Cold Hearts – Sharon Sala

Cold Hearts
Sharon Sala
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $7.99
ISBN 9780778318309

In Mystic, West Virginia, Melissa Sherman takes her car to Paul Jackson’s garage for repair. Paul muses to himself that he always liked Lissa who was his son Mack’s high school girlfriend; thus he stays open late to repair her vehicle. After troubling auto parts dealer Freddie Miller to stay open so that he can get what he needs to do the job; Paul finishes the repair at eleven that evening. Before he steps away from beneath the hydraulic lifted car; a friend enters the garage. The newcomer releases the lift dumping Lissa’s car onto Paul.

Mack comes home for his father’s funeral, but is stunned to learn that Lissa’s car killed him and that the lift was not broken; someone murdered his dad. The police focus on a 1980 DUI tragedy as the motive since Paul is the second recent homicide victim (see Wild Hearts) with ties to that three-decade old vehicular accident. At the same time, Mack and Lissa turn to each other for solace while each looks back to the miscarriage that ended their relationship.

The second entertaining Secrets And Lies romantic suspense uses the same theme as its predecessor: a modern day homicide police procedural tied to a cold case vehicular death and a contemporary second chance romance. The storyline starts somewhat slow; but once the cast is set, rotating viewpoints between several players accelerates the plot into a tense hyperspeed mystery.

Harriet Klausner

Come Away With Me – Karma Brown

Come Away With Me
Karma Brown
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $14.95
ISBN 9780778318323

In a festive mood on Christmas Eve, Chicago newlyweds Tegan and Gabe Lawson look forward to the birth of their first child. Gabe loses control of their car while driving over black ice. Their unborn dies in the ensuing accident leaving extremely depressed Tegan blaming her husband for their loss.

Feeling guilty about their baby’s death; Gabe also worries about his beloved wife who threatens to end their marriage. Believing reconnecting somewhat would ease their anguish and desperate to help his wife and himself; Gabe suggests they draw three locations from their “jar of spontaneity”. Tegan wants to tell him to drop dead, but reluctantly agrees to visit Hawaii, Italy and Thailand.

Come Away with Me is a fresh look at the impact on survivors from a personal tragedy. The couple begins their journey stalled in the earlier phases of grief; as Karma Brown makes a profound argument that mourning a loss is customized and though a person moves on one never fully heals because you never fully forget. This is a powerful emotional family drama.

Harriet Klausner

A Window Opens – Elisabeth Egan

A Window Opens
Elisabeth Egan
Simon & Schuster, Aug 25 2015, $26.00
ISBN: 9781501105432

Alice Pearse loves her life as a New Jerseyite wife, mother of three, dutiful daughter, year round dog walker, eternal children’s book fan, reading club member and part-time You magazine editor. Her perfect world collapses when her husband Nicholas angrily tosses a laptop at the Manhattan legal firm where he works after failing to make partner.

Nicholas tries to put a positive spin to his unemployable situation in which no reputable firm will hire him after his “terrible twos” temper tandem when he explains to astonished, shocked Alice he always wanted to open his own practice, which he plans to do in the suburbs. Realizing she needs full employment to pay the bills while her spouse struggles with his start-up, Alice catches a break when Genevieve Andrews hires at chic Scroll bookselling. Initially her life looks even better than before her husband’s infantile meltdown, but her perfect job proves hellish instead and her mate turns increasingly to alcohol to numb his failures.

This witty, mirthful middle class satire mocks the American dream especially skewering the super suburban soccer-grizzly mom perception and the SCOTUS concept that as Mitt Romney states: “corporations are people”. Although the pacing somewhat decelerates late in this fabulous family drama; since going full time employment while remaining full time (including on call) at home Alice (and her fans) feels like she fell through the rabbit hole.

Harriet Klausner

Feels Like Family – Sherryl Woods

Feels Like Family

Sherryl Woods

Mira, Aug 25 2015, $14.95

ISBN 9780778318408

In Serenity, South Carolina, she muses that perhaps it is seeing the happiness of her two best friends (see Maddie in Stealing Home and Dana Sue in A Slice Of Heaven) but divorce attorney Helen Decatur suddenly feels alone.  Her work always was enough, but now at forty two years old that reaction formation defense mechanism no longer works especially since her biological clock has abruptly set off alarms.  She decides to have a child, but has no one in her life to sire the infant.

If she was to choose, Helen would select pastry chef Erik Whitney as the father of her offspring.  The attraction between them is palpable as her buddies can sense it as well but he seems to ignore his feelings.  She begins a scheme to seduce the chef, but when she falls in love she realizes she wants to raise a family with him; Erik has personal reasons from his past to reject the love she offers that he so dearly craves.

This reprint of the 2007 third Sweet Magnolias tale is an enjoyable contemporary as series fans will delight in the often amusing witty repartee between Helen and Erik; who both have serious issues that surface while their relationship simmers before boiling.  The story line is entertaining due to the antics of the lead couple encouraged by Helen’s BFFs and their beloved mates.

Harriet Klausner

A Little Bit Country – Debbie Macomber and Raeanne Thayne

A Little Bit Country
Debbie Macomber and Raeanne Thayne
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $7.99
ISBN 9780778318255

“A Little Bit Country” by Debbie Macomber. Librarian and published author Rorie Campbell drives from San Francisco to Seattle to attend a writer’s conference. On a remote county road in Oregon, her car breaks down. Stranded with no nearby motel vacancy, Clay Franklin invites Rorie to stay at his ranch while her vehicle is repaired. Several days together leads to an attraction that shakes both of them up as he has a nice fiancée and she has a boyfriend back home.

“Blackberry Summer” by RaeAnne Thayne. In Hope’s Crossing, Colorado, single mom of two kids (Macy and Owen), a dog (Chester) and a pain in the butt mom (Ruth), Claire Bradford owns struggling String Fever beads shop. She loves her town with the only blight being her ex Jeff with his new wife Holly. Someone broke in to her shop in a robbery and also vandalized it by knocking the beads all over the floor and destroying the customized wedding dress of the mayor’s daughter. New Police Chief Riley McKnight arrives at Claire’s shop to investigate the fourth store robbery. When he was in high school he had a crush on her that has continued secretly over the years even today.

The 1990 reprint of A Little Bit Country is an appealing country bumpkin-sophisticated urban romance that relies too much on happenchance. The 2011 reprint of Blackberry Summer is an engaging police procedural romance due to the super supporting townsfolk. Though I have doubts these novels belong together, these are two fine tales.

Harriet Klausner

Wildest Dreams – Robyn Carr

Wildest Dreams
Robyn Carr
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $8.99
ISBN 9780778317494

In Thunder Point, Oregon, single Vietnamese-American mom Lin Su Simmons works long hours as a nurse caring for ALS sufferer Winnie Banks; while she also raises her ailing teenage son Charlie. Moving next door to the Simmons is world traveling triathlete champion and Neighborhood Club franchise manager Blake Smiley. He became an endurance runner as a means of surviving a nasty neighborhood while a child.

Blake likes the mom and son next door and both feel the same way about him. As Blake falls in love with both Simmons, they reciprocate. However, Lin Su becomes angry and upset, even cursing in Vietnamese, and more protective of her child when she learns of the secret her new neighbor (and former love interest) and her son concealed from her.

The ninth Thunder Point Oregonian romance (see One Wish and A New Hope) is an interesting family relationship drama that refreshingly focuses on an adopted Amerasian and those she loves. Lin Su owns the storyline, but realistically is unsympathetic due to her understandably rigid, judgmental personality.

Harriet Klausner

Starlight on Willow Lake – Susan Wiggs

Starlight on Willow Lake
Susan Wiggs
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $24.95
ISBN 9780778317951

In Avalon, New York, single mom of two young daughters (diabetic Ruby and older Cara) Faith McCallum struggles with insuring food is on the table. Filled with despair, Faith feels she finally got a break when the Bellamy family hires her as an in-house caretaker for Alice; whose husband died in the skiing accident that left her an acrimonious paraplegic whose anger has driven off several health care employees and household staff.

Knowing she cannot run from this chance to better the lives of her children, Faith faces Alice’s rage head on while encouraging her charge to not just accept her paralysis but to live again. Alice’s son Mason arrives at the mansion to insure a smooth transition so that he could avoid this place he detests and return to his preferable geographical electronic checkbook support to his mother and the Bellamy brood. Whereas Faith’s courage re Alice deserts her when she meets Mason; he keeps rationalizing why he has not fled Avalon for Broadway.

The eleventh Lakeshore Chronicles contemporary (see Candlelight Christmas and Return to Willow Lake) is a highly emotional family drama. The cast is three dimensional especially caused by the dysfunctional dynamics of ire and angst. The romance serves as an impetus into a profound look at the negative impacts of loss and anguish, and the healing of love and compassion.

Harriet Klausner

Bad News Cowboy – Maisey Yates

Bad News Cowboy

Maisey Yates

Harlequin HQN, Jul 28 2015, $7.99

ISBN: 9780373788538

“Bad News Cowboy.”  In Copper Ridge, Oregon, Kate Garrett loves horses and playing cards especially with her brothers Eli (see Part Time Cowboy) and Connor (see Brokedown Cowboy), and their best friend Jack Monaghan.   Although she knows Jack extremely well to avoid flirting with this womanizer’s fire, Kate is attracted to him.  She convinces a reluctant Jack to mentor her on the art of romance.  Jack’s problem changes from avoidance to wanting to be the kid sister’s only beau.

“Shoulda Been a Cowboy.”  After being away from Copper Ridge for a decade and a half, Jake Caldwell comes home following the death of his estranged father.  Coffee shop owner Cassie Ventimiglia tutored Jake in high school, but concealed how much she wanted this bad boy.  Now he is her landlord, but her puppy love feelings still remain only more hopelessly adult.  Jake never told her how much her support meant to him and how much he adores her now, but plans to leave anyway.

The third Copper Ridge Garret romance is a fantastic contemporary as two support players prove they can deliver a wonderful romance.  Shoulda Been a Cowboy is the first hard copy printing of a delightful Copper Ridge e-book prequel.

Harriet Klausner

Tough Love – Lori Foster

Tough Love

Lori Foster

Harlequin HQN, Aug 25 2015, $7.99

ISBN: 9780373788484

“Tough Love.”  Vanity Baker knows what she wants is MMA light-heavyweight Stack “The Wolf” Hannigan.  However, she also realizes to become his permanent she-wolf, Vanity has to overcome his aversion to commitment.  Hoping he will make a move, Vanity remained patient only outrageously flirting with her secret love for a few months.  When that strategy fails, she persuades him to accept a casual deal: if he escorts her to a family wedding, she will have no string sex with him.  Though the lessons learned growing up as part of a disturbed dysfunctional family prove difficult to overcome, Stack needs to convince Vanity he wants more than a friends with benefits relationship.

“Back to Buckhorn.”  Pet groomer Zoey Hodge left Buckhorn, Kentucky the first chance she had with no plans of returning except for short visits to see her mom.  When her mom becomes very ill, Zoey comes home to help her recover.  Firefighter Garrett Hudson loved Zoey’s wit in high school, but desires her even more now.  His mission is to persuade her that they belong together forever.

The third Ultimate (see No Limits and Holding Strong) is an enjoyable contemporary due to the fascinating protagonists plotting their respective next steps though ignoring a serious discussion when one is desperately needed.  Series fans will relish the first print copy of this pleasant Buckhorn e-book prequel even if the stars’ love overcomes their tsuris rather abruptly.

Harriet Klausner

One Breathless Night – Jo Leigh

One Breathless Night

Jo Leigh

Harlequin Blaze, Aug 18 2015, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373798643

“One Breathless Night” by Jo Leigh.  At a 007 New Year’s Eve party, Boston schoolteacher Jenna Delaney in horrid disbelief watches her long time fiancé kiss someone else at midnight.  Also observing the lip locks is storm chaser Rick Sinclair whose girlfriend is the other party.  Stunned, Jenna and Rick turn to each other for solace that leads to a geographical distant relationship though neither expects anything to come of it.

“Hard Knocks” by Lori Foster.  In Japan suffering a cut that required stitches and costs him an SBC main event fight, Gage “Savage” Ringer returns home to heal and further his relationship with Harper Gates.  In love with Gage, Harper assumes he did not miss her while overseas.  Still she decides a fling can’t hurt too badly.

The main event is an enjoyable Three Wicked Nights contemporary starring two likable rebounders though the storyline drags at times.  The SBC support romance is a paper copy reprint of an interesting SBC Ultimate (see Holding Strong and Tough Love) e-novella.

Harriet Klausner