Eight Reasons: The Village of Last Hope

In The Village of Last Hope Michael Abel, dazed and confused, wanders the rain-filled streets, depressed to the point of suicide. Earlier, after arriving home, he found his wife in his brother's arms. Distressed beyond the point of no return, Michael flees his home and runs.

     As he wanders, cold, wet and freezing, a stranger appears, offering Michael a safe place to spend the night. Gabriel leads Michael to a door in a concrete wall under the Interstate, and they enter a hidden village. There, Peter, the gatekeeper, demands to know what Michael did—and gives him three days to remember.

Too late, Michael discovers he is a prisoner, but is it of his own making? Has he gone completely insane, or has he done something so evil, he is damned forever in The Village of Last Hope?

 Our Review: In a short story which devotees of The Twilight Zone will recognize immediately the reader can’t help but wonder what has really happened—and what exactly is going on. Is the “Village” an analogy for Purgatory? Is Michael stuck in limbo, unable to move ‘up’ or ‘down’, until he admits to what he’s done?

Or have the mysterious entities which Michael has long termed “they/them” finally achieved their goals to destroy him? One can’t help but keep reading to find out. And the truth will blow your mind.

 On a scale of 1-5, The Village of Last Hope merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews 

Eight Reasons: The Boy in the Bubble

 Timothy’s mental powers are limitless in this story that will keep you awake long past midnight.

 About The Boy in the Bubble:

Timothy Bergendorf suffers from so many potentially fatal allergies that he’s forced to live in a self-contained bubble. Greatly loved by his parents he must be protected from everything that might end his fragile life at the drop of a hat. Throughout his lonely childhood, nature compensates by giving him telekinetic and psychic powers.

     As he reaches puberty, his secret talents increase in power so he can travel the world in his mind. Using his power while juggling numerous cars in the air, Timothy suffers a ruptured hernia and is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

     But the operation goes wrong, Tim awakens in agony, and the arrogant, incompetent surgeon can't help. Enraged, Timothy unleashes the full power of his ability—and no one in his path is safe.

 Our Review: Devotees of Stephen B King’s ability to keep his readers enthralled will adore this short contemporary morality tale as they read what happens when an infant is exposed to the vagaries of fate and medical mysteries, then how his frantic parents cope with his enforced disabilities. Having done all they can, sacrificed everything to give him a chance at ‘normal’, after his true character is revealed, they are horrified—as anyone would be. While some might see Timothy as a monster—fear not, there is a happy ending to this morality tale.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Boy in the Bubble merits a 7.

  Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 4

 She was sold to settle a debt. Now she’s ready to reclaim her life—on her own terms.

In The Courtesan’s Christmas Redemption, written by Kathy L. Wheeler, Faustina Clara, once one of the eight jewels of Miss Greensley’s School, has spent the last four years as the enigmatic mistress of the mysterious London hell known as La Sous Rose.

     Through wit and will, she’s carved out a life of independence and power. But when a ghost from her past resurfaces to threaten all she’s built—as well as the seven other women she calls sisters—Faustina must confront secrets she believed long buried in the icy depths of the Thames.

     Henry Ashcombe, her fiercest protector and most persistent suitor, has vowed to uncover the truth and keep Faustina safe—even if it means risking his heart and his own secrets. But the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their world becomes.

Sometimes the heart leads where the crown cannot follow.

     In The Princess’s Christmas Romp, by Amanda McCabe, a blizzard strands the Queen’s daughter, in London just days before the annual Christmastide fête at la Sous Rose. Seizing the opportunity to escape royal duty, Princess Augusta dons a maid’s apron if only for a bit of fun and relief from the tedium associated with being a royal. She doesn't know her royal parents have sent someone to guard her over the holidays.

     What starts as a lark becomes a lesson in freedom—and attraction—when the unflappable Sir Brent Spencer mistakes her for a clever new hire, not the princess he's meant to protect. But as their mutual secrets pile up faster than snow on the eaves, their growing feelings could melt more than their covers. Brent knows what he wants but with Augusta’s heart hanging in the balance, she must choose between the life she was born into—or the one she’s only just begun to imagine...

Our Review: Volume 4 of Gaming Hell Christmas offers a most fitting end to the adventures of the Greensley Girls—bringing closure to the most mysterious of the eight women who as young teenagers forged long standing bonds that withstood the passage of time—and whatever life chose to throw at each.

     Faustina has more guts and grit than any ten women of that time and age while Augusta, who dreams of a “normal” life, understands and accepts what is expected of her—until life, as it always will, tosses a monkey into the works. Do Not Miss this entire series. It’s a winner. 

 On a scale of 1-5. Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 4 merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

Highlander's Holly and Ivy

           Bound by prophecy, yet torn by loyalty, love becomes a spark that could protect Scotland’s destiny or reduce it to ruins.

In Margaret Izard’s Highlander’s Holly and Ivy, the latest in the Stones of Iona series, a forbidden love between a Highlander and an English lady becomes intertwined with magic, betrayal, and the fate of a nation while both fight to unite their worlds and reclaim Scotland’s legacy.

About the Book: In a land torn by politics and heritage, Alex MacDougall—Scotland’s Lord Justice Clerk—balances loyalty to the British crown and his secret role in preserving outlawed Scottish traditions. When tasked with retrieving a mystical stone tied to Scotland’s destiny, he crosses paths with Lady Iris Erskine, an Englishwoman captivated by Scottish culture. Disguised as Ivy, Iris masquerades as a highland lassie to be close to the dashing highlander.

Love blossoms between Alex and Ivy as tensions simmer between the English and Scots. While Iris vexes over revealing the truth to her handsome Scot, Alex grapples with his family’s secret duty to protect magic Fae stones. With his beloved targeted and hidden truths emerging, the world he once knew dissolves before his eyes.

 Two hearts, bound by fate, must stave off an evil Fae intent on destroying the MacDougall Clan before both lose all they love.

Our Review: Readers have been entertained for years by the entire Stones of Iona series, yet Highlander’s Holly and Ivy takes things one step further. The author’s talents are many. This story shines in three important areas: her mastery of dialogue, paying close attention to dialects for each specific character’s place in society; detailed descriptions of the centuries long turbulence between England and Scotland and the long-term effects on both cultures; and creating bad guys—Fae and human—terribly vile and thoroughly delicious.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Highlander’s Holly and Ivy merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Broken Branches by Darlene Fredette

 …where hearts once shattered, love dares to bloom again.

 About Broken Branches:

Police officer Tyler Kringle has kept his heart guarded since Maripier Nadeau disappeared from his life years ago. A devastating family tragedy forced her to leave Redford Falls as a teenager, leaving him to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship. Now as she returns to care for her father—and honor her late mother—memories, good and bad, reignite emotions Tyler thought he had buried.

As long-hidden truths emerge, Maripier must choose whether to prune the past or nurture a future with the man she has always loved. No longer the shy girl, Maripier is now strong and prepares to confront their shared, complicated and painful history. 

Our Review: Author Darlene Fredette brings her loyal fans—and hopefully a few new ones—on a trip back to Redford Falls where a few changes have occurred—small businesses are cropping up thanks to the insurgence of activities surrounding the local ski resort—and some old one, such as the enterprising rabbit Thumper, who is still working his matchmaking skills on those in most need of love.

          This short contemporary romance is more than the reincarnation of a beloved small town populated by a community always at the ready to help those in need. It is a vivid showcase of the issues suffered by adult children of alcoholics and untreated or undiagnosed mental illness.

While the story will threaten to break readers’ hearts for those affected by tragedy, at the same time it will warm the heart for the resilience and ability to forgive on the parts of those same characters.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Broken Branches merits a 7.

  Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Gaming Hell Christmas, Volume 3

 Continuing our Books in a Series events, Wild Women Authors presents Gaming Hell at Christmas, Volume 3, with two short Georgian era romances set in and around London during a wicked snowstorm.

 
In The Other Face of the Christmas Shilling by Kathy L Wheeler, Lady Thomasina Staunton takes refuge in an abandoned house as far from London, her friends, and her family, as she can get. But her ruse of an absent husband fighting the French backfires most horribly when when Florentine Comier, former Duc of Bouchard, returns unexpectedly from months of travel.

Not only is he shocked to find a strange woman—who claims to be his wife—living in his home, but learns he’s about to become a father. Hmm.

In About A Christmas Ha'penny's Worth of Love, author Amanda McCabe introduces Lady Elizabeth Rathburn, the shy introvert who hates being separated from her best friends at Miss Greensley's School of Comportment for Young Ladies of Quality—aka Miss Greensley’s Girls—and is forced to remain at her abusive father's cold, lonely estate. Her only respite are the hours she spends with her friend, a handsome young man she only knows as "Mick" who hails from the neighboring estate, but who suddenly takes his leave for the East Indies, never to be heard from again.

Now, years later, after her bully of a father insists she must marry the son of her father’s sworn enemy, to seal a new business deal, she flees to the safety of her beloved Greensley’s Girls. There, trapped in a snowstorm, she rediscovers “Mick”. Joy turns to horror when she learns the only man who ever loved her for herself is about to become her husband—because he too is trapped by the demands of society and a manipulative father. Can they overcome parental machinations and rediscover what matters most to them?

Our Review: There are several things we could say about The Other Face of the Christmas Shilling, starting with when one has a mother like Thomasina Staunton’s, one does not need an enemy. We might also say, there is clearly something special about being a twin, especially an identical twin, with those undefinable ESPish feelings. Last, and most important, is the clear and obvious heroic qualities of Florentin, the Duc de Bouchard. He is the mid-wife we all wished we had, the post-partum nurse we desperately needed, the father every child deserves. This one’s a toe-curling, heart breaker of a romance—and if a smile doesn’t threaten to crack your face while you read this darling story, you might want to check your pulse.

The main theme of About A Christmas Ha'penny's Worth of Love is betrayal—how to overcome, get past it, and survive. Eliza will break your heart while “Mick” warms it. She is the child you want to take into your arms and love for the rest of her days while he is the child who warms that heart, making it burst with pride. Author McCabe explains the not so charming practice of arranged marriages then goes one step beyond, showing us how two deserving people can move on, thrive, and form a more perfect union. Well done!

Based on a scale of 1-5, Gaming Hell at Christmas, vol 3 merits an 8.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Gaming Hell Christmas, Volume 2

Mysteries abound at the newest Hell in town

In keeping with our Books In A Series events, Wild Women Authors is pleased to offer Gaming Hell Christmas, volume 2, two short Georgian romances plus an epilogue for volume 2/prologue to volume 3.

In Amanda McCabe’s The Thief Who Stole Christmas, the reader meets Rhys Neville, a man who has never broken the rules and Victoria Lanford. a woman who just might break his heart.

As one of Miss Greensley's Girls and [in]famous author Lady L, few people realize how Victoria’s unhappy childhood and anxiety led her to a compensating habit of picking pockets. When she comes face-to-face with a flame from that same miserable childhood, Rhys Neville, Earl of Hammond, she comes to realize the kind-hearted but strait-laced young man is the right man for her—especially when her past comes back to haunt them.

Kathy L. Wheeler reintroduces readers to two intriguing characters from Volume 1 in The Kerse Who Saved Christmas: Davin Barlowe, Viscount Kerse, he of the no nonsense approach to life and Philomena Staunton, one of Miss Greensley’s Girls, a woman long past prime marriageable age. Feeling he needs a keeper more than he requires a wife, the dreamy-eyed and impractical Philomena steals his heart despite her unrealistic beliefs and trust in fortune tellers. Then, the fun really begins.

Last, but not least, in The Front Side of the Christmas Shilling, a very short, sweet bridge between Volumes 2 and 3, Lady Philomena's happy ending is marred by the disappearance of her twin, Thomasina. It's been almost a year since anyone has seen Thom and Phil misses her desperately. The pain of that loss brings Philomena to her knees, literally and physically.

 Our Review: Gaming Hell Christmas, Volume 2, is more than two well written, cleverly plotted romances between two women and the men who love them beyond distraction. It is a love story between The Greensley Girls—eight young women from drastically different backgrounds who, at a crucial time in their lives, forge bonds that go on to last a lifetime. Bonds which every woman searches for and, for a few, are lucky enough to find, then cherish forever.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 2, merits an 8.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Authors 

Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 1

                 Mysteries abound at the newest Hell in town.

 In keeping with our Books In A Series, Wild Women Authors presents a two in one offering with Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 1.

In A Gift for the Duke's Illegitimate Daughter, Alexandra Blessing, the Duke of Winsome’s illegitimate daughter, longs for anonymity and a home of her own where her younger half-siblings don’t commandeer every moment of her day. Escape is imminent—right after her family’s annual Christmas fete. But Alexandra goes missing from the ball, and Theodore Millburn must find her before he loses something important: his chance for love.

Following Alexandra’s adventures is The Merry Christmas Adventure, where Alex’s best friend Belle, Lady Ranstruther, is ready for new love after a year of lonely widowhood. In spite of the machinations of her nasty stepson, she knows exactly who she wants—the gorgeous William, Lord Deansley—whom she fears doesn't want her. When they meet again at the exclusive, discreet gaming hell la Sous Rose, will it turn into a future of love—or the end to the dreams of both Will and Belle?

Our Review: Ordinarily, this die-hard contemporary romantic suspense/political thriller devotee wouldn’t be caught dead reading a romance populated by dry as dust characters constrained by the stagnant and rigid rules of Georgian England. But…during an afternoon by a roaring fire, our favorite adult beverage at hand, we discovered two fun, fast-paced romances set in London’s gaming hells during the Christmas season. This looks like a series that is based on the adventures of eight girls who became fast, loyal friends while attending Lady Greensley’s School of Comportment for Young Ladies of Quality—and the men who come to love them to be an adventure with each succeeding story.

Volume 1 is loaded with fun, lively characters who literally jump off the pages, and features romance that is sensual and real. The gorgeous setting is described in detail right down to the hovering servants, street wise miscreants, and a few ne’er do wells. Enjoy this one—it’s a beauty.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Gaming Hell Christmas, Vol 1 merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chance's Return by Lucy Naylor Kubash

 When an ex-rodeo champ and a young widow, both with tragic pasts, meet beneath the splendor of the Grand Teton Mountains, they find the road to love is a rocky path

About the Book Widowed single mother Casey Girard feels a summer in Wyoming will help her and her six-year-old son recover from the tragic loss of husband and dad. Working as a cook at the North Star Ranch offers an opportunity to start life over near the beautiful Grand Teton Mountains.

          Chance McCord, ex-rodeo champ and prodigal son of the North Star, returns to face a family still divided by their own painful past. To overcome the estrangement, he must find a way to face his own haunting memories—or lose everything.

          When Chance and Casey meet the attraction is undeniable but each soon learns they need to put the past to rest and start to trust—themselves and each other so a new love and life may grow.

Our Review: Fans of western contemporary fiction will attach themselves to this bigger than life story and not let go. The setting, lush and large, jumps off the pages as do the varied and colorful characters. Author Kubash knows how to tell a story.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Chance’s Return merits a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Love Between Times by Beth Ford

 When her 21st century life falls apart, a chance to start over and find love comes from an unexpected source: a stranger who needs her help and who may actually be a 14th-century knight.

About the book: When Ashley Winston’s conventional 21st century life falls apart, she returns to England to write the book she shelved years ago, determined to take control of her life.

       Meanwhile, in 1377 Wiltshire, Thomas de la Warr fights his family’s desire that he become a priest and plots to chase his dream of knighthood instead. While Ashley and Thomas search for answers, he suddenly appears in the modern day. Unable to communicate, his first encounter with Ashley ends with the police demanding his immigration papers. All Thomas wants is to return to the world he understands, but he and Ashley are drawn together again and again.

How will they find the answers Thomas needs before the authorities close in without losing each other forever?

Our Review: There are several reasons why fans of time travel stories, as well as12th century historical fiction, will adore Love Between Times. It is more than a romance between two people who have suffered loss in the love department. It is the coming together to help another person survive under totally foreign and often difficult circumstances.

Imagine Thomas’ horror when he first encounters something as mundane as an elevator ride, the oddities—to him—of hot and cold running water out of the tap and flush toilets—and a routine pat-down by the local coppers. All of these everyday events clearly show the reader that Thomas is a man to contend with. As well, Ashley’s patience and kindness with him ring true from the very beginning.

And that she would give up, without a second thought, her life in modern day in order to keep him safe, is an omen for the next book in this series.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Love Between Times merits a 4.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Along the Trail by Kaci Curtis

 

        A perilous journey – An untamed spirit.

 

Wild Women Authors focus is on Along the Trail, a rose length YA western, written by Kaci Curtis, and a current release by The Wild Rose Press.

About the Book: In 1847, Winnie and her family are traveling west to start a new life in the Oregon territory. While many in their wagon train fret over river crossings, disease, and encounters with Native tribes, she relishes the unexpected freedom of life on the trail.

Threatened by storms, wild animals, and outlaws, Winnie must rely on the bonds she’s made and all she’s learned in order for them to make it to Oregon alive. She also must decide if she is ready to risk forming an attachment to Hal, the cowhand who has a knack for showing up just when help is needed, or whether she will emulate Mae, the free-spirited daughter of their trail guide.

Our Review: With acute attention to historic detail for setting, customs and practices, the author brings the trials and tribulations of the wagon trains of that era. Faithful fans of historical fiction will glom onto this one and put it on their Keeper Shelf.

 

Based on a scale of 1-5, Along the Trail merits a 4.

 

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The Tomato Jam Murder

 It’s burro-racing season, but there’s murder on the mountain. Can Roxy  find the killer in time to save her friend from a corrupt cop?

 About the Book: It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro racecourse, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation.

And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

 Our Review: As an avid reader, with few exceptions, of all genres of fiction, these past 60+ years, we always appreciate a fast-paced story that keeps the pages turning, as well teaching us something new and interesting. In the case of The Tomato Jam Murder [#6 in the Luscious Delights cozy mystery series], we discovered the intricacies of burro racing, the infinite varieties of jellies and jams, as well as the ins and outs of the catering business. As a plus, the author’s spot on descriptions of the art of selling handmade goods at local farmers’ markets and, sad but true, how to cope with members of local law enforcement when they behave in a less than professional manner.

 On a scale of 1-5, The Tomato Jam Murder merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The Hannah Document

 Wild Women Authors recently took a look at The Hannah Document and discovered: A brilliant scholar, ancient libraries in danger due to war, suppressed women’s religious history, a renegade monastery and a global picture of misogyny dating back to before women knew what it was called—and why it was the order of things.

About the Book: A doggedly determined Sofia Papandréou pursues long ignored evidence of women in leadership in early Christianity in the dusty corners of libraries worldwide—or worse—actively hidden away in order to deny women their heritage and their power.

Hot on the trail of the lost letters of Deacon Olympias, an important leader in Fourth-Century Constantinople, Sofia stumbles onto two parchments that even she finds incredible. Her quest to authenticate the documents involves her in a perilous journey that leads to theft, murder, unexpected allies, and attempted murder as her discoveries threaten to transform the revealed history of Christianity.  

Our Review: Sophia Papandréou is infinitely more than a dogged and determined young woman. She is brave, resourceful, imaginative and driven to uncover the truth. Worthy of respect, she is everything any woman—or man—hopes their daughters and granddaughters will strive to become. This is a book for the Keeper Shelf. It’s that good.

Based on a scale of 1-5, The Hannah Document merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

His Sweet Obsession by Twilla Kay Lamm

 Zigzagging through a treacherous maze of compelling questions with unpredictable answers, truths embedded within lies, people hiding behind masks, and in the end, discovering a true and lasting love.

About the Book: Following the Civil War, Captain Ethan Reed is recruited to find the truth behind the Lincoln Conspiracy. The facts are not as they appear. John Wilkes Booth pulled the trigger, but did someone else point the gun? Ethan’s job is to answer this question and see justice served, no matter the personal cost. Tormented with no answers about the death of her fiancé, Doctor Sabrina Clay seeks the truth—was it suicide or murder? If there is an answer, she must find it. 

     On a hot day in Fort Hex, Kansas, Sabrina’s and Ethan’s lives intersect. They’re soon entangled in a web of deceit as attraction simmers. They each risk a second chance at love while discovering the truth.

Our Review: Author Lamm may be new to the publishing world but she already demonstrates the skills to engage fans of historical romance by the first pages. Infusing details pertinent to the plot—such as continued questions surrounding the Lincoln assassination, Reconstruction, everyday life in the Indian Territories and, of particular interest to us as a retired medical provider, accepted medical practices of the day. The attention to the fine details of what is today’s accepted practices such as blood transfusions, Cesarean Section deliveries, and post-partum care are spot on and very interesting.

          For historical romance fans, Twilla Lamm is the one to look for.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, His Sweet Obsession merits a 6.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Seeing Things by Jana Richards

 In order to find a missing child, an embattled librarian must learn to trust her visions—and her heart.

 About the Book: As she is ‘seeing’ the actual abduction of a small boy, librarian Leah McKenna knows she must expose herself to trauma on several levels in order to save this child. She hates the visions and wishes for them to go away forever. David Logan, the boy’s uncle, doesn’t believe in much—particularly psychic phenomenon. In fact, he convinces himself she knows who took the child and plans to stick close in order to discover the boy’s whereabouts.

As the two search for Jeremy, they uncover truths about themselves, their torturous pasts, and the way they truly feel about each other. Leah must convince David that the visions, as well as her feelings for him, are real. All this while time runs out in their search for this missing six year old.

Our Review: In a break from her usual small town romances where strong families are at the core of everything, inventive author Jana Reynolds treats her fans with a new talent for writing edge of your seat suspense. In this case, a child abduction—fed by long standing greed and nourished by long standing family secrets—is filled with understated, profound grief and misunderstanding.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Seeing Things merits a 6.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stone of Faith by Margaret Izard

              The heart’s most extraordinary battle is the one fought for love.

About the Book:

A cursed pirate captain and an enslaved siren defy a power-hungry madman—and fate itself—to claim a love that spans centuries as they strive to save the human and Fae realms from which they come.

Haunted by a family legacy that threads magic through the ages, Captain Ewan MacDougall and his ghostly crew sail between worlds, freeing enslaved peoples. While a worthy goal, Ewan longs for what eludes him—true love. After he crosses paths with a legendary siren of the sea who is bound to a cruel, power-hungry madman, he knows he has found the woman who is destined to claim his heart.

Forced to use her voice to lure ships into the clutches of evil, the spark in Ewan MacDougall’s eye awakens hope in Lorelei’s soul—and the chance to protect her Fae family. Yet, the wicked monster who is holding her captive will stop at nothing to kill the human who touches and loves her as no one has done before.

Before they can claim a life together, Ewan and Lorelei must break the chains of dark magic and find the Stone of Faith before they become two more victims.

Our Review: Author Margaret Izard, a master at time travel romance as well as historical fiction, has done herself proud with this latest addition to the Stones of Iona series. Ewan is a true hero, brave and intrepid but with a whippy sense of humor. His honesty and courage draws loyalty in others like a magnet—and when he spies Lorelei for the first time, all bets are off. The setting, as always, is breathtaking as is the particular attention to details of the past as well as the present. Well done!

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Stone of Faith merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Under the Tree of Life by Ruben Gonzales

Boy and girl rebels can start a war; it takes a queen to end it.

 About the Book: After a brutal military coup shuts down a Central African country, Family Medicine practitioner, Dr. Thema Book, is hired to lead a medical mission to aid desperate villagers, aided by a team of former special ops veterans who come along for protection.

Beneath a stand of Baobab trees, which the locals call the Tree of Life, Dr. Book and her crew are drawn into a civil war between villagers and the military. Treating the locals as well as wounded child soldiers puts the mission in jeopardy—while pitting crew members against each other.

Faced with the decision to run or stay, Dr. Book discovers her roots in the village stretch deeper than she thought possible. Thema decides to stay and with the help of the ops team, they fight for the people she's come to love

     Our Review: Filled with non-stop action on the part of the “team”, the heart wrenching desperation of villagers, too long the victims of political upheaval, and the plight of child soldiers, this is a fine addition to the Men of Valor series out of the Wild Rose Press. Author Gonzales brings his years with the Peace Corps to this story, creating Thelma Book: the physician we all hope would care for ourselves, our children and grandchildren—and our world. Plus, with the snappy dialogue and back and forth banter, fans of special ops adventure-fiction will glom onto this one. Do Not Miss.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Under the Tree of Life merits a 5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

  

Winter's Kiss by Darlene Fredette

 When her high heels flattened the snow, his defenses didn’t stand a chance.

 About the Book: Danielle Lerato adores the ocean breezes of Victoria, on Canada’s west coast, the comfort of her routine, and a life that requires minimal interaction with snow boots. But when her company relocates to Redford Falls, with a population of unpredictable charm, she agrees to train her replacement with one goal in mind: get in, get out, and never look back.

      Andrew Bailey, a local restaurant owner with a fierce protective streak, doesn’t believe in second chances. Yet, Danielle’s fiery spirit, stubborn streak, and snow-fueled scowls shift his expectations and crack open the door to a future he never dared to imagine.

      As mutual chilly glares and sarcastic banter thaw into cozy glances and unexpected flirts over shared cups of hot cocoa, Danielle suspects the town’s snowy landscape is warming more than her toes. Add in a legendary matchmaker-bunny named Thumper, Redford Falls is stirred into a romantic frenzy, and maybe this snowy wonderland isn’t a detour.

        Maybe it’s destiny.

Our Review: This update of a previously published story is just as much fun as the first time around—especially the scene where Danielle and Andrew ‘meet’ up again. The characters—all of them—are unique and fun [including the infamous Thumper]. This is a short story that cries out for a warm fire, an adult beverage of choice, and a crocheted afghan. Our last comment is this: why hasn’t the Hallmark Channel not picked up this series?

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Winter’s Kiss merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

 Every teenager has his or her own secrets. What else is this small Georgia town hiding?

 About the Book: Karin Slaughter, no stranger to man’s inhumanity to women, does not spare the details when it comes to describing the anguish incurred on the family and friends of victims of child sexual abuse and human trafficking. This time, when it hits a small Georgia town, it doesn’t stop with one incident. When a similar crime repeats after twelve years, small town cop Emmy Clifton struggles to maintain herself midst perceived failures to friends, family, and mostly herself as she takes the back roads of North Falls Georgia in her professional role as chief deputy sheriff—always thinking ‘if only I’d done this…said that…” .

Our Review: Having thoroughly enjoyed the author’s wonderful Will Trent series, when we heard author Slaughter had a new one in the making, we glommed onto it and did not want to let go. This holds one surprise after another, keeping the reader thinking, wondering, trying to ID the bad guy—as every good mystery writer wants us to do. We can only hope that Slaughter has more in store for Emmy, her sister Jude and son Cole. Keep them coming, because #1 in the new North Falls series is a winner on every count.

Based on a scale of 1-5, We’re All Guilty Here merits an 8.

 Veronica Lynch, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Phantom Algebra by Dan Rice

      On the run from her abusive father, a teenage MMA fighter finds love and opponents she can’t strike in ghosts.

About the Book:

Zuri and her mother settle in Pinedale, North Carolina, to start over. For years, they’ve been on the run from Zuri’s father, a retired boxer and full-time gangland enforcer. In Pinedale, Zuri finds a gym where she can train in mixed martial arts in order pursue her dream of becoming a champion fighter. At Pinedale High, she discovers friends among the outcasts while battling academic challenges and something unexpected…ghosts.

After she encounters a tween phantom haunting the library, Zuri’s life is turned upside down and inside out as she attempts to help the spirit. This incurs the wrath of devils, living and dead. Zuri will need her martial arts prowess, heart, and the aid of friends to protect everyone she loves.

Our Review: It’s always a treat to read something out of the creative mind of Dan Rice. This one in particular, a part of the Haunting of Pinedale High series, features teenagers and ghosts, a specialty of author Rice who knows how teens think, talk, feel. How they ‘work’ the system whether we’re talking MMA training, school hierarchies or family systems. Zuri has a mind of her own and knows how to use it. Her sensitivity to others—whether corporeal or ghostly—shows through loud and clear. We can’t wait for the next one from this talented writer.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Phantom Algebra merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

Undeveloped Memories by Karina Bartow

      We assume we know everything there is to know about those who raised us…until we discover that we don’t. . .

About the Book:  Freelance photojournalist Lorelei Carmichael returns to her hometown of Sedona, Arizona to check on her aging uncle Reed who interrupted his life to raised her and her brother after the tragic deaths of their parents. While searching through the attic, Lorelei comes across evidence of her uncle’s past life as a photographer covering an Alaskan earthquake—then finds more clues which give her the impetus to search for those people, places and things Reed may have given up all in the name of family responsibility.

In an ironic twist, she is offered the assignment to go to Alaska for a story commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of that very disaster. Many people step up to the plate to help Lorelei on her journey which includes a tour to witness the lasting impact of the fifty year-old catastrophe. During her rare free time, she reads one of Reed’s letters to a local woman; this leads her to meet Azalea, the woman Reed knew fifty years ago and never stopped loving.

Torn between her desire to make up for all he sacrificed for her and her brother—as well as her concern over inflicting more heartache, when she returns home and finds a note that his lady love snuck into her bag, Lorelei admits all to her uncle who now has a second chance at love with the woman he lost.

Our Review: This story is much more than a second chance at lost love; it is one of familial devotion and sacrifice. It is also a life lesson in despite all the odds and common sense rearing its often ugly head not being afraid of trying one more time. Sweet and sad at times, it is also filled with sly humor and snappy dialogue spoken between two men of a certain age that readers will relate to immediately. Do not miss this one; it’s a beauty.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Undeveloped Memories merits a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews