Bea Reviews Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

Publisher: Berkley
Source: the library via Overdrive
Release Date: May 19th 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop.

Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans for what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store. Jesse wants to keep the store open. His brothers want to tie off loose ends and close shop....

Part-time shop employee Kerry Fuller has kept her crush on Jesse a secret. When she overhears his impassioned plea to his brothers to keep the knitting shop open, she volunteers to help. Unlike Jesse, Kerry knows the “knitty-gritty” of the business, and together they make plans to reinvent Strong Knits for a new generation.

But the more time they spend together, the stronger the chemistry builds between them. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe their relationship can last longer than she can knit one, purl two. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her forever and always. After all, real men knit. (

Friday Book Memes: Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

For the Friday 56, grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56, or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that's okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and add the url to your post at the link here.

EXCERPT: The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Today I have an excerpt from her new book, available now. Enjoy!

Bea Reviews Cold Wicked Lies by Toni Anderson

Series:  Cold Justice: Crossfire #3
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Toni Anderson Inc.
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 8th, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A young woman is found murdered on a remote mountainside, and top FBI Negotiator Charlotte Blood must go head-to-head with her stubborn, sexy, Hostage Rescue Team counterpart to unravel the mystery. When blame falls on a secretive survivalist group, the stakes turn deadly…and Charlotte discovers that she’s the one tangled in COLD WICKED LIES.


✔ Remote location
✔ Murder mystery
✔ Enemies-to-lovers
✔ Forced proximity

The newest riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson.

Books From the Backlog - Survive the Night by Katie Ruggle

This is a fun meme for sharing your TBR pile! There used to be another meme about neglected TBR books, known as Dusty Reads. That meme died and recently this one popped up. I'm delighted to participate and I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog. Join the fun and share a neglected book from your shelf.

This week's neglected book ~

EXCERPT: Flatline by Linda Bond

Welcome to my stop on the tour for this new romantic suspense. Monday I reviewed it and today I have an excerpt for you. Enjoy!

Author Linda Bond was born in San Francisco, California but spent most of her life in the south, attending middle and high school in Greenville, South Carolina and college at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. She’s worked as a television news reporter and anchor in Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa, Florida. For more than twenty years, she’s been a reporter, sharing important information with viewers on the latest medical breakthroughs and writing emotional, human-interest stories on those who have the courage and spirit to fight for their lives.

Bea Reviews Flatline by Linda Bond

Series: The Investigators #3
Read As A Standalone: Yes
Publisher: Entangled Amara
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 25th, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

People are dying in Dr. Joshua Salvador’s ER. His medical assistant, only weeks from delivering her baby, hangs on to life by a thread. The symptoms seem horrifyingly familiar, and he begins to suspect the deaths are targeted at him. But, before he can figure things out, top TV investigator Rachel Wright is standing in the middle of his ER, convinced an outbreak, an epidemic, or even a botched flu vaccine could be the cause, and she’s going to tell the world.

Each book in the Investigators series is STANDALONE:
* Alive at 5
* Cuba Undercover
* Flatline

Series Review: The Charlotte Brody Mysteries by Cathy Pegau

The Charlotte Brody mysteries are a historical cozy mystery series set in 1919. I'd had the first book in this series, Murder on the Last Frontier, in my TBR pile for three years and just read it last month. I liked it and promptly checked out the others from my library. I follow the author on Twitter and felt a little guilty about not having read any of her books yet. One good thing about being laid off due to the pandemic is that I have lots of free time for reading.

Bea Reviews Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras

Series: Keys to Love #1
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Zebra Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: April 28th 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Sought-after social media influencer Sara Vance, in recovery for a serious health disorder, is coming into her own, with a potential career expansion on the horizon. Despite the good news, her successful siblings (and their perfect spouses) have a way of making her feel like the odd one out. So, when her unreliable boyfriend is a no-show for a Florida family vacation, Sara recruits Luis Navarro—a gorgeous firefighter paramedic and dive captain willing to play the part of her smitten fiancé . . .

Luis’s big Cuban familia has been in Key West for generations, and his quiet strength feeds off the island’s laidback style. Though guarded after a deep betrayal, he’ll always help someone in need—especially a spunky beauty with a surprising knowledge of Spanish curse words. Soon, he and Sara have memorized their “how we met” story and are immersed in family dinners, bike tours, private snorkeling trips . . . sharing secrets, and slow, melting kisses. But when it’s time for Sara to return home, will their island romance last or fade with the stunning sunset?

Bea's DNF Reviews

I've been reading a lot since being home while laid off from teaching. Mostly I've been doing well picking books to read the last few weeks but there were a few that were duds. Some were just meh, but two I actually DNFed. One I picked mainly due to the author and the title; I barely looked at the blurb. The other was an author I've been wanting to try and a short story seemed like a good way to start. Sadly, neither one worked.

Friday Memes: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

For the Friday 56, grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56, or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that's okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and add the url to your post at the link here.

Bea Reviews On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Series: Blessings #10
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes, but not recommended
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

NAACP nominee and USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins celebrates her beloved Blessings series with a heartwarming novel set in Henry Adams, Kansas.

Citizens of Henry Adams, Kansas, know there’s never a dull moment in their small town…
Trent July has been the mayor of this historic town for the past four years, but now he’s ready to let someone else take up the mantle. Barrett Payne, a former Marine, decides he wants the job. But when a surprise candidate also enters the ring, the town has opinions on who would be the best candidate.

And of course that’s not the only drama, as Malachi “Mal” July continues to make reparations for the damage he’s caused and to the people he’s betrayed, especially his lady love Bernadine. Is she finally ready to forgive him and let the past go?

As the residents of Henry Adams have learned, life will throw obstacles their way, but it’s how they come together and rise above these challenges that keep the bonds of their close-knit community strong.

Bea Reviews Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz

Series: Dark Legacy #2
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Source: Library
Release Date: January 8th, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The death of her friend and mentor, Evelyn Ballinger, brings psychic counselor Gwen Frazier back to the small town of Wilby, Oregon, and brings back memories she would rather forget. Two years earlier, a killer stalked the members of one of Ballinger’s research studies including Gwen. And though she survived while two others didn’t, Gwen knows that Ballinger’s death is related.

Sent by a friend to help Gwen, psychic investigator Judson Coppersmith arrives in Wilby barely in control of his own talent and his own life, haunted by urgent dreams. His attraction to Gwen is primal, but there are secrets he must keep to protect himself from surrendering to her completely, even as their investigation draws them into dreamscapes, into decades of deception, and into the paranormal fires of a desire too strong to resist.

Bea Reviews Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown

Publisher: Entangled Lovestruck
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review
Release Date: March 16th, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Apple Books* | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This Passover is starting to feel like the ten plagues might be coming back to haunt them before the weekend is over...one hilarious misstep after the next.

Gaby Fineberg just wants to get through Passover Seder without her “well meaning” family playing matchmaker. She needs a date, just for one simple meal—that includes singing, the history of her forefathers, and not one bit of yeast. The hot guy at her gym would be perfect. He probably hates bread, anyway, with a body like that. But when she finally works up the nerve to ask him...he doesn’t hear a word she said.

Levi Miller is deaf and happily single. Initially, he doesn’t know why this beautiful woman is talking to him, but it’s clear she needs help—and suddenly so does he. In a very complicated situation, Levi finds a simple solution. Gaby will pretend to be his new girlfriend to bail him out, and he’ll return the favor. But he didn’t bargain for a family dinner quite like this one.

Friday Memes: Not Broken: The Happily Ever After by Meka James

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

For the Friday 56, grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56, or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that's okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and add the url to your post at the link here.

Thrifty Thursday Review: Cat VS Cocker by Jody Wallace

Publisher: Meankitty Publishing
Source: author newsletter
Release Date: February 18th, 2020
Buying Links: Apple Books*  | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Story Origin  Perma-FREE at these links
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A very good story about a very bad cat. Originally in the Cocky Cockers anthology.

Raziel has everything a cat could want – her own house, her own human, and lots of tuna and cuddles. When her soft, wonderful human is seduced by a hairy, dog-scented male, Raziel does what any smart cat would do and resists the change, unwilling to give up her human’s attention and the best spot in the bed.

Her stealthy resistance comes to an abrupt halt, however, when the humans try to introduce a dog into the household, and Raziel is forced to escalate her resistance into a literal campaign of terror. Have the humans been brainwashed by canine tail wags and fawning obedience, or can Raziel save the day?

Tropes: This romance short story features pets as matchmakers, sort of, and “the other woman”, if that is indeed a trope.

This short story is not intended for children unless you like to read cuss words to children.

Books From The Backlog: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

This is a fun meme! There used to be another meme about neglected TBR books, known as Dusty Reads. That meme died and recently this one popped up. I'm delighted to participate and I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog. Join the fun and share a neglected book from your shelf.

Friday Memes: Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

For the Friday 56, grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56, or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that's okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and add the url to your post at the link here.

Bea Reviews 'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick

Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
Source: Library
Release Date: May 4th, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The author of the New York Times bestseller "Garden of Lies" returns to Victorian London in an all-new novel of deadly obsession.

Calista Langley operates an exclusive introduction agency in Victorian London, catering to respectable ladies and gentlemen who find themselves alone in the world. But now, a dangerously obsessed individual has begun sending her trinkets and gifts suitable only for those in deepest mourning a black mirror, a funeral wreath, a ring set with black jet stone. Each is engraved with her initials.

Desperate for help and fearing that the police will be of no assistance, Calista turns to Trent Hastings, a reclusive author of popular crime novels. Believing that Calista may be taking advantage of his lonely sister, who has become one of her clients, Trent doesn't trust her. Scarred by his past, he's learned to keep his emotions at bay, even as an instant attraction threatens his resolve.

But as Trent and Calista comb through files of rejected clients in hopes of identifying her tormentor, it becomes clear that the danger may be coming from Calista's own secret past and that only her death will satisfy the stalker..

Short & Sweet Reviews: The One for You by Roni Loren and A Different Kind of Cosplay by Lucy Felthouse

Now and then, I read a book but don't have a lot to say about it. When that happens, I'll save them up and then do two or more in a single post. I share, in a short paragraph or two, my thoughts on the story. Today, you have two quite different contemporary romances. Enjoy!

Series: The Ones Who Got Away #4
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Release Date: Dec. 31st, 2019
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository*  | Books-A-Million | iBooks* |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The highly-anticipated fourth book in Roni Loren's unforgettable The Ones Who Got Away series.

She got a second chance at life.
Will she take a second chance at love?

Kincaid Breslin wasn't supposed to survive that fateful night at Long Acre when so many died, including her boyfriend—but survive she did. She doesn't know why she got that chance, but now she takes life by the horns and doesn't let anybody stand in her way

Ashton Isaacs was her best friend when disaster struck all those years ago, but he chose to run as far away as he could. Now fate has brought him back to town, and Ash doesn't know how to cope with his feelings for Kincaid and his grief over their lost friendship. For Ash has been carrying secrets, and he knows that once Kincaid learns the truth, he'll lose any chance he might have had with the only woman he's ever loved.