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The Entertaining World of New Fiddleham

I will never get tired of William Ritter's vision of the magical world of R. F. Jackaby and Abigail Rook. William Ritter’s magical way with words and world building is very compelling and his masterful story telling keeps me wanting more. Never have I been so relieved to get a follow-up book to a series. Rook was an instant pre-order for me. The description states that it can standalone, but I would recommend reading the Jackaby series first for a richer experience. Rook is a fast-paced dive into the consequences that unfolded in The Dire King. The books centers on Abigail Rook former assistant to R. F. Jackaby. Despite Abigail’s new abilities and her changing role in the household, she must solve a mystery in New Fiddleham. Abigail must put aside her personal issues and move forward with the support and sometimes dubious assistance of a menagerie of characters found in The Jackaby series.

Nicola Barber's wonderful voice delivers a multilayered performance as the varied inhabitants of New Fiddleham, and the experience is like listening to a full cast recording.

Rook is a magical book. Three generations in my household have read and loved all The Jackaby stories and Rook is a welcome addition to the series. Step through the portal, my friend, a magical world awaits.

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I really loved this book by Virginia Heath.

How to Woo a Wallflower has great characters, an interesting setting and enough obstacles on the way to happily ever after to make this an entertaining read.

How to Woo a Wallflower expertly explores the outsider status the main characters find themselves in. Jasper, the Earl of Beaufort is disapproved of by polite society because he is a self made man and as the owner of a gaming club has a past laced with scandalous rumors. In his world another scandal threatens to erupt and he is not looking for love when he runs into Hattie his friends younger sister. Hattie is a wallflower because a horseback riding injury has left her with a limp. She has always taken a shine to Lord Jasper, but has no expectations of him. Hattie ends up helping Jasper with his scandal out of the kindness of her heart and in return he helps her discover freedom within her wallflower status. I love how the characters friendship developed into a delightful love story.

If you like your regency romance with with humor, kindness and heart then How to Woo a Wallflower by Virginia Heath is the book for you.

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Review of Dead Man's Curve by Paula Graves

It is always a good day for me when I get to start reading a new series by Paula Graves. Paula Graves writes romantic suspense that you just have to sit down and read in one sitting. Dead Man's Curve is the start of a new miniseries called The Gates, set in the mysterious Smoky Mountains.  The action leaps off the page in typical Paula Graves cinematic style with non-stop intrigue, heart pounding danger and bad guys that make you get up to check and see if your doors are locked.

Paula Graves pulls you into her world, where trust is a scarce commodity, and loyalty is earned the hard way. I always really enjoy reading Paula's intrigues, because her characters are real people with flaws, hopes and secrets. Also, she doesn't make her characters rush into the physical side of the relationship, and for me that makes the story so much more believable.

Have you ever looked out into a crowd of faces, and think that you recognize someone? Someone that meant something special to you? Dead Man's Curve starts with the FBI agent Ava Trent responding to a kidnapping case, and turns into something bigger. Ava Trent scans the crowd and thinks she sees a ghost from her past. Sinclair Solano meant something to her, eight years ago but he could not be there in that crowd, because he is dead. He died a wanted man, under explosive circumstances, but then things aren't always as they seem. Ava Trent is confident, funny and determined to find out the truth.

"He had a full lower lip and deep brown eyes, back in her foolish, romantic youth, she'd thought soulful."

There are some characters in Dead Man's Curve from previous series, but they don't overwhelm the story. For fans of the Cooper Justice and Cooper Security series it is a bonus, to get to check in with some familiar faces. My favorite hero, Gabe Cooper from The Man from Gossamer Ridge, finds himself in a bit of a mess in this book.  

I was talking to the book the whole time, "Duck! Get out of there! Kiss!", which typically means for me it was a winner. The dialogue is crisp and is funny, though the hero and heroine were hardly in a laughing situation. Luckily for me and fans of Paula Graves the next two books in the series, Crybaby Falls and Boneyard Ridge will be available in October and November of this year.

Reviewed by Gayle Cochrane at Lady Celeste Reads Romance , on  9/16/14

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One of the greatest moments in anybody’s developing experience is when he no longer tries to hide from himself but determines to get acquainted with himself as he really is. – Norman Vincent Peale

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Walking in small circles. I need more sleep.