Book Review: "The Coldest Case" by Tessa Wegert

One of the things I love about reading a long-running series is how attached you become to the characters. This book is the sixth installment in Tessa Wegert’s series featuring Senior Investigator Shana Merchant, and the series gets better and better.

It’s winter in New York’s Thousand Islands, which means brutally cold temperatures and driving snow, which could strand people for days, even months weeks. One island, Running Pine, is so remote and isolated that only a few people spend the winter there.

When Shana and the police learn that a social media influencer has disappeared from Running Pine, they snap into action. It turns out that Cary and Sylvie have moved to the island for a year and are documenting the experience for their thousands of followers, and have landed some significant endorsement deals on top of that. And then one morning, when Cary goes ice fishing with two of their neighbors, he disappeared.

The police put themselves in harm’s way getting to the island, as there is a storm coming. The more they dig into what happened, the more questions arise for them. What happened to Cary? Did he disappear of his own free will or is one of their neighbors responsible?

Time is running out. As Shana and her colleagues rush to find answers, she also is reminded of another unsolved murder from her days with the NYPD. And both cases have the potential for danger.

Wegert is definitely one of my favorite thriller writers out there right now. With every book in this series I worry it’ll be the last, but I’ll still read anything she writes!

Book Review: "All I Want Is You" by Falon Ballard

I had vowed not to start reading holiday romances for a bit longer, but I’m such a huge fan of Falon Ballard’s books, so I figured, one wouldn’t hurt. And truth be told, while it takes place over Christmas, it’s more than a holiday romance.

Jess had always dreamed of being a romance writer, and now she’s living her dream. (Well, if the dream included still working as a barista and seeing her books sell fewer and fewer copies.) She’s worried that her publisher might not even take her latest book—if she can actually find something to write about.

To add insult to injury, Jess’ ex, Nick, is a best-selling romance writer. Sure, his books don’t have happy endings so they shouldn’t really be considered romances, but it doesn’t matter to his readers. Each book makes a bigger bang than the last, and he’s even sold some to be adapted into movies.

When Jess is asked to present Nick with an award at their publisher’s holiday ball, it’s the last thing she wants to do. But it wouldn’t be good for her career to say no. So she buys a dress that she looks fantastic in, grits her teeth, and plans to give the award to Nick. Of course, when they see each other for the first time in five years, there’s still an intense chemistry between them.

Their interactions are minimal until a snowstorm keeps Jess stranded at the inn where the ball was held. And wouldn’t you know it, her reservation got lost, and the only option is to share Nick’s room—which has only one bed. But their forced proximity not only intensifies their attraction, but leads Jess to wonder why Nick ended things five years ago. There’s a lot to discuss—and lots of sexual tension to avoid.

This was everything I hoped for. It’s not only romantic and steamy and funny and emotional, but it plays on so many romantic tropes. Ballard can do no wrong, and this was so worth starting my holiday reading early!!

Book Review: "A Winter in New York" by Josie Silver

With A Winter in New York, Josie Silver has written another light, sweet romance that makes you long for swirling snow, flirty glances, and gelato. Lots of gelato.

Iris has so many memories of her mother, from watching classic romantic comedies to enjoying homemade gelato from a secret recipe. Her mother used to talk about her magical time as a rock singer, which included a stint in New York City, but she gave up singing when Iris was born. So when she needed to escape after a bad relationship ended, she decided to restart her life in the Big Apple.

She finds a job as a chef at a noodle joint, and while it's not quite the gourmet job she dreamed of, she's able to find both a place to live (above the restaurant) and the owner of the restaurant, Bobby, becomes her best friend. When she's not working, she's more than content to stay home, watch her mother's favorite rom-coms, and eat gelato, but Bobby doesn't want her to languish indoors alone. One weekend he drags Iris to the famed San Gennaro Festival, and they stuff their faces with lots of Italian food. Walking through the festival, they come upon a family-owned gelato place, and for some reason, the store's logo seems tremendously familiar to Iris.

It turns out that the store appeared in one of Iris' mother's photos, accompanied by her mother's secret gelato recipe. When Iris visits the gelato store the next day, she meets Gio, the handsome member of the family who is running the store. He tells Iris that his uncle is the only one in the family who knows their gelato recipe, and since he is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, his memory is faulty and he cannot remember the recipe. Without it, the store may have to close.

When Iris tastes some of their last batch, she realizes that their secret gelato recipe is her secret gelato recipe—and the one in her mother's possessions. But she can't just tell Gio that his uncle actually shared the recipe with a stranger years ago, right? So she offers to help Gio and his family see if they can stumble on the recipe so they can get back to business. Through all of the attempts, Gio and Iris draw closer to one another, but what happens if his uncle regains his memory and exposes all the secrets that Iris has been keeping? Would they have any shot at a future together?

Once the plot starts to unfold, you can predict what will happen, and you won't be wrong. But the romantic vibes, the family dynamics, and the secrets on the verge of discovery kept me reading regardless of the predictability of the story. And I haven't stopped craving gelato since!

Book Review: "Cover Your Tracks" by Daco S. Auffenorde

Daco Auffenorde's thriller, Cover Your Tracks, is a heart-pounding thriller that reads like it would make a great movie.

Margo Fletcher is traveling by train from Chicago to Spokane, Washington, for a family event. The weather forecast called for light snow, but the storm seems a little heavier than expected. Somewhere in an isolated portion of the Rockies, the train starts to brake but initially no reason is given. Since Margo is eight months pregnant, she’s justifiably concerned about what is going on.

Nick Eliot, a former Army Ranger, knows trouble is ahead. A massive avalanche is headed directly for the train. He warns everyone in their train car to move to the back of the train for safety, but since the conductor tells everyone to stay seated, only Margo is willing to listen. Is Nick right? Should she trust this man she’s never met with her life and her baby’s?

She decides to follow Nick, and they make their way to the last train car, which he uncouples to separate them. Not long after, the avalanche engulfs the rest of the train, destroying it and throwing the cars into a ravine far down below. It is doubtful anyone could have survived.

Now they’re alone in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of a winter storm. A rescue crew may never find them, if they even realize the train is missing right away. Nick and Margo try to find shelter but must contend with the elements and worry about wild animals looking for food, with Margo growing increasingly concerned about her baby.

But as Nick leads her to a watchtower on top of a mountain—away from where she thinks they need to go to find help—Margo has to decide whether to trust this stranger. Both have secrets that have brought them to this moment—will these secrets impact their ability to survive?

When I first heard about Cover Your Tracks I joked that it sounded like a Liam Neeson movie, and it really does. The plot alternates between the present and both of Margo and Nick’s backstories. It’s an intense story at times and so atmospheric—I really felt like I could be out in the middle of the storm. There are lots of twists and turns which take you to a very different place than I expected.

One warning: the book is a bit graphic in its descriptions of violence and killing animals. It’s not gratuitous but it could be a trigger for some. (You could skim over those parts and not miss anything.) But this is definitely one pulse-pounding read!

Book Review: "Wild at Heart" by K.A. Tucker

Ah, there's nothing quite like the feeling when the sequel of a book you loved is just as good as its predecessor!

Calla and Josh, the couple at the core of K.A. Tucker’s excellent The Simple Wild (one of my favorite books from last year), are back. After returning home to her sheltered life in Toronto, full of the creature comforts she missed while in Alaska, Calla realizes she’s miserable without Josh. The burly bush pilot feels the same way about her, and comes to Canada to tell her he’d do anything to be with her, even if it meant having to leave Alaska.

Recognizing Josh is only happy when he’s flying, and despite his promise, the fact is, Alaska is his home, she decides to make a life with him there, and start a charter airline company. Their love is intense, but is it strong enough to survive not just the elements, but the time alone Calla must endure, the doubts about their relationship, and Calla’s uncertainty about whether this is the life for her? They buy a log cabin in the woods and Calla works hard to make it a home, but is it the home she wants?

"Am I happy here? I’m happy with Jonah. I love him in a way I didn’t think existed—wholly and resolutely. But am I happy here, in my life? Or have I been fooling myself into thinking that one morning I’ll wake up and things that feel foreign and temporary will finally feel like home?"

Wild at Heart is really a great romance, full of emotion and steaminess and some memorable characters, just like the first book. (Although I missed Agnes and Mabel not being a large part of this book.) The book explores issues of doubt, trust, grief, friendship, self-esteem, communication, and passion, set against the magically mercurial backdrop of Alaska.

While you might be able to read Wild at Heart without having read The Simple Wild, I wouldn't recommend it. First of all, you'll miss all of the backstory, which will help you understand what makes these characters tick, but more importantly, it's a pretty terrific book on its own!

Loved this so much!! I’m honored to have been part of the blog tour for this book. Thanks to Social Butterfly PR, NetGalley, and K.A. Tucker for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!

Book Review: "Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances" by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Let It Snow is a trio of somewhat-interconnected short stories about the highs and lows of love against the backdrop of a massive snowstorm.

In Maureen Johnson’s "The Jubilee Express," a girl’s holiday plans are derailed again and again. First, her parents are thrown in jail unexpectedly, then her train to Florida gets stuck in the copious snow, and she escapes the chaos of the train by heading to a Waffle House for refuge, where she meets a young man with his own troubles. But as if all Jubilee experienced wasn't enough, she must deal with the apparent disinterest of her seemingly perfect boyfriend, which she doesn't quite understand. It makes for quite a holiday!

John Green’s "A Cheertastic Christmas," told with Green’s trademark these-characters-are-more-erudite-than-me style, follows a group of friends trying to get to a Waffle House in the midst of the storm because of the unexpected appearance of a troop of cheerleaders seeking escape from their train. (This appeals to two of the three friends.) However, their mission to make it to the Waffle House before other invited males is foiled by the elements, their rivals, and the changing dynamics in their group of three.

In "The Patron Saint of Pigs," Lauren Myracle tells the story of Addie, a girl despondent about the end of her relationship (her fault). But the thing is, Addie could use a serious lesson in putting the needs of others first. It takes a strange customer and a teacup pig to help her find her way.

I don’t tend to read a ton of holiday books but this book (and these authors) really tempted me. Johnson’s story is the most straightforward and is therefore my favorite. Green’s is truly madcap and funny, and I really do love the way he writes even if his characters are funnier than nearly every adult I know, but there is only so much zaniness I can take in a story. It's literally a caper.

Myracle’s story had too many disparate parts that didn’t quite come together for me, and I felt as if everyone was trying too hard. It was an interesting concept but at one point there were so many characters in the story that I was quite confused.

Let It Snow was a very quick, fun read and it definitely put me in the spirit of the holidays, even if I’m hoping the "wintry mix" forecast for early next week here passes us by. They've also adapted the book into a Netflix movie which premieres November 8.