Monday, December 27, 2021

Gaming Hell Christmas

 …Mystery abounds at the new Hell in town in “Gaming Hell Christmas”, written by Kathy L. Wheeler and Amanda McCabe, published by Chisel Imprint.

         It is 1796 London, where women exist under the thumbs of men—be it their fathers, husbands, or any male who feels he knows what’s best. Whether from the working class, the desperately poor or royalty, women have few things to call their own—including the right to direct their own lives—and fight a daily battle to maintain the few things they achieve on their own.

After receiving a select invitation The Greensley Girls, life-long friends and confidantes from school, gather at la Sous Rose, the newest gaming hall for an evening of fun and perhaps a bit of mystery, only to discover the answer to their dreams.

 In A Gift for the Duke’s Illegitimate Daughter, Kathy L. Wheeler introduces Alexandra Blessing who only wants to live in her own home, away from the endless demands and expectations of her spoiled half-siblings. Enter Theodore Millburn whose goal in life is to destroy Alex’s father, the Duke of Winsome. Expectations are low when Alex and Theo first meet; together they start out on an adventure where each’s life-long dreams are achieved with the end rewards particularly satisfying. A special aspect of this delightful story is author Wheeler’s special talent for inventing and developing multi-layered, inspired characters.

 In The Merry Widow’s Christmas Adventure, Amanda McCabe introduces Anabel Christie, dowager Lady Ranstruther, just out of a year’s period of mourning. Free at last of a much older, not so cherished husband, Belle wants only to live her life they way she wants, free of the machinations of her stepson who covets not only her person but the limited funds and property she can legally claim as her own. Enter William, Lord Deansley. The two came together in a brief, intriguing interlude years before—and neither has been able to forget the embers that were stirred. Author McCabe gifts the reader with a special ability for describing period costumes, speech patterns and settings to a degree the reader is drawn in immediately.

On a scale of 1-5, Gaming Hell Christmas deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The Gingerbread Man by Kim Turner

                Two lonesome hearts find love at Christmas...

         Hannah Tate is raising her children alone after her husband's death. It hasn’t been easy but after chores get done which she nor her adolescent son completed, she wonders who her mysterious helper might be. While her daughter insists it’s The Gingerbread Man who comes late at night, Hannah has no time for such nonsense.

A veteran of the War of Aggression, John Sullivan lives alone outside Harper Falls, trapping for a living and coping with horrific memories of too much violence and death. When circumstance brings him to meet the woman he’s been secretly helping, he doesn’t expect to find love once again.

But he’ll risk his life more than once to finally hold her forever.

Our Review: This delightful Western romance is made that much better with author Turner’s flair for using the costumes, customs and speech patterns common to the time. Featuring two lonely people who have lost everything—only to find it again. This is the perfect solution to the rush and bother surrounding modern holiday celebrations. Treat yourself by taking time to sit by a glowing fire with a warm cup of tea, and perhaps a warm gingerbread cookie, and travel back in time to meet John and Hannah and follow their adventures in finding love again. It’ll warm your heart. Promise.

Based on a scale of 1-5, The Gingerbread Man deserves a 5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, December 20, 2021

Scarlet at Crystal River by Randy Overbeck

 . . . It’s Christmas on Florida’s lush west coast and two honeymooners, looking for sun, sea, and other adult activities are haunted by the ghosts of two immigrant children who continually plead for help . . .

 Scarlet at Crystal River, a paranormal suspense, is part of the Haunted Shores Mystery series, written by Randy Overbeck and released by the Wild Rose Press.

      Derrell Henshaw and Erin Caveny are at it again. This time the ‘gifted’ high school history teacher/football coach and the OB nurse are honeymooning in Crystal River, Florida, about as far from cold New Jersey December weather as two people can get. Life is bliss—until the ghosts of two small children intrude at the most inopportune times, imploring their help. Unable to resist their pleas, the two set out, with the help of a Latino interpreter, to uncover exactly what happened—and why.

 Our Review: Fans of Randy Overbeck are again treated to a fast-paced page turner that features well-developed characters and exceptional plotting for suspense and action. Well done!

 On a scale of 1-5, Scarlet at Crystal River deserves a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

Monday, December 13, 2021

A River for Gemma by Deborah Whiting Alexander



 . . . Three spirited women. One perilous past. And an unlikely heroine.

         Miracles abound in Sugar Creek, a small-town nestled near the horse trails and hazelnut orchards of Oregon’s lush countryside. It is here, where twenty-six-year old Gemma Porter lives a vibrant life chasing her dreams. But Gemma is underestimated by a world that pigeonholes her as “intellectually disabled.”

While the naysayers and bullies only see Gemma’s limitations, her beloved grandmother sees the heart of a genius—and a soul of divination. When Gemma’s longing to be a mother collides with her grandmother’s hidden past, three generations of Porter women are put in peril.

A harrowing adventure unfolds into a heroic quest to save their lives. As Gemma’s bravery is tested, she will need to prove that regardless of age or intellect, a mother’s love knows no bounds.

 A River for Gemma, written by Debra Whiting Alexander, was an August, 2021 release by the Wild Rose Press.

Our Review: Rarely have we read a book which brought us to our feet, cheering for three very different, extremely brave characters. Each faces their own individual challenges—for different though valid reasons. Each stands on their own and the reader is better for knowing them. This is a truly exceptional book.

Based on a scale of 1-5, A River for Gemma deserves an 8.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews.

A River for Gemma

. . . Three spirited women. One perilous past. And an unlikely heroine.

         Miracles abound in Sugar Creek, a small-town nestled near the horse trails and hazelnut orchards of Oregon’s lush countryside. It is here, where twenty-six-year old Gemma Porter lives a vibrant life chasing her dreams. But Gemma is underestimated by a world that pigeonholes her as “intellectually disabled.”

While the naysayers and bullies only see Gemma’s limitations, her beloved grandmother sees the heart of a genius—and a soul of divination. When Gemma’s longing to be a mother collides with her grandmother’s hidden past, three generations of Porter women are put in peril.

A harrowing adventure unfolds into a heroic quest to save their lives. As Gemma’s bravery is tested, she will need to prove that regardless of age or intellect, a mother’s love knows no bounds.

 A River for Gemma, written by Debra Whiting Alexander, was an August, 2021 release by the Wild Rose Press.

Our Review: Rarely have we read a book which brought us to our feet, cheering for three very different, extremely brave characters. Each faces their own individual challenges—for different though valid reasons. Each stands on their own and the reader is better for knowing them. This is a truly exceptional book.

Based on a scale of 1-5, A River for Gemma deserves an 8.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews. 

Monday, December 6, 2021

Sixshooter by Lyndi Alexander

           Valeni Pascual wants to be free to make a living hauling cargo with her spaceship and to understand the shapeshifting alien who presents sometimes as the steamy male Nik and other times as the blonde bombshell Nikki.

          As a rebel insurgence builds against the oppressive government known as the Agency, Valeni and Nik/Nikki encounter a sexy Terran cowboy named Garrett Rawls. Since being pulled into this region of space by another mysterious wormhole, Garrett has looked for a way to return to Earth. After meeting Valeni and Nikki, he might have found something worth staying for.

          However, dark forces may have a much bigger picture in mind for all of them. Valeni, Nik/Nikki, and Garrett are pulled into a life and death fight that lays bare all of their secrets and their desires. Will they lose everything as the battle against the Agency rages around them or can love pull them through?

 Our Review: on any given day, sci-fi, space travel adventure fiction is not the genre we seek out. Sixshooter has opened our minds and shown us new avenues. Multi-talented author Lyndi Alexander owns an imagination with no limits. Her ability for world building and creating fascinating, fun characters goes well beyond the norm. Sixshooter is one for the new age—and not to be missed.

 On a scale of 1-5, Sixshooter deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Authors

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Tinsel and Tea Cakes by Jill Piscitello

 . . . Step back in time for an unforgettable winter wedding . . .

           Hair stylist Scarlett Kerrigan lost her job and her apartment. To alleviate a touch of self-pity, she succumbs to her stepmom’s pressure to attend a wedding in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Unfortunately, she runs into the vacation fling who promised the moon but disappeared without an explanation. Months have passed, but she is not ready to forgive and forget.

          After a chaotic year, executive Wes Harley settles into his family's event venue, The Timeless Manor. His carefully structured world is shaken to its core when Scarlett arrives for the Victorian Christmas wedding weekend. The feelings he never quite erased flood to the surface.

          When secrets are revealed, will a magical chateau and a sprinkle of tinsel be enough to charm Scarlett?

 Our Review: This contemporary sweet romance, set in the glorious White Mountains of New Hampshire, is a study in creating a lusciously detailed setting, populated by a diverse set of characters. Author Piscitello does not let us down when it comes to describing mouth-watering dishes which jump off the page. Then, to offer an even greater treat, are her detailed descriptions of the period costumes worn by guests and staff alike. This story is a picture in artistic design and creativity. Well done.

 On a scale of 1-5, Tinsel and Tea Cakes deserves a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, November 29, 2021

Chocolate Chip Christmas Wishes by Nicole McCaffrey

 . . .“Welcome to Christmasville where it’s Christmas all year long.”

He turned to her. “Let me guess. I died and this is Hell.”. . . 

      Jake Mistletoe. the North Pole’s resident bad boy, is half-elf, half-human. As the only child of a single mother, who just happens to be Santa’s head elf, he’s led a spoiled, charmed life as godson to Santa and Mrs. Claus, and has wanted for nothing. Fed up with Jake’s wild, partying ways and lack of direction, his mother sends him to the real world for a dose of reality and to get in touch with his human side.

     Lucy Prescott is all alone in this world. She left college and abandoned her dream of running her own business to care for the ailing grandparents who raised her.  Since they died, she has struggled to keep their Christmas novelty shop running in a dated, dying Christmas-themed tourist town. But she is running low on hope and it’s hard to feel the holiday spirit when you live it all day, every day. 

     After Jake appears in the tiny town in Northern New York, magic seems to fill the air. And what’s up with the enticing aroma of chocolate chip cookies that seems to follow everywhere he goes? For the first time in ages, life holds excitement and Lucy finds herself wondering what if?

Our Review:  Author Nicole McCaffrey, known for unique settings, enchanting characters and snappy, laugh-out-loud dialogue, does not fail her readers with Chocolate Chip Christmas Wishes, a current release out of the Christmas Cookie series by the Wild Rose Press.  

     In order to truly enjoy this terrific tale of an elf and a hard-working selfless shop owner, one needs to get ready for one hoot after another. Jake is a darling; Lucy owns a heart as big as all outdoors. Neither is about to give up on their dreams. So take a visit to Christmasville, meet Lucy, Jake and the rest of the gang who inhabit this delightful holiday-themed village, and prepare to have your heart warmed like never before.

 On a scale of 1-5, Chocolate Chip Christmas Wishes deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Friday, November 26, 2021

Red Velvet Sprinkles and Christmas Sprinkles by Maria Imbalzano

           Competitive, work-obsessed Bella Simonetti has just been fired from her high-paying job at a Manhattan law firm. At an all-time low, she returns home and helps her parents at their small-town gift shop, but the business is failing and may not make it past the Christmas holidays.

Successful landscape architect Dean Jackson is like a son to Bella's parents. But he's a persistent annoyance to her—he seems to have forgotten his unforgivable blunder thirteen years earlier.

When Bella transforms her parents' gift shop into a cookie cottage, Dean's generosity and magnetic smile are hard to resist, and those feelings of unrequited adolescent love come rushing back. But can Bella let go of the past and accept Dean for the man he is today?

Our Review: Author Maria Imbalzano continually treats her many fans to another of her sweet, contemporary romances. This one features Bella and Dean, two people who knew each other as teenagers and now are thrown together when they attempt to help her parents reinvent their gift shop into a cookie haven. In more ways than one, Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles is a story of starting over, putting the past in its proper spot: the past in order to forge a future filled with love and promise and hope.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles earns a 6.

Monday, November 22, 2021

Kisses and Lemon Snowflake Cookies

           Fireman Dustin Keith didn't realize women would be coming out of the woodwork after he posed for the local fundraiser calendar. But the one who catches his eye is a baker with trust issues. Can he scale the wall she's built around her heart, or is fate destined to extinguish the flames of desire before they engulf his heart?

Lauren Badini came to Cedar Bend to lend a helping hand at her aunt's bakery, not fall for Mr. July. The image on the calendar she received last Christmas fueled her fantasies, but the in-person version is too hot to handle. But if life after her ex has taught her anything, it's okay to look...but don't touch.

 Our Review: When it comes to teaching the basic elements of writing romance, the experts have always said: Put the hero and heroine together immediately and keep them together. Give each strong, relatable and realistic goals. Individual conflicts—internal and external—must be realistic, reasonable, and impossible to overcome. And they must be in direct conflict of the other’s, enough to make the reader think ‘these two will never get together’. Sounds simple. It’s not.

          In Kisses and Lemon Snowflake Cookies, author N. Jade Gray clearly demonstrates she learned the above rules, puts them down on paper, and turns out a beauty of a story. It’s sweet, simple and a total delight to read. Congratulations.

On a scale of 1-5, Kisses and Lemon Snowflake Cookies earns a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Winter Storm by Ellie Gray

 She trusts everyone, he trusts no one. As danger closes in, can they trust each other?

Willow Daniels has a heart of gold and is willing to help anyone who needs it, but when she helps Ethan McCormick one snowy night, she may just have made the biggest mistake of her life. Trapped by a winter storm in a tiny, North Yorkshire village, Willow is forced to re-evaluate everything she believes in, and wonders if anyone is truly who they seem. 

Fate may have brought her to Ethan, but as danger closes in around them, Willow must draw on a strength she never knew she possessed in order to protect the man she has grown to love, not only against his worst enemy, but also against himself.

Our Review:  Set in a small Yorkshire village, Winter Storm is the story of a gentle, trusting woman who willingly tends to a wounded stranger because that’s her nature. Ethan McCormick is clearly on the run—but from whom he will not say. He cannot say—because it would put Willow, as well as himself, in greater danger. This is also a story of complete opposites. She is sweet, trusting, and kind to all. Ethan is rough, rugged and loathes Christmas and all it stands for. In the middle of a hard December storm, he’s trapped in a home that looks like something out of a Father Christmas catalogue. The culmination is an edge-of-your-seat chase through the twisting corridors, hidden nooks and crannies of a small rural school. An excellent work of sweet romance and brilliant danger.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Winter Storm deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Christmas in the Wylder County Jail by Nicole McCaffrey and Kim Turner

 Adelaide Willowby is having a bad day. First, the madam of the Wylder County Social Club has kicked out the love of her life—for good this time. One of her best girls is getting married and her sister and daughter are barely speaking to her. Then, her long-lost brother-in-law shows up, claiming ownership of her business. What else can go wrong?

          Russ Holt has relied on alcohol to quiet the ghosts from is past for far too long. When his latest bender causes him to let down both Addie and his son, he knows something has to change. When a stranger in town is found dead and Miss Adelaide is arrested for murder, Russ smells a rat. Can he come out of the bottle long enough to save Addie—and win back her heart?

 Our Review: Welcome back Miss Adelaide and the ladies of the Wylder County Social Club! The women, as usual, juggle several balls while assisting a bevy of nuns as they care for victims of a violent train wreck—in the middle of the blizzard of the century—all the while trying to help Addie prove herself innocent of murder charges. Just your average day in Wylder, Wyoming.

With the usual snappy colloquial dialogue authors McCaffrey and Turner are known for, the descriptions of the causes and effects of long term alcohol use/abuse are spot-on and detailed for a common sense approach to getting sober. Well done, ladies!  

 On a scale of 1-5, Christmas in the Wylder County Jail deserves a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

The Starlight Mint Murder Mystery

      After a serious on the job injury, LA cop Mel O’Rourke leaves the force battered both physically and mentally. Looking for a fresh start, she moves to a quiet mountain town and opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, Mel decides to participate in the town’s holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy crashes when one of her guests turns up dead in the Inn’s lobby.

     Tempted to attribute the death to natural causes, Mel’s cop sense kicks in after a second guest dies. The local sheriff tells her to stand down, but with her own life in danger, Mel refuses to back off. With everything on the line, she has to push through her own fears to catch the killer before more bodies drop, perhaps even her own.

Our Review: In this fun, fast read, script writer turned author Marla White shows off her talent for writing crisp, snappy dialogue and creating unique, one-of-a-kind characters capable of invoking some laugh-out-loud moments. Just when things are running smoothly, another monkey lands on the pile of wrenches, sending B&B owner Mel O’Rourke off and running—literally if not figuratively. The Starlight Mint Murder Mystery is an homage to small rural communities and those who flock to them—as well as large, Irish families who pass down their traditions—flawed by accident, or maybe not. We hope this story is the beginning of even better stories to come.

On a scale of 1-5, The Starlight Mint Murder Mystery deserves a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, November 8, 2021

Christmas in Wylder by Sarita Leone

 in that moment she realized she didn’t know the man’s name but she put her life and trust in him, and willingly followed him through Hell…

        And so describes the plight of Margaret Channing, a young Boston woman who escaped brutality and ran—somewhere, anywhere—in order to be free of one man’s power and abuse. Meg is brilliantly portrayed in Christmas in Wylder, a short historical romance by Sarita Leone, and part of the Wylder West series out of the Wild Rose Press.

The man Meg follows through Hell is Tate Taylor, owner of the local mining supply store. He rescues Meg and others after a violent train derailment outside Wylder just weeks before Christmas. While caring for her and other victims of the wreck, he searches for a shipment of explosives lost in the crash. If he fails, the entire town is at risk for annihilation.

 Our Review: Again, author Leone treats the reader to a story filled with non-stop action as well as a deep and touching romance as it develops between two people who, while brutalized in the past, come to find in each other a balm for more than just a broken heart. Well done!

 On a scale of 1-5, Christmas in Wylder deserves a 5.

  Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Monday, November 1, 2021

A Wyld Night for St. Nick by Laura Strickland

When a train jumps the rails near Wylder during a blizzard one December night, mountain man Nick Robinson rushes to the rescue. It's only a few days before Christmas, and the young boy he saves from the wreck is convinced his rescuer is St. Nick. Since the frightened child is crying for his ma, Nick figures the best thing he can do is go back and rescue her, too.

Ella Fielding is instantly captivated by the man who carries both her and her boy to safety. St. Nick or not, she'd like nothing better than to claim such a strong, gentle man for her own. But Ella carries a secret she dares share with no one, not even when Nick asks her to trust him with her heart.

 Our Review: As we’ve read and reviewed other books for the diverse Wylder West series, we’ve heard rumors about the ‘great train wreck’ and couldn’t wait for the real deal to land on our desk. With A Wyld Night for St. Nick we have the details in spades. Right from page one, Author Strickland offers the reader a breath of fresh air for her talent in applying speech patterns common to the West—as well as the late 1800’s. Clothing styles, social mores and taboos are included in subtle ways as well, enriching this delightful story about a lost little boy and his worn to the bone mother who is rescued by a man the little one becomes convinced is Santa Clause. Well done, Ms. Strickland!

 On a scale of 1-5, A Wyld Night for St. Nick deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews 

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Romancing the Holidays, Vol. 2

 During this busy season take a break to relax with Romancing the Holidays, Vol.2, a collection of 14 short romances released by the members of First Coast Romance Writers of Jacksonville, Fla.

 Our Review: so many emotions and feelings were evoked as we read these short stories, covering Halloween through Valentine’s Day and settings spanning war-torn France to present day Miami to the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Genres run the gamut from romantic suspense, to paranormals to historicals.

 * Debby Grahl’s Fall Into Magic features a hard-nose US Marshal who meets a been-there-done-that witch in the middle of an old west gunfight.

* A warlock, dressed as Buzz Lightyear, is confronted by a witch in a Little Red Riding Hood costume in Melody Johnson’s paranormal, Fated by Fire and the fun begins.

* Sparks fly, in more ways than one, when a busy OB-GYN battles a TV set designer for the last can of pumpkin in Elise Darby’s Oh My Pumpkin Pie.  

* Barbara Whitaker takes us back to a different time and place in her World War II romance, Thanks for the Doughnuts. There’s nothing like a little shellfire from enemy forces to teach a timid Red Cross worker and a brash, pushy soldier lessons in life and love.

* Maggie Fitzroy uses an historic lakeside lodge in Maine for the setting of Christmas Peril, featuring a travel writer and a PI, who while posing as husband and wife, set out to get the goods on a potential gold-digging fiancé and end up with a dead body on their hands.

* San Diego is the setting for a contemporary military romance by Leah Miles. Stolen Christmas features a struggling widow with an intrepid five-year-old who steals the heart of their landlord: a macho US Navy SEAL. Bring on the tissues.

* For those who enjoy a good attorney bash joke, Karen Renee shows a new side of the law in Holiday Fixation. Nothing brings out the hero in a group of hard-charging lawyers when one of their own is threatened by a stalker.

* For a touching story of a family reunited in post-Civil War Georgia, Sara Walker’s Miracle de Noel is the one for you. War injures more than those who fought; the family left behind is equally harmed—and Walker shows those injuries very well.

* Vickey Wollan displays an obvious talent for snappy dialogue with The Secret Santa Surprise when two teens, in need of community service hours in order to earn a college scholarship, are forced to walk in each other’s shoes. The question ends up: which is more fun, the ‘breaststroke babe’ sitting high on her pity pot or the dorky superhero Inviso-Man? What a treat.  

* Just Four Days offers new meaning to wedding cruise from Hell when Maid of Honor Hailey runs slam bam into Best Man Don. Author Gloria Ferguson poses the ultimate problem: can two exes bury the hatchet long enough to see their best friends married without shoving each other overboard?

* When Dustin Biggs tells his ex-wife “I know you’d rather sled down a mountain on an ironing board than let me in but it’s freezing in here!” we were hooked by Abigail Sharpe’s second chance contemporary romance, New Year’s Ex-Pectations. A beauty of a fun story.

* Laura Salas gives readers a treat with an inside look into the celebration known as Three Kings Day in Love on Calle Ocho. Set in Miami, Carlos Flores has moved on after a serious betrayal; teacher Maddie Jones, also betrayed, has not. Together the two help each other in remarkable ways.

* In True Love Found, P.K. Brent brings enchantment fairy Marielle Charmaine face to face with her first crush, electromancer Alan Corben. As teenagers they helped each other survive loneliness, bigotry and misunderstanding. As adults, after finding each other again, new possibilities come to fruition.

* Winding up the series is The Matchmaker’s Valentine, a love story among shapeshifting werewolves. Jax is looking for a mate but where to find one? Those inside his pack find him too big, too broody, too crazy. And, as pack enforcer his reputation has gone out of control. In the middle of a noisy bar he finds Cece, a matchmaker self-described as ‘she’d walk through Hell with gasoline panties on before she ended up like her mother’. Laugh out loud.  

 On a scale of 1-5, Romancing the Holidays, Vol 2 deserves a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Monday, October 25, 2021

Crush by Christina Strigas

 Crush, a contemporary romance written by Christina Strigas, recently released by The Wild Rose Press from their Fast Track line.

It was love at first sight when Maria met Jack on a beach all those years ago. But when Jack suddenly disappears, Maria is thrust closer to Hunter, their long-time friend, taking them on a journey that changes all three of their lives forever.

Maria is a lonely young woman who finds love and acceptance with Jack, a free-spirited musician. In Maria, Jack finally has the girl of his dreams by his side. When Jack introduces Maria to his best friend, Hunter, he feels an instant connection to Maria, but he buries his feelings—along with his secret that he's a vampire—for the love of his friend.

Set in Saint-Tropez, Crush is a vampire tale with a twist. Spanning decades and delving into the past of each character in this thorny love triangle, it is about a woman who must choose between the man she's in love with and the man who is her soul mate. Adventure, love, romance, and vampires all collide in this unique novel filled with powerful emotion, heartbreak, and the question of undying love.

 Our Review: A story of love shared by three best friends, Crush is written in flowery, artistic prose and reflects the author’s talent for creative, stream of consciousness poetry. The pace is fast—often too fast—as it jumps abruptly from past to present, leaving the reader shaking their heads as to where they are in the timeline. Lovers of vampire lore will like this one.

 On a scale of 1-5, Crush earns a 3.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews 

Monday, October 18, 2021

The Three Widows of Wylder by Julie Howard

 Three women. Three terrible secrets.

 Three women on the run.

After the death of her husband, Clara flees a hanging judge and seeks refuge with her brother in Wylder, Wyoming. With secrets of her own and good reasons to flee, spoiled and vain Mary Rose joins Clara on the trek to Wyoming. Surely a suitable man exists somewhere.Emma is a mystery. A crack shot and expert horsewoman, her harrowing past seeps out in a steady drip. She’s on the run from something, but what? After the three women descend on Wylder, a budding romance leads to exposure of their pasts. As disaster looms, will any of them escape?

 About the story: In a spin-off from the usual fare offered by the popular Wylder West series, published by the Wild Rose Press, author Julie Howard offers us three unique women characters. Each is driven by her own demons; each is determined to survive at all costs. No matter what it takes.

Our Review: Each time we read and review another creation by the talented Julie Howard, we come away certain this one is the best of the lot—and each one has been terrific. In ‘Three Widows’ each character has her own individual personality, driven by needs common to women of that time in history, with few resources and nowhere to turn—until she takes matters into her own hands. And we are better for having read it. Well done.

 On a scale of 1-5, The Three Widows of Wylder deserves an 8.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Sunday, October 17, 2021

My Only One by Charlotte O'Shay

 They have been the only one for each other since childhood. Has it lasted?

Research chemist Esmeralda Acosta is devoted to her father, and when he promises her in marriage to a wealthy businessman, as payment for an overdue loan, she feels she must honor him. Until everything goes horribly wrong and she goes on the run—only to be rescued by a man she’s not seen in years, but never forgot: Shane Fortunato.

Shane has loved Esme for what seems like all his life, never forgot her, never married because no woman could match her for beauty, brains and guts. Now, as an up and coming undercover narcotics agent, they two are thrown together after she is assaulted by the head of a notorious cocaine cartel. Working fast, Shane must convince Esme he can protect her—and her ailing father—if only.  

Our Review:  With her gifts for writing crisp, realistic dialogue and building suspense that feels effortless, author O’Shay has knocked her first attempt at independent publishing out of the park. We can’t wait for the next edition of the Fortunato Family Series. Well done and congratulations.

On a scale of 1-5, My Only One deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

Monday, October 11, 2021

Arborview by Karen Guzman

 Ellen Cahill, fresh off an ugly divorce from a manipulative jerk—who continues to phone and text her at the drop of a hat, just to ‘check in’—needs to come up with cash, and soon, in order to save Arborview, a treehouse in the back yard of her longtime home, a haven where she often retreats to pray and think and dream.

          Just when things are beginning to look up and Ellen is feeling more confident, a tug of ginormous proportions yanks the proverbial rug from beneath her feet. Coming in the form of another betrayal, this one is even more astounding than those committed by the aforementioned jerkoff ex-spouse. Enter Rosa Escamilla, a young woman who reminds Ellen of herself at twenty, and who compels her to look at life’s vagaries in a new light.  

 Our Review: For a humdinger of one woman’s journey toward recovery and revenge, this is a book you’ll want to keep on the shelf, and pick up when you want to feel good about life and all it may toss at you, Arborview is the bomb. Well done, Ms. Guzman.

 On a scale of 1-5, Arborview deserves a 6.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

Friday, October 8, 2021

Murder Undetected by Roxanne Dunn

           Two women. One driven by selfish desire, the other by selfless love.

 The moment psychologist Brittany Ann Thornton thinks she has her life all dialed in, her perfect little family falls apart and the FBI seizes all her assets. Trouble follows her from Seattle to Paris to the south of France where Viane Thibaudet, darling of a quaint hilltop town in Provence, has been getting away with murder. But when she attempts to poison her husband, Brittany steps up to stop her.

Our Review:  And so begins an exciting romp through France for a woman trying her best to regain a firm hold on both life and her professional future. The fates have other ideas and toss a few wrenches into the works in the forms of a lying, cheating spouse, an ambivalent graduate advisor, the typical rebellious teenage daughter, and a nasty adolescent serial killer. But those are only cracks in the sidewalk of life when it comes to Brit surviving the machinations of a woman who wears two faces.

Author Dunn follows Murder Unrehearsed, her first thriller for the Wild Rose Press, with a tightly written, interesting murder-suspense set in the luscious south of France with a cast of well-drawn, layered characters, a gutsy heroine and a really nasty bad guy.

On a scale of 1-5, Murder Undetected deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, October 4, 2021

What Happens in Denver by Liz Crowe

 New friends, a fresh start, a side order of romance—all with a nice cold pint.

           The morning after winning the coveted Best Beer Bar award, Andi Rigby discovers she’s been screwed her out of the same award-winning business. That’s what happens to a woman who’s spent years learning all aspects of the trade with the goal of making her ‘baby’ the best it could be. Not to mention being too consumed to be aware of the legal manipulations of her cheating, scumbag of a husband.

           After wallowing for months, aided by copious amounts of alcohol, she rises, albeit reluctantly, from the ashes and starts the slow, painful process of starting over. First in Denver, which leads to Grand Rapids and VanAnsel Distributors. As a side benefit, hunky James Burke of the infamous Burke Brothers brewery is one of her new clients. Attracted? Yes, by God she is. Still in mourning for all she’d lost? Of course. What Happens in Denver shows us how Andi triumphs over cheating spouses, misogynistic coworkers and desperate new best friends.

 Our Review:  Author Liz Crowe, known for snappy dialogue and riotus story arcs, does not disappoint fans with What Happens in Denver. Any woman who’s been done wrong by a man will easily relate to Andi, a hoot of a woman who will go to no end to help a friend, or a competitor, and come out better for it. For an in-depth look into the craft beer industry, as well as the big business of alcohol distribution, this is the story for you.   

 On a scale of 1-5, What Happens in Denver deserves a 5.

                Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Unexpected by Jana Richards

At their lowest point, with no relief in sight, two desperate people find the solution to their problems in a most unexpected way.  

          Hard working, devoted parent, Ben Grayson sees the only solution to protecting his children is to go on the run. Until he meets next door neighbor Jamie Garven who might be the answer to his prayers in a most unexpected manner.

           Almost from the start, Jamie’s calm demeanor settles Ben, giving him a sense of comfort and safety. His two little girls mend the ache in Jamie’s heart, showing her a new opportunity to fulfill her greatest wish. Together they might be able to solve the other’s dilemmas—if only . . .

 Our Review:  Unexpected, Book 3 in the Masonville Series is the kind of novel every fan of the romance genre hopes to find: relatable, multi-layered characters with strong goals, motivation and conflict and antagonists worth their weight in page-turning gold for creating tension and erecting roadblocks to our two deserving leads. As the saying goes, ‘just when things look good, throw a monkey wrench in the works’. Author Jana Richards has followed that advice to the max. Rarely have we found such an excellent example of good writing, great characters and a longed-for HEA. Well done!

 On a scale of 1-5, Unexpected deserves an 8.

            Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Monday, September 27, 2021

Twisted Lies by C.B. Clark

            Can she overcome her traumatic past and open her heart to love?

      Maggie O’Flynn’s parents disappeared when she was twelve. Abandoned and alone, with few answers to what happened, she was sent to live with a maiden aunt who did the best she could. Now, years later, with difficulties trusting others and at risk for losing her job, Maggie senses someone is watching her. A letter from an attorney only heightens her sense of terror. What the attorney drops in her lap will change her life forever.  

      Russ Crawford, heir to the fortune of his adopted father, Angus, explodes after he learns the mysterious Maggie O’Flynn will inherit his father’s estate. Who is she? And why would his father—whom Russ adored—leave the bulk of his estate to this interloper?

      Sparks fly on their first accidental meeting. The second time doesn’t go as well. The two are confronted by a mystery of monumental proportions—right down to what happened to Maggie’s parents, and what led to Angus’ secret surveillance of Maggie for more than twenty years. Working together, the two risk everything to find the answers. In the process they discover each other.

 Our Review:  For long-time fans of C.B. Clark’s edge of the seat novels of suspense and mystery, Twisted Lies is a treat. With a talent for blending lush descriptions of the picturesque Western Canada with well-drawn, multi-layered characters, Clark does not disappoint. The subtle inclusion of the daily struggles and temptations associated with alcohol abuse is informative without beating the reader over the head. Plus, the ending was not at all expected—and very satisfying.

 On a scale of 1-5, Twisted Lies deserves a 6.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Cherry Red by Darlene Fredette

      Up and coming entrepreneur Carly Redd has a lousy history with men. In fact, she’d rather devote her life improving her new business than spend her precious time off with a man who will only end up leaving her.

     Firefighter Noah “Blaise” Harding comes from a strong, loving family whose bonds rewrote the book for lasting marriage. He’d looking for the forever type of woman—and is prepared to wait a lifetime for her.

     They meet under unusual circumstances—she’s creating interesting titled beverages that combine her passion for ice cream with “adult” additives. In walk a group of hot looking firemen whom she has reason to believe are part of the “adult” entertainment for the event. She’s not about to think twice about a man who removes his clothes for pay—and lets him know immediately. Noah on the other hand is struck deaf, dumb and blind at the first meeting, and is willing to do anything and everything to win over the energetic Carly.  

 Our Review:  Again, author Darlene Fredette treats the reader to a fast and fun example of interesting, relatable characters with crisp, snappy dialogue. Toss in the charm of historic Halifax, Nova Scotia and a host of diverse and colorful secondary characters. Fans of Darlene as well as the One Scoop or Two Series out of the Wild Rose Press are in for a treat.

 On a scale of 1-5, Cherry Red deserves a 6.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Killing Dreams by Donnette Smith

 . . . A serial killer is on the prowl and psychic Jenna Langley is an ‘eye’ witness to each death. The one man she dares turn to is homicide detective Cole Rainwater. But the last time she saw him was when their teenage love affair ended in tragedy. Cole would give everything to forget he ever knew Jenna. Until she strolls back into his life after ten years and rapidly becomes the center of a horrific set of murders which have rocked the small town he calls home. With a maniac on the loose, and innocent lives at stake, Jenn must decide if helping Cole bring a killer to justice is worth exposing the secret she’s kept all these years. . .

       Imagine being seventeen, madly in love, only to learn the boy you love is the son of a serial killer. Of course you want to support your love; unfortunately your parents have other ideas…

Now, ten years later, independent, successful businesswoman Jenna Langley ends up the town she was forced to leave ten years ago. After she starts having vivid dreams which involve the horrifying death of a woman, she goes to the police. Only the hotshot detective assigned to talk to her doesn’t believe her. Worse, she was the girl he once loved beyond all others; the one who deserted him at the lowest point in his life; the one he never forgot. And she’s got a pip of an unbelievable story to tell.

 Our Review:  Conflict—the main concept of all good fiction. In Killing Dreams, Donnette Smith uses the conflict between Cole and Jenna, both internal and external, to keep readers on the edge of their seats, turning the pages. Enhancing the conflict is snappy dialogue, wise-cracking secondary characters and a steamy setting. Who could ask for more?

 On a scale of 1-5, Killing Dreams deserves a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, September 13, 2021

In From the Cold

        Recently, we had the privilege to meet Luke Foster from Susan Payne’s An Unexpected Wife. Luke, a hard-working Nebraska rancher with a slew of younger brothers to ride herd on, rescues the town librarian Lorelei from desperate straits and thereby forges a deep and everlasting future for himself, the woman he comes to love, and starting a new branch of the Foster family tree.

One of those ‘branches’ was Luke’s younger brother Matthew who, after one look at Lorelei, knew he needed make a life for himself—and that Nebraska was not the place to do it. Hence, we found Matthew traveling to Alaska in the historical romance, In From the Cold, written by Susan Payne, and released by the Wild Rose Press.

 Our Review:  While detailing Matthew’s trials and tribulations while in carving out a space for himself in rough and rugged Sitka, Payne once again shows off her enviable skill for research. While enjoying a simple, basic romance, the readers learns volumes on customs and culture of Native Alaskan peoples as well as those of Mother Russia. As always this is more than a simple romance; it is filled with adventure and imagination and is sure to please any number of readers.

 On a scale of 1-5, In From the Cold deserves a 4.

      Kat Henry Doran, Two Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

There Was an Old Woman by June Summers

    . . . They make an unlikely trio: this grieving grandmother and her two young grandchildren. . . 

Nora Mitchell just lost her husband of forty-one years. After the funeral, to help her cope with the brutal loneliness, her grandchildren opt to spend the summer with her on her rural, lakefront property. Little do they know the life-changing experience that will result from their decision when those gunmen burst through the front door, take them hostage and demand all of Nora’s money and valuables.

Contending with the physical and mental abuse inflicted by their captors, this feisty older woman and two clever kids fight back, using strengths none knew they possessed.

 Our Review: Author June Summers takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions, first by showing Nora’s bone-deep grief from the sudden loss of her beloved spouse to helplessness, fear, then rage when these armed bullies show very clearly they mean to kill her and her darling grandchildren if she doesn’t cooperate. But these bullies underestimate the wise and clever Nora who is above all a realistic woman filled with common sense and courage. The ending to this timely story will leave you breathless—when you’re not on your feet cheering.

 On a scale of 1-5, There Was an Old Woman deserves a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Monday, August 30, 2021

Kissed by Winter by Darlene Fredette

                 “ . . .she put the spark back into his eyes. . .”

      Danielle Lerato, an up and coming property developer, loves her life in metropolitan Victoria, British Columbia, one filled with regular visits to the best salons and restaurants, and those trendy yoga sessions. She especially favors the mild weather of her chic, metropolitan existence. The thought of relocating to the opposite side of the country is just that: a thought, not a given thing. In fact, the memory of her last trip to the Atlantic Coast left a bitter taste in her mouth.  

      Andrew Bailey is content as the co-owner of a family run restaurant in rural Redford Falls on Canada’s Atlantic Coast where he lives for winter sports of all types—and there are a whole ton of them. The last thing he wants some big city blonde who looks down her nose at his rustic restaurant.

      Lured to Redford Falls on the pretext of a business opportunity, one look at the thigh-deep snow drifts tells Danielle to keep her stay short and get back home before the moon goes through too many phrases. After Andrew rescues her from a disastrous collision with a snowbank, the two recognize each other from a brief interplay months ago. Opposites attract like fire and water, honey and vinegar, big city chic and small-town rustic. Then the fun begins.

 Our Review:  Author Darlene Fredette treats the reader to a fun read filled with crisp, snappy dialogue in the middle of a charming setting and supporting characters who are at once colorful and diverse. Fans of this talented author are in for a treat.

On a scale of 1-5, Kissed by Winter deserves a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 23, 2021

Hometown by Wendy Rich Stetson

When all roads lead home, choosing the right one is never easy…

When Tessa Meadow's plans take the A Train to disaster, she lands back in her sleepy hometown, in the middle of Pennsylvania's Amish Country, and meets Jonas Rishel whose ties to the land and his family's Amish community grow strong and deep. Will Tessa continue her journey on the superhighway to the future—or take a slow walk through the tight, close-knit culture she never dreamed she'd glimpse from the inside?

Our Review:  First, we have rarely met such well-drawn characters who clearly and concisely meet the definitions of polar opposites. It was a true delight to meet them both. Second, the romance between Tessa and Jonas is almost heart breaking for its intensity as well as star-struck quality. Third, we weren’t expecting the ending and man, were we happy to have our socks knocked off. Well done, Ms. Stetson. Very well done.

On a scale of 1-5, Hometown deserves a solid 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Thursday, August 19, 2021

How Everything Turns Away

Ezra James used to be a big deal: Harvard grad, FBI agent and a beautiful wife. After allegations of fabricating evidence on a serial murder case, he finds himself suspended, on the verge of divorce, and working security at a posh Catholic school in suburban Chicago.

          When a student teacher is attacked, then left for dead during a school event, Ezra, along with an up-and- coming female police detective and school chaplain, Fr. Remy Mbombo, must work fast before the culprit returns to finish the job.

How Everything Turns Away, an Ezra James Mystery, written by Steven J. Kolbe and recently released by the Wild Rose Press.

Our Review: For an intriguing insider’s view of a posh private school, where everyone—including the enigmatic school chaplain with as many secrets as the confessional booth—has an agenda. Combine this with a wounded hero who refuses to let life’s vagaries keep him down, and the reader has him/herself with a honey of a fast-paced mystery.

How Everything Turns Away is a story for that reader who appreciates dry humor, busybody PTA members, and smart-mouthed teenagers. Clearly this author is well acquainted with the ins and outs of an educational system as well as the rigors of foreign missionary work. Well done!!

On a scale of 1-5, How Everything Turns Away deserves a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Two Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

Eat Your Heart Out by Shirley Goldberg

           When a tyrant in stilettos replaces her beloved boss, and her ex snags her coveted job, teacher Dana Narvana discovers there are worse things than getting dumped. Enter Dana's staunchest ally: Alex Bethany, hunky co-teacher, quipster, and cooking genius. But when after-hours smooching goes nowhere, she wonders why this grown man can’t seem to make up his mind—about anyone or anything.   

Our Review: Eat Your Heart Out is filled with a wealth of relatable characters whom anyone whose been through an ugly break-up, is contemplating getting on the dating wheel after decades, or simply starting over after a major life-changing event. We were hooked from the first page by Dana’s smart mouth and in-your-face attitude—when we weren’t laughing out loud.


On a scale of 1-5, Eat Your Heart Out deserves a 4.5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews