Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Cast Iron Alibi by Victoria Hamilton

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Cast Iron Alibi (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery Book 9)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery #9
Publication Date: 11/5/19

I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the series. In fact, I’ve enjoyed the whole series. It has been fun watching Jaymie grow and mature, find out who she is, find love and marriage and even embrace motherhood. The mysteries are always interesting, complicated enough to keep you interested, and convoluted enough to keep you guessing.

Jaymie Leighton Mueller is looking forward to a class reunion of sorts with several of her college friends. In the fifteen years since college, they have gotten together for a camping trip almost every year – except they have missed the last few years – life just interfered. Now, they are back on track and Jaymie can’t wait. Jaymie has, as we all do, forgotten the stresses of the relationships and has romanticized and idealized them instead.

The gathering this year will be a bit bittersweet for Jaymie because her beloved husband, Jakob and her stepdaughter Jocie will be in Poland for the ten days of Jaymie’s gathering. Jocie’s mother was Polish and Jakob and Jaymie want her to have that family in her life.

The gathering of Jaymie, Gabriela, Brandi, Rachel, Melanie, and Rachel – all of the friends from college – is joined by two unexpected guests, Courtney and Tiffany. One was invited by Brandi and the other invited herself. Not a particularly auspicious beginning for their adventure.

It seems that there are troubles in everybody’s marriages – well except Jaymie’s – and husbands show up to shadow the ladies. None of them is welcome and tensions tighten.

When a murder and arson occur, it seems that at least some of the ladies know the victim – and he isn’t a very savory victim, to say the least. The police quickly arrest the man’s friend – and it sure seems he could be guilty – but – Jaymie isn’t convinced. So, she’s off sleuthing out the facts – she either wants to be satisfied that the man who was arrested is the perpetrator – or she wants to find out who really did it. Could it be the husband of one of her friends?

I hope you’ll enjoy this well-plotted, well-written mystery as much as I did. I hope you’ll also enjoy meeting the ladies because we might see more of one of them in the future.

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

Earl of Charm by Maggie Dallen

On By BarbaraIn Author Collaboration Series, Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837), NovellaLeave a comment

Earl of Charm (Wicked Earls' Club)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Earl’s Club #17
Publication Date: 10/22/19
Number of Pages: 98

This was a lovely sweet addition to the Wicked Earl’s Club – Christmas edition. It was well-written and the story was lovely and uplifting. I loved the characters and can’t wait to read more about them in the spinoff series – The School of Charm. It was also lovely to have a brief visit with a former Wicked Earl, the Earl of Davenport, and his lovely wife.

Alexander (Alex) Gordon admired his older brother, Frederick, – well adored is more like it. Alex thought that his father was a wonderful earl and that Frederick was even better. Frederick was handsome, charming, full of vitality, wise – all of the things that made up an excellent earl. There is no way shy, studious, tongue-tied, quiet, honest, and brusque Alex can ever hope to fill his shoes. Except, that is exactly what has to happen thanks to Frederick’s tragic death in a hunting accident. While the former Earl’s of Charmain took delight in being called the Earl of Charm, Alex knew it would devolve into a derisive term during his tenure because charming is one thing he definitely was not.

Lady Clara Lovelace is the daughter of a disgraced line. None of it is her fault, her father the Marquess of Tarlow, had bankrupted the estate and then killed himself leaving Clara and her sister Edith with nothing and totally dependent on the charity of family members. She is now the companion of Gertrude Trumbolt, Dowager Duchess of Redmayne – also affectionately known as Aunt Gertie to Alex and his sister.

As Christmas nears, Clara and Aunt Gertie visit with Alex and his sister. Clara is charming and lovely and she quickly agrees to help Alex become more charming. Her best advice is for him to actually listen to the speaker rather than thinking of what his next comment should be – or even worse – instead of woolgathering. As they work together, he is more and more smitten and so is she, but they can never be. Because of her family scandal, she would only bring his family down, and he is expected to fulfill his brother’s obligation to his fiancée.

Will they get a Christmas miracle? Will his brother’s fiancée insist on marriage between herself and Alex? You’ll just have to read this delightful tale to find out for yourself.