Month: April 2020

The Stolen Letter by Paige Shelton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, MysteryLeave a comment

The Stolen Letter (Scottish Bookshop Mystery)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #5
Publication Date: 4/7/20
Number of Pages: 304

I thoroughly enjoyed this complex, intricately woven, fun story. I love that there is just the tiniest tad of the paranormal in the series – not enough you’d hardly notice, but it adds a fun bit to the story. I’ve loved Delaney from the beginning when she was in the US and found the intriguing advertisement for a position at a lovely Scottish bookshop – and the series was off and running. This can certainly be read as a standalone book, but to really understand Delaney and her relationship to all of the folks in Scotland you really will want to read from the beginning.

Delaney is so very, very excited. She and Tom have just returned from their glorious two-week honeymoon on the continent and she’s headed back to the very best job at the very best place in the whole world. She adores the bookshop, The Cracked Spine, at which she works, and her co-workers are more family than not. As she’s on her way and happily anticipating seeing everyone, she bumps into an older lady – literally. But – WHOA – that lady looks exactly like an older version of Delaney – they could be mother and daughter.

Delaney, Tom, and Rosie are invited to the woman’s home for dinner – and what a dinner it is. The lady, Mary Stewart, believes that she was Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, in another life – and her home is a replica of a castle. Delaney senses some tension among Mary’s family members, but nothing really overt. When Mary’s husband, Henry, dies in an explosion the next day – well – the mystery gets started in full.

There are unhappy things going on at the bookshop as well. Can the two be related? Why would they be? Stranger things have happened though. Edwin is enigmatic as always, Tom is handsome and supportive, Rosie is sweet, Hamlet is smart, and Inspector Winters is respectful. Can this crew solve both mysteries? How will Tom’s ex-girlfriend fit into the picture? Can she and Delaney become friends? Oh – you’ll have to read the story to find all the answers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blog Tour – Redeeming The Reclusive Earl by Virginia Heath

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Blog Tour, Regency Era (1811-1820)2 Comments

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Redeeming the Reclusive Earl

His heart is a fortress…
And she’s trespassing!

After losing all he holds dear in a horrific fire, Max Aldersley, Earl of Rivenhall, shuns the world—until he catches Effie Nithercott digging holes on his estate!

He banishes the intrepid archaeologist and the unsettled feelings she rouses within him. But she returns even more determined and infuriatingly desirable than before! He wonders just how deep she’s prepared to dig—so far she’ll reach the man beneath his scars?

Redeeming the Reclusive EarlPurchase Link

Barbara’s Review

Barbara’s Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Normally, I pay little, if any, attention to book covers, but I have to say this cover is absolutely perfect for Maximillian (Max) Aldersley, Earl of Rivenhall. Max is in a really dark place and he just wants to be left alone. He has suffered a debilitating series of losses – one after the other. There is no future for him – nothing left but endless, relentless days of despair and unhappiness. In an act of heroism, he managed to save his crew from a fiery death at sea – but – that nearly cost him his life. He was left scarred, and his fiancée begged off their betrothal. In a matter of just a few short months, he was horribly injured and scarred, lost his career, lost his ship, lost his crew, lost his father and lost his fiancée. He wants nothing more than to exist on his estate – alone. No visitors, no friends, no interactions with anyone except his staff. Until… Who is that muddy boy who is digging on his property? Only, is it a boy?

Euphemia (Effie) Nithercott is quite accustomed to people shying away from her. Oh, they approach her and compliment her on how lovely she is. At least they do until they spend a few minutes around her. Then they see how odd she is, how smart she is, how unconventional she is. Effie is also accustomed to her solitary life. She doesn’t like it, she’d like something more, but she is resigned to it. She has no family and no friends. Her sole joy is in the antiquities she is unearthing on the neighboring estate. She is uncovering some very rare, never seen before, kinds of things. Things that may very well rewrite England’s early history. Her one desire is to have the papers she’s written about the discoveries published in Archaeologia, but since she is female, they won’t even read her papers much less publish them.

I absolutely adored the romance between these two misfits. They were delightful characters to whom you’ll quickly relate. It was wonderful to watch the indomitable, irrepressible Effie totally flummox the grumpy, curmudgeonly Max. I love that the transformation didn’t happen overnight – it built up over months – and was so entirely believable. I was immediately sucked into the story and found it impossible to put the book down.

The humor is deliciously pleasing all through the book. For instance, Max rarely calls Effie Miss Nithercott. He calls her things like Miss Nuisance, Miss Nitwit, Miss Nocturnal, Miss Not-at-all-usual, Miss No-common-sense-whatsoever, Miss Nit-Picker, Miss Not-above-knavery-to-get-her-own-way, etc. Then, of course, there were the comments about Effie’s big brain – I kept giggling and picturing that cartoon character – Megamind.

It is a delightful story and you absolutely cannot go wrong by reading it

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About The Author

Virginia HeathWhen Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Despite that, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

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