly cut short. It covers grief from both the perspective of the living and the dead and was incredibly moving. 

Whilst it took some time to get to grips with each person’s narrative, this came together for me in time. I felt the story, whilst dramatic from the offset, really built as it progressed with all the tension surrounding someone else who was in danger leading to some exceptionally tense closing chapters. I understand why so many people have thoroughly enjoyed this book! 

More by Noelle W. Ihli:

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Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Reyna Marder Gentin steps into the spotlight...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Reyna Marder Gentin to CLC today and to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away! This mother and daughter story is sure to grab and hold your attention. Thanks to Caitlin Hamilton Marketing, we have one copy to give away!


Reyna Marder Gentin grew up in Great Neck, New York, and earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale. After a career as an appellate attorney with a public defender’s office, she turned to writing full-time. Her debut novel, Unreasonable Doubts, was a finalist for the 2019 Women’s Fiction Writers Association Star Award. My Name Is Layla (2021) won the Moonbeam Children’s Award gold medal for pre-teen fiction, and Both Are True (2021) was praised by The Nanny Diaries co-author Nicola Kraus as “a moving novel that examines what it means to start over—with surprising consequences.” Reyna lives with her family in Scarsdale, New York.

Visit Reyna online:

Synopsis:
Jessica Harmon has spent her life in an emotional tug-of-war-yearning for her mother's attention while bracing for the rejection that always followed.

At thirty, Jessica's love life is a wreck, her confidence is shot, and she's adrift in New York City, stuck editing other people's novels at a vanity press while too paralyzed to write her own. She blames her failure to launch on the woman who raised her: Cynthia Harmon, a legendary poet and scholar, who dazzles her students and readers alike...but leaves her only child cold.

When Cynthia wins yet another major literary award and asks her daughter to assist her on the book tour, Jessica decides to give their relationship one last chance. When a crisis upends Cynthia's triumphant moment, the power dynamic begins to shift between the two women, and cracks start to show in the story Jessica has always been told-about her mother, her family, and herself.

Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away is a sharp, emotionally layered novel about mothers and daughters, long-held secrets, and understanding where we come from so we can choose who we become. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"A stunning story brimming with emotional insight and razor-sharp prose. With pitch-perfect wit and aching vulnerability, this novel delivers a poignant, empowering portrait of a woman finally stepping out of the shadows and into her own voice."
- Jacqueline Friedland, USA Today bestselling author of Counting Backwards

"Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away is an honest and absorbing exploration of mothers and daughters. Spanning elite literary circles, long-held secrets, and eventual tragedy, Gentin brilliantly captures the pain and longing of familial abandonment, the path to acceptance, and the people we should know best, but never fully do. Poignant and unputdownable."
- Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of What You Do to Me

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
When a reader told me that she was so moved by the strength and courage of a character in my debut novel who was coping with a terminal illness that it gave her strength and courage to face the death of her father.

How is Jessica similar to or different from you?
Jessica is similar to me in that she’s searching — for purpose, for connection, for a way to express herself. 

If Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I could see Emmy Rossum as Jessica, Annette Bening as Cynthia, and Dev Patel as Raj.

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
The Holdovers.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I’d want Tina Fey to narrate it.

If we were to visit you right now, what places would you take us to see?
I would take you to see the shade garden in my backyard, I’d take you to visit my Little Free Library in front of my house, and I’d take you on the three and half mile walk my husband and I love going on in our neighborhood. 

Thanks to Reyna for visiting with us and to Caitlin Hamilton Marketing for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.



Giveaway ends November 23rd at midnight EST.

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Monday, November 17, 2025

Book Review: Broken Bones


By Sara Steven

Some bodies just won't stay buried...

After putting a stop to one of Edinburgh’s most notorious serial killers 3 years ago, DCI Liam Brodie is known as a man who can handle - and solve - the hardest of cases. But when he’s assigned to Fife’s Major Investigations Team, he soon realises that he’s walking into a minefield. The previous DCI is missing, presumed dead, and the case he’s been called in to lead becomes dangerously close to home.

When a child’s bones are unearthed beneath the floorboards of an old house in Fife - the same house where his girlfriend, psychologist Ruth Calder, grew up as a foster daughter - Brodie uncovers a tangled web of lies and jealousy. Ruth’s foster mother, now gripped by dementia, holds fragments of the truth but in a community haunted by its history, Brodie must navigate betrayal and buried guilt to bring a decades-old secret to light.

But at what cost to those he loves most?
(Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

At first, I wasn’t sure how various scenarios that occur for a few primary characters within Broken Bones would tie together, but everything had come together well, and with perfect timing. Brodie’s serial killer is an obvious culprit, yet there are missing people, murdered individuals, and a child’s remains are found. How does it all connect? I could appreciate discovering the truth right along with Brodie, and what has always appeared the most obvious choice begins to fade into obscurity.

The writing style is gritty and raw. It felt like I was watching a mystery cop show, the kind you can’t help but get sucked into. Old painful wounds and past mistakes seem to play a repetitive theme for the antagonists, seeking revenge in ways that are pretty far out there; nothing I’ve ever seen or read before in a mystery detective read. It was cleverly and scarily devised, and while I would never claim to side with the bad guys, it was fascinating to get inside their minds and learn more about what makes someone with a vendetta tick.

The banter between characters Art and Cameron had been fun to read. They reminded me of two adult brothers who like to poke and prod at one another, humanizing them despite their staunch police backgrounds. Dr. Gabriel Kane was the quintessential serial killer who isn’t at all who he’s portrayed to be, reminding me of Anthony Hopkins’s Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs. Brodie is the hero who is trying to save it all, but even he has his limits, particularly when terror strikes too close to home. 

Broken Bones was thrilling and terrifying, all at once. A definite five-star read! 

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

John Carson is the multi-million, bestselling author of  numerous Scottish-set crime series. Visit him on Facebook and Instagram.





Visit all the stops on John's blog tour:

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Friday, November 14, 2025

Book Review: Sounds of Summer

By Sara Steven

Ramona is ready to shake up Seaside, Oregon, with her all-'90s morning show. But her retro vibes clash hard with Quinn, the station's seriously uptight (and seriously attractive) manager. He's obsessed with "consistency," she's all about breaking the mold, and their battles over the playlist are legendary.

But beneath the surface, a bigger threat looms. A powerful corporation is circling, ready to swallow up their beloved local station and replace it with a cookie-cutter format. And this media giant plays dirty, armed with slick tactics and deep pockets.

As the pressure mounts, Ramona and Quinn must find a way to work together, even as their undeniable attraction sparks a whole new kind of static. Can they save the station – and maybe even their hearts – before the music fades out for good? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

There are so many fun things to love about Sounds of Summer! One of the biggest draws for me had been the location of where the story takes place. I’m from Oregon, and having been to Seaside several times growing up, I thought it was awesome to have Ramona’s and Quinn’s experiences take place in such a charming, small-town atmosphere. Then you have the radio show that they both work for. It offered up a more unique plotline that really worked with the nineties music that Ramona plays. But one of the biggest draws had been the intense connection between the two primary characters! It’s the classic love to hate, hate to love scenario that really worked for the both of them.

Ramona can’t stand how regimented Quinn can be. He doesn’t want her to play the music she wants to play, preferring to have her play from a list that is formulaic and devised, yet at the same time, Quinn is annoyed that Ramona never listens to what he wants. His methods are tried and true–why can’t she follow the rules? But as the chapters unfold, both characters begin to see that while Quinn is more disciplined, he has deep reasons as to why he has to see the local station succeed. And even though Ramona doesn’t follow any particular list of songs to be played, she has a method to her madness that seems to pay off, every time. Respect begins to form, which leads to deeper understanding.

But there are forces at play that are out of their control, with the powerful corporation worming its way into the radio station’s bases, without anyone even knowing it. How it’s discovered was pretty clever and what followed was pretty clever, too. I felt tied to seeing the survival of the fledgling station, with a lot of undertones that fed into the need to see something that is more mom and pop surviving a conglomerate’s obvious need to destroy and carry on, leaving in its path a devastating reality for the employees of the radio station.

Sounds of Summer provided a lot of tension between its two main characters, a plotline that included a well-played David vs. Goliath-type scenario with the radio station, and an ending that truly felt fitting for everything involved. It was a worthy five-star read!  

Thanks to Tracy Krimmer for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Tracy Krimmer:

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Thursday, November 13, 2025

Rachel J. Lithgow gets real (and really funny)...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to have Rachel J. Lithgow at CLC today to talk about her book, My Year of Really Bad Dates. Melissa is excited to read this one soon as it sounds like it will be really interesting and entertaining. Thanks to BookSparks, we have one copy for a lucky reader!

Rachel J. Lithgow is a historian and museum professional with thirty years of experience running large cultural institutions. Her work and writing have appeared in dozens of publications around the world, including The New York Times, The Daily News, Time, The Advocate, The Jerusalem Post, The Huffington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Times of Israel, eJP, The New York Observer, and the Buffalo News. Rachel has two children and splits her time between Long Beach, Long Island, and Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.

Visit Rachel at her website and on Instagram.


Synopsis:
After two life-shaking events, Rachel Lithgow leaves a thirty-year career to write full time and pursue a relationship with a man she recently met online. But then he announces he’s joining a cult and moving to Phoenix with a blonde real estate agent.

What follows is a year of terrible dates, a few great experiences, and a lot of pinot noir. This is the story of how Rachel learned that patterns can be changed, that asking for help is sometimes necessary, and that there’s only one way to repair her brokenness: by facing trauma and demons head-on. 

Through a unique mix of humor, self-deprecation, and gritty vulnerability, My Year of Really Bad Dates tackles divorce, dating, single motherhood, PTSD, grief, loss, and starting over in midlife.

"This book is an absolute delight. Rachel Lithgow is a master storyteller, and what a gift it is getting to be by her side as she navigates a midlife divorce and the ensuing attempt to find love and connection again . . ."
—Catherine Burns, former Artistic Director of The Moth

"From the opening sentence, I knew Rachel Lithgow is a hilarious new voice in women’s fiction. This book is part memoir, part life lessons, and part How-NOT-To instruction manual on love & dating. The stories of sex, heartache, love, betrayal, and ultimately hope will keep you laughing and crying, then laughing again. This is a MUST read!"
—Randi Mayem Singer, screenwriter of Mrs. Doubtfire
 

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you? 
In a word? Rocky. But honestly, my brain is often ahead of everything else around me, so it makes sense that it felt rocky and long. The reality is that I left my job in 2021 to write full-time, and I've written 3 full manuscripts, got an agent, and am publishing my first book 4 years later, so though it feels rocky, it's not so bad in the grand scheme of the publishing game. I have learned a lot, however, and I'm very grateful to She Writes and the Stable Book Group for making an impossibly complicated industry manageable. 

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing? 
The nicest thing that I've been hearing is that the writing feels intimate, like sitting at a table with a cocktail or a coffee with a good friend. That was exactly what I was going for in tone, so I'm glad that people feel that when they read it.

If My Year of Really Bad Dates were made into a movie, which celebrity would you cast as yourself? 
Haha. I love this question! My ego wishes I were Scarlett Johansson, but the reality is that I'm much more a character actor than leading lady material. I am a huge fan of Debi Mazar; her attitude, her humor, her quick wit, and her vulnerability with toughness make her a better choice! Plus, she's gorgeous.

Which TV series are you currently binge watching? 
OMG, the Murdaugh Murders on Hulu. Patricia Arquette is magical, isn't she?

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you'd take us to see? 
I would take you to LB Social, which makes the best cocktails in Long Beach and also the best food. Of course, to the beach with my puggle Dexter. He loves it so very much, and watching him run on the beach would bring even the coldest human a lot of joy.

What is something you are currently thankful for? 
That I don't only love my kids, but that I like them now that they are fully formed almost adults. 

Thanks to Rachel for chatting with us and to BookSparks for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Gleam to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Gleam on our blog, enter the giveaway here.


My Year of Really Bad Dates (1 print copy)


Giveaway ends November 18th at midnight EST.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Book Review: The White Octopus Hotel

By Allyson Bales

“Have you travelled a long way?” she asked carefully..

A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Well, yes,” he said slowly. “Yes, you could say that. But it was worth the wait.”

London, 2015. When reclusive art appraiser Eve Shaw shakes the hand of a silver-haired gentleman in her office, the warmth of his palm sends a spark through her.

His name is Max Everly—curiously, the same name as Eve’s favorite composer, born one hundred sixteen years prior. And she has the sudden feeling that she’s held his hand before . . . but where, and when?

The White Octopus Hotel, 1935. In this belle Ʃpoque building high in the snowy mountains, Eve and a young Max wander the winding halls, lost in time.

Each of them has been through the trenches—Eve through a family accident and Max on the battlefields of the Great War—but for an impossible moment, love and healing are just a room away . . . if only they have the courage to step through the door. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I don't know what I expected from this book but it DEFINITELY was not what I just read and I mean that in the BEST way.

When I read the synopsis of The White Octopus Hotel I was really excited to meet Max and Eve and journey to a magical hotel in the Swiss Alps.  This story not only transported me to one of my most favorite settings in a book but also introduced me to some amazing characters.  

I don't want to give too much away with this one.  Just know there is so much that happens in this story.  It contains mystery, time travel, a layered story that ebbs and flows pulling you in and spitting you out again, and dynamic characters that you will dearly miss when the story is over. 

I love that there was so much hope, love, and grief in this story.  I constantly felt like I could see myself in Eve's character and really can't wait for you to meet her.  She really explores making peace with some mistakes she has made and whether or not she can forgive herself for her past and I think we can all really relate to that.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Audio, I was able to do an immersive read of this one and really enjoyed Mei Mei MacLeod's narration. I enjoyed her voice very much and really felt she wonderfully brought this story to life.

This is definitely going to be a five-star read for me and a story that will live rent free in my head for some time to come.

Thanks to Random House for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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