Annie Seaton

This is the second book in The Porter Sisters series, although it seems to work fine as a stand-alone novel. Set in the Daintree rainforest area of tropical Far North Queensland it is both rural romance and mystery.

Dr Emma Porter is a doctor and holistic health practitioner living in Crooked Cottage, by the river outside Daintree Village. and nearby the town of Dalrymple. I’m assuming Dalrymple is a fictional town, although there is another abandoned town in North Queensland with this name, called so after the explorer, infamous for massacres against local Indigenous groups. Emma has close relationships with both the feisty old codger George and Kuku Yalanji woman and traditional healer Wilma Randall. She has just developed an interest in conservationist Troy when her ex-boyfriend Jeremy unexpectedly arrives as the new doctor town. Things start to go awry after George is beaten up by a group of suspicious men in the rainforest, and Wilma’s pet snakes are stolen. There appears to be a smuggling ring stealing exotic birds and animals. How can Emma juggle the demands of her work, her concern for the people she loves, the danger she increasingly faces and the pull on her heart?

This is a pleasant enough story. The audio narration was good. I found the identity of the criminal fairly easy to work out early on in the piece. Emma is an OK character, although a fairly bossy sort of do-gooder. I find it disconcerting when doctors are so forceful with their patients, even when it is well-intentioned, assuming that they always know best. I enjoyed the sense of place and appreciated the fact that the story gives credit to local Indigenous groups for their knowledge of bush medicine, but found myself a little uncomfortable with the way this was handled. Sure Emma pays for the herbs she receives from Wilma, but essentially enhances her own career using Wilma’s traditional knowledge. I did actually like the way Jeremy was appointed as the new director responsible for setting up new remote outreach clinics. So typical to appoint a city bloke who has never set foot in the region, and has no understanding of the culture and logistics over a competent woman already living there with all the local contacts! Lots of eye-rolls here, but not at Annie Seaton, she is totally right, this would exactly be what happened. Overall, a nice romantic suspense that highlights a beautiful part of Australia and the evils of wildlife-smuggling. 3.5 stars for me… (mehr)

Baby, It’s Hot Outside Romance Collection – A Christmas Down Under

I have read four of the twelve stories; two authors I have read before, two I have not read, and there are still eight more novellas to look forward to reading and all take place “down under”, are steamy and will end with a happily ever after for the starring couple.

Kris Pearson is the author that drew me in – I love her steamy stories – and having other authors with holiday romances included in this anthology made it all the more intriguing.

The males in the stories read so far have been: a scientist injured on the job, a cowboy of sorts, a wounded military man, and a famous French actor.

The female love interests have so far been: a rather quiet solitary middle child sister, a horsewoman, a PR type daughter of a commanding officer, and a destitute woman thrown out of a job and taken in to be a nanny.

Some of the stories are no doubt part of a series but series that I have not read and some may be one-offs as they stand alone complete and perfect without a series to support them.

I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the future but want to get this review up now. The collection will disappear before the end of January 2022 so do pick it up before then, meet some new authors, and enjoy the holiday spirit…down under.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kris Pearson for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (mehr)

Romancing the Summer
10 Sweet Summer Reads

An anthology to read all at once or to savor one story at a time. This collection of stories will provide me with stories from favorite authors and give me the chance to meet some new writers and sample their way with words. I can see reading one story before bed to provide sweet dreams. That said, I have read two of the stories so far and found them delightful.

The first story I read was by Kris Pearson and took me back to Hawaii – a place I went fifty-two years ago. I was sixteen at the time and love was definitely in the air…if not for me then for others I saw while there for a few days. I could totally relate to Emmy’s worry that starting a holiday romance with a man who lived halfway around the world really didn’t make sense and yet…the chemistry! I also REALLY want the author to write a story about Carter’s brother “Doc” – oh my!

The second story I read was by Shriley Wine and I truly felt sorry for Evie. Poor woman had spent years caring for her father and was finally free only to find out the person she met online was…well…not worth it at all and yet if she had not gone to meet him she would not have met Magnus and that WOULD have been a shame.

Both stories were quick and easy to read and left a smile on my face. I can hardly wait to read the other eight and am looking forward to reading every one of them in the very near future!

Thank you to one of the authors for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (mehr)

Romancing the Holidays
Eleven Christmas Themed Romances

This delightful collection of eleven romances includes something for everyone. Wanting to sample a few of the authors’ work before writing this review I chose three to read and review and look forward to reading the rest as Christmas approaches.

A CHRISTMAS TWIST by Kris Pearson
I love this author’s books and this story had me from beginning to end. It took me back to my time in college and made me think, “What If” although I never dated a twin in my life. I loved that the romance was for a widow in her forties that is given a second chance at love after having lived twenty or more years without any interaction with that long ago lover in all that time. The connection they had was still there and it was a joy to experience with them as their story unfolded...and the TWIST...oh my! Delightful story!

A CHRISTMAS WISH by Shirley Wine
A pastor on a mission to save someone in the community is not what I was expecting in this anthology. Seth is a man of God but he is also a man. When he first saw Paige he had feelings for her but then her life was upended and took a nosedive. This story is filled with the detritus of a dysfunctional family that left Paige reeling. All of the family is in pain and the way they finally resolve things is as big a part of this story as the romance between Seth and Paige.

BLIND DATE WITH A WEREWOLF by Sofia Grey (Snowdonia Wolves book 5)
Okay...a car stalls at the side of the road in Wales and a snowstorm might be lethal for Melissa BUT she is luckily saved by a man that just happens to find her. This could be the typical snowbound story or the werewolf snowbound story but it isn’t because the take on the shifter community is a bit more mellow than those I have encountered in shifter stories I have read so far. This is a story that I enjoyed and found a fun read while hoping that Owen would be able to woo Melissa and get her to stay with him forever.

Thank you to the author that offered me this ARC to read and review. I look forward to reading each and every one of the stories in this collection as the first three were excellent and introduced me to two new-to-me authors I hope to read more by in the future.

5 Stars… (mehr)