By Author Archives

My Daughter’s Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

August 17, 2017 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

My Daughter’s Legacy: Virginia, 1864

Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of her family owning slaves. When her wealthy grandfather dies during the Civil War, leaving his slaves and estate to Therese’s widowed mother, Therese flees to Richmond. There she works as a tutor by day and a nurse by night. But when trouble befalls her family, how can she reconcile her duty and beliefs? And where does Michael Talbot—a long-time family friend—fit in her broken world?

Virginia, present day

After years of substance abuse, Nicole Talbot’s life is back on track. She’s found work at an equestrian therapy center and returned to college with the help of her wealthy grandmother—but that help comes at a price. Nicole must decide between honoring her bargain and doing what she knows is right, even if that could mean losing her new start, her family’s trust, and a future with her handsome boss.

Sissy:

Sometimes we forget about people in the Civil War era South who completely opposed slavery. My Daughter’s Legacy, in its historical parts, tells of such people, and what they did to further their anti slavery cause, often putting themselves in grave danger. Therese, torn between her beliefs and her duty to her mother, is a compelling character. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t as clear-cut as we’d like them to be.

Bubby:

Like Therese’s choice between two equally handsome Talbot men, cousins Michael and Alec. Do you go for childhood romance or debonair doctor? Guess you’ll just have to read it to find out.

Sissy:

I wish all choices were as easy as choosing between angel food cake or chocolate mousse cake. In the words of my cute niece, chocolate mousse cake all the way!

Bubby:

Is that even really a choice?

Sissy:

Nope.

Bubby:

My favorite part of this story was seeing all the different threads from the two earlier books finally tie together. I got my happy ending, and I got closure. In fact, I had tears in my eyes as I read the last page.

Sissy:

You mean the part where Nicole goes to the stable and confronts hot horse trainer man and…

Bubby:

You stop that right now!

Sissy:

Okay. I’ll just say the part of My Daughter’s Legacy set in modern-day is a lovely story of rebuilding trust, finding redemption, and, of course, true love winning in the end. Plus that puzzle of a mystery we’ve been getting pieces of throughout the Cousins of the Dove series–finally we know the whole story!

Bubby:

Oh my gosh–I was totally shocked at how that all went down! I would never have imagined it to end that way. The mystery, the killer–it was the last person I suspected!

Sissy:

I will just go ahead and give a full on plug for My Daughter’s Legacy and the entire Cousins of the Dove series: Not only are the stories fast paced page turners, the characters become beloved friends and every episode brings new understanding and inspiration. And best of all, these are tales of strong women who overcome obstacles with grace and faith. You will love them, readers!

Bubby:

Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould have written a fantastic trilogy. I loved every word.

Click HERE to buy My Daughter’s Legacy

A Stolen Crown by Kelsey Keating

August 9, 2017 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

A Stolen Crown: An unbreakable friendship. One big mess in the making. When Princess Cecily Degalt travels south to wed a prince she’s never met, she’s ushered into a strange new world alongside her best friend and bodyguard, Rory Castille. With an MIA fiancé, his handsome twin brother, and a kidnapping gone wrong, life in Myrzel isn’t quite what Cecily expected. Rory will do anything to keep Cecily from harm–but when Rory’s darkest secret comes between her and Cecily, the greatest danger to the princess might be Rory herself. Torn apart for the first time, each girl will have to think like the other as she faces not only the darkness of Fangralee Forest, but a dangerous enemy closer to home.

Bubby:

You may remember that we reviewed the first book in this series last April (A Stolen Kiss). We loved it. In fact, I’m going to quote myself here: “When this kind of writing comes from a début author, I can’t help but be excited about how good the sophomore effort is bound to be.” And here we are, reviewing the “sophomore effort” – and it’s fantastic!

Sissy:

I am surprised, Bubby, that you didn’t mention the cover, because you usually do. So I will say it for you–the cover is another whimsical, engaging piece of folky art; one which, if seen in a library or bookstore, would entice readers greatly! Then, when you read the book, you find it equals the “engaging-ness” of the cover. I loved A Stolen Kiss, but I enjoyed A Stolen Crown even more.

Bubby:

Now you may be thinking, “Oh Bubby! I haven’t read A Stolen Kiss! That means I can’t just jump in and read A Stolen Crown!” Not so, dear reader! While the two books share a world and a few overlapping characters, both are delightful stand alone reads. But really. If you haven’t read A Stolen Kiss, you’re missing out…

Sissy:

So just read them both already! I’ve read some reviews of A Stolen Crown, in the which they talk about it being a fluffy fantasy novel. I disagree. While there are people like Bubby who prefer to plumb the hardcore depths of fantasy, this was exactly the right amount for me. Also, people like to dissect the whole thing in terms of world building and magic systems, etc., blah, blah, blah. But I say, stop thinking about it so much and simply let this magical story carry you along.

Bubby:

O.K. Now hold your horses, sister. I enjoy fantasy in ALL its manifestations, from beautiful high-fantasy epics to fairytale retellings to urban steampunk dystopia and everything in between. And yes, I am one of the people who likes to discuss world building and magic systems and so on and so forth but that’s o.k. A good story is a good story, the end. A Stolen Crown is a really good story.

Sissy:

You also like to go to conventions where there are weird smelly people. Just saying.

Bubby:

Yeah. That’s true. But so do half your children…

Sissy:

I blame you. There are meatier subjects addressed in A Stolen Crown, such as choice versus compulsion, the dynamics of friendship, and basic human rights. The characters are so dynamic – if you think you hate (or love) a character at the beginning, don’t be surprised if that opinion has changed by the end. And Fangralee Forest – well that could be a whole post by itself!

Bubby:

I DO NOT want to be stuck in Fangralee Forest. Nope. No way. No thank you. No. I love all the traditional fantasy/fairy tale elements in A Stolen Crown, like the aforementioned dark forbidden forest, the prince under a curse, and the love spells. I even enjoyed the fighting and drama at the end. Kelsey Keating pulls it all together in one fast-moving, enchanted journey. Go lock yourself in a room, Kelsey, and don’t come out until you’ve written book three! Please!

Sissy:

A Stolen Wish! Scheduled to come out sometime this year (2017). But when? Book four, A Stolen Fate, is scheduled for 2018. Bubby and I hope Ms. Keating keeps cranking them out because we are solid fans.

Click HERE to buy A Stolen Crown by Kelsey Keating

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The Secrets of Villa Rosso by Linn B. Halton

August 4, 2017 by bubblebathbooks 2 Comments

When Ellie Maddison is sent on a business trip to Southern Italy, she’s reminded why she loves her job – set amongst rolling vineyards and rich olive groves, the beautiful Villa Rosso is the perfect escape from her life back home. But what Ellie isn’t prepared for is the instant connection she feels to the estate’s director Max Johnson, or the secrets they share that are as intertwined as the rambling vines that cover Villa Rosso. It’s not long before Ellie finds herself entangled in the history of the place, trying to understand the undeniable effect Max is having on her. As their relationship grows, what will Ellie discover about this idyllic villa and those who have walked through its doors? What started as a simple work trip will change Ellie’s life forever.

Bubby:

What could be better than a trip to Southern Italy? Italy is totally on my bucket list, you know. Vineyards and olive groves and romantic villas sound amazing! Unfortunately for our heroine, Ellie, her trip is, or should be, all about business. But then she meets Max…

Sissy:

But Josh is her soulmate! And her husband…so how can she have a connection with Max? That is a question that is answered in a few different ways in The Secrets of Villa Rosso. I’m not sure which one of those is the true answer, but the explanations are far more beyond the normal than you might expect. I loved the descriptions of Castrovillari, Italy and their contrast with Ellie and Josh’s typical English home. Do you choose lovely soulmate and staid England or beautiful Italy and hot Max? (Is Max hot?)

Bubby:

He sounded pretty handsome to me! Now before you get all concerned that Ellie does dumb things that will ruin her marriage, never fear. When she says that Josh is her soulmate, she means it. And she does everything she can to distance herself from Max. But there’s a twisty little secret about Max’s fiancee that Ellie happens to stumble upon and it really does change everything. This part of the plot was so interesting to me – I really enjoyed how Linn Halton wove it in amongst all the other threads of the story.

Sissy:

That was also my favorite part of the story. Max and Ellie’s otherwordly relationship made The Secrets of Villa Rosso unique amongst contemporary fiction. And although other reviewers found the ending to be poignant, I was mad at it.

Bubby:

Me too. I AM glad, however, that important relationships stay intact. I want to say more on this but Sissy says SPOILERS so I won’t. If you’re looking for a vividly descriptive, interesting and thought-provoking novel that is different from the usual women’s fiction fare, The Secrets of Villa Rosso is the book for you.

Sissy:

Linn B. Halton’s writing has a wealth of depth and dimension. She seamlessly combines romance and mystery with a touch of paranormal in the most eloquent way. I’m so glad we had a chance to force Bubby out of her usual fluffy brainless summer reads and into something that would make her think!

Bubby:

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Sissy:

No more writing. This blog post is finished. Now go and read The Secrets of Villa Rosso, y’all!

Click HERE to buy The Secrets of Villa Rosso by Linn B. Halton

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The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg

July 26, 2017 by bubblebathbooks Leave a Comment

The Fifth Doll: After discovering a room full of matryoshka dolls wearing the faces of her village, a woman learns she may be trapped inside one–but unraveling the sorcery carved into each doll unleashes dark consequences that rip her from the only home she remembers.

Bubby:

There are a few rules in the world of fairy tales. One of these rules is, “Don’t touch stuff you don’t understand!” Luckily for us readers, no one ever follows that rule, including The Fifth Doll‘s heroine, Matrona. I can’t blame her though. If I went inside the most beautiful house in my neighborhood and found an entire room full of Russian nesting dolls, each painted with the face of one of my neighbors, I’d touch them too.

Sissy:

That doesn’t surprise me, because you’ve always touched all my stuff. Regardless, I always come to those moments, i.e. when Matrona went into the house and started looking around, and I have a little panic inside. I want the protagonist to turn around and go home and not cause trouble, even though I know there will be no story if they do that.

Bubby:

So what, then? Matrona finds a room of creepy dolls in Slava’s house, chooses to not touch them, leaves quickly so Slava never knows she was there and marries stupid head Feodor? And life continues as it always has? I’m not reading that book!

Sissy:

I know. No risk, no reward. But my inner Fearful Frannie always goes for the safe, easy out. I’m glad that Matrona was not Frannie. The Fifth Doll, I have to say, was downright eerie, bordering on an M. Night Shamalyan movie, slightly east of horror.

Bubby:

So on a scale of Barney the Dinosaur to Stephen King’s IT, you’d rate The Fifth Doll at a particularly good Twilight Zone episode?

Sissy:

Yes. I don’t do horror. You mentioned the word “creepy” in terms of the dolls and I’d say The Fifth Doll had just the right amount of creepy and mysterious mixed in with fantasy and Russian folklore to be fully palatable to me. There are also underlying philosophical nuances, such as free will versus idyllic ignorance and parental love versus reality tough love. I enjoyed all of it.

Bubby:

The romantic choices follow that same philosophical pattern. Should Matrona choose Feodor, the safe man who her parents have picked out for her, the one the village approves of? Or should she throw logic to the wind by following her heart and choosing Jaska, a younger and much less suitable man?

Sissy:

Sexy younger man all day, every day!

Bubby:

Just because you did it doesn’t make it right for everyone, you cougar.

Sissy:

Sissy got it going on! Maybe Matrona does too? The thing that must be mentioned is Charlie N. Holmberg’s outstanding wordsmithery. She describes things and emotions with otherworldly skill, which is why I use the word “wordsmithery” because it’s almost like word sorcery. In previous books she introduced us to paper and glass magicians, among others, but Charlie N. Holmberg is a word magician. Her creative, unique magic and world building in The Fifth Doll proves it.

Bubby:

I love the charming and peaceful Russian village that Matrona lives in. It seems almost too good to be true – perhaps this should have clued me in to what was coming next. I really felt like I was right there in my own little cottage, wearing my sarafan and milking my cow.

Sissy:

Have fun with that.

Bubby:

Shh. You’re ruining my pastoral fantasy. My point is that I was completely drawn into Matrona’s world and I didn’t want to leave it. I enjoyed the slow-building romantic aspect of the story and Slava was a perfectly complex villain – not entirely evil, but definitely the bad guy. My favorite part of the book was the ever-so-slightly sinister ending. I’d tell you more about it but SPOILERS! There are several authors that, if I was a villain like Slava, I’d want to kidnap and keep in a large mansion, each in their own room, forced to quickly write delicious fiction for me and me alone to savor. (I know, it’s really bizarre. Just go with it.) With the addition of The Fifth Doll to her repertoire, Charlie N. Holmberg is now at the top of my list.

Sissy:

Ya soglasna!

Bubby:

Bless you.

Sissy:

That is “I agree” in Russian, dingbat. As in, I agree with what you said about Charlie N. Holmberg in your last paragraph. Readers, you should definitely pick up The Fifth Doll and jump into the most clever twist on a fantasy you’ll read this year.

Click HERE to buy The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg

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Engaged in Trouble by Jenny B. Jones (Plus a Giveaway!)

July 12, 2017 by bubblebathbooks 12 Comments

Paisley Sutton shot to stardom as a teenage rock sensation, but ten years later that star has fizzled out, just like her bank account. When she unexpectedly inherits her aunt’s wedding planning business, Paisley leaves the glamour of Los Angeles for a charming small town in Arkansas. Thinking she’ll arrive in Sugar Creek and liquidate the property, Paisley’s shocked to find Enchanted Events has experienced a major makeover and is now the place for brides. She’s got two months to keep Enchanted Events afloat if she wants to sell and rekindle her music career with the profits.

Paisley’s tossed into a world of vows and venues, but her most difficult challenge comes in the form of one demanding bride. When this Bridezilla’s found facedown in her cake, all fingers point to Paisley as the prime murder suspect. This former pop princess will need the help of her gun-toting, ex-CIA grandmother and her handsome neighbor, Beau Hudson, to unravel the mystery and clear her good name. The closer Paisley gets to the truth, the more her own life is in danger. Love is in the air this wedding season, but before Paisley can help the ladies of Sugar Creek say, “I do,” she’s got to unveil a killer. Or find herself the next target.

Don’t miss the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post!

Bubby:

Engaged in Trouble is the first book in the Enchanted Events cozy mystery series. You readers already know that we LOVE ourselves some Jenny B. Jones – (In Between, On the Loose, The Big Picture, Can’t Let You Go) and we loved this one too. It’s a departure from her other novels in that it’s a cozy mystery instead of a sweet romance, but never fear! There was still enough romance to make us happy.

Sissy:

We do very few cozy mystery reviews these days because they tend to feel all the same to us after a while. But because Jenny B. Jones’ hilarious, sarcastic, sassy humor is the light of my life whenever I read her, I had to give this cozy a try. She did not disappoint. Just the arrival of the two unpredictably crazy ex-CIA grannies Sylvie and Frannie was like freakin’ Christmas morning!

Bubby:

Oh my gosh I loved them so much! Sylvie and Frannie might be two of my favorite characters ever. The best aspect of Engaged in Trouble for me was the slow, simmering undercurrent of romantic tension between our heroine Paisley and her hunky neighbor Beau. I’m so interested to see where their relationship goes in the next book.

Sissy:

Paisley, though she’s a self-described “disaster magnet”, is surprisingly endearing, with her troubled back story and determination for the future. She’s a good match for Beau, with his demons from his military service. Hopefully they can figure it all out and have another smoldering kiss for us to drool over.

Bubby:

I’m a sucker for all things bridal (we binge watch Say Yes to the Dress around here) and the descriptions of the gowns, cakes, venues, and even the interior of Enchanted Events made me so happy. I briefly worked at a bridal salon once and I really loved it. Maybe we should open up our own salon and event planning service, Sissy? Could be fun…

Sissy:

Not. Fun. Do you really want to be around psychotic brides/bride’s families all the time? I want to throw my shoe at the TV when I watch Say Yes to the Dress, because some of the brides are so spoiled and ridiculous! So I could perfectly picture Sasha, the bridezilla (and subsequent murder victim) in Engaged in Trouble.

Bubby:

Yeah, Sasha was a piece of work. I’m not surprised someone killed her.

Sissy:

That’s a horrible thing to say! I sort of agree… But that’s a horrible thing to say!

Bubby:

You were thinking the same thing. Horrible thoughts! Engaged in Trouble is another stellar piece of entertainment from Jenny B. Jones. Great plot, great characters, great ending.

Sissy:

I gotta admit, I did not know whodunnit until the end, and what a wild ending it was! But the best thing about this book is the sharp witted, side-splitting dialogue. Especially when Sylvie or Frannie open their mouths or do practically anything. I’ll go out on a limb here and say the Enchanted Events series may just be my favorite cozy mystery outing ever. While you’re wondering (with us) when the next book in the series will come out, don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of your own!

Click HERE to buy Engaged in Trouble by Jenny B. Jones

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