Review: Animal Instinct

Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner, a German shepherd named Simon Garfunkel, are recently retired police officers turned private investigators. Along with fellow former cop Laurie Collins and her investigating partner, Marcus, they call themselves the K Team, in honor of Simon.

The K Team’s latest case – a recent unsolved murder – gives Corey a chance to solve "the one that got away". Corey knew the murder victim from his time on the force, when he was unable to protect her in a domestic dispute. Now, he is convinced the same abusive boyfriend is responsible for her murder. With some help from Laurie’s lawyer husband, Andy Carpenter, the K Team is determined to prove what the police could not, no matter the cost. What they uncover is much more sinister than they could have imagined.

Known for his dog-loving stories and addictive characters, bestselling mystery author David Rosenfelt presents Animal Instinct, the second installment in this engrossing new series about a dynamite investigative team and their canine partner.

Review: Darling Rose Gold

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes. And Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling...

And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

A very good read.

Review: The Last House on the Street

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In two voices, Ellie from the 60s and Kayla from current times.

Kayla has lost her husband to an accident that happened while

he was working on their new-build house which they both designed.

Kayla father helps look after their little girl Raine but has

decided that its time for them to move to the house. It is a huge

house and far too big for them, but she does move in.

Meanwhile we are hearing about Ellie's involvement in the civil

rights movement, going to the houses of the poor in the south and

helping them know how to sign up for the vote. They are all waiting

for LBJ to sign the bill putting this voting rights into law.

Current time; Kayla has moved in and has visited her neighbour, Ellie.

She is back from where she has lived for the last 30 years to care for

her brother, Buddy, and her mother. Buddy has congestive heart failure.

Originally Ellie seemed friendly and invited Kayla to practice yoga, but

she has all of a sudden done a turn about and has told Kayla that she 

doesn't have time because of caring for her brother and mother. Kayla was

perplexed by this, but said that she understands.

The next time Kayla drives past their house she notices smoke coming from

the back, then flames. She got out of her car and went running to try to

see what was happening. She was able to get help and they were able to put

the fire out.

The story is told by two voices, Kayla and Ellie. Ellie from back in the

1960's and Kayla 2010. As it goes we learn all about Ellie as a young person.

She joined the civil rights movement and worked hard one summer. But we learn

a lot about what it was like back then and a lot about the KKK. Ellie had

been going out with Kayla's father back then until she met the love of her

life during her time working for civil rights.

An excellent read, couldn't put it down.

Review: The Story of Our Secrets

The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Colm O’Flynn was loved by his close circle of family and friends, however his death came too soon for everyone to make peace with their past.

Shauna, his second wife, adored him. But one night she broke their marriage vows, and didn’t get time to ask Colm’s forgiveness.

Jess was the first Mrs O’Flynn. Her heart is set on someone new, but will the last one night stand she shared with Colm come back to haunt her?

Colm’s best friend, Dan, is recently divorced. Can he take a second shot at happiness if it means betraying the one person who always had his back?

What no-one knows is that somewhere out there Colm left messages that could set them free to start over again.

Can divine intervention help them find Colm’s last wishes before it’s too late to love again? 

Review: The Scottish Rose

The Scottish Rose by Jill Jones & Jill LaForge Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Taylor Kincaid is the host of a popular television series that debunks myths and legends. So when she travels to Scotland after receiving notice of an inheritance, she hopes to unravel the mystery behind a local legend surrounding the disappearance of locals through the  “Ladysgate,” an archway of stones just off the Scottish coast. Despite the warnings of rugged sea captain Duncan Fraser, Taylor sails toward the arch. But when a vicious storm strikes, she is thrown overboard and through the portal, with Captain Fraser close behind her.

Together, they come to grips with the inconceivable—they have somehow ended up in 1651. Taylor and Duncan soon find themselves thrust into a desperate plot to save the Scottish crown, sword, and scepter amid imminent peril.  As they attempt to re-cross the centuries, they risk losing the love they've found in a time long past.

Review: Too Close to the Falls

Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Unrated.

Review: The Secrets of Roscarbury Hall

The Secrets of Roscarbury Hall by Ann O'Loughlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this as a buddy read on a book group and I wanted to really like it. Unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.

The book in general had very good bones but the character development was slow and confusing. It tended to jump around and instead of concentrating on the important issue in the book, it spent a lot of time discussing two sisters who were not speaking. I felt that time spent that way could have been put to much better use.

Sisters Ella and Roberta O'Callaghan haven't spoken for decades, torn apart by a dark family secret from their past. They both still live in the family's crumbling Irish mansion, communicating only through the terse and bitter notes they leave for each other in the hallway. But when their way of life is suddenly threatened by bankruptcy, Ella tries to save their home by opening a café in the ballroom – much to Roberta's disgust.

As the café begin to thrive, the sisters are drawn into a new battle when Debbie, an American woman searching for her birth mother, starts working at the Ballroom Café. Debbie has little time left but as she sets out to discover who she really is and what happened to her mother, she is met by silence and lies at the local convent. Determined to discover the truth, she begins to uncover an adoption scandal that will rock both the community and the warring sisters.