What I'm Reading: Trick of Light (Jennifer Bernard)

So Jennifer Bernard released the second book in her Sea Smoke Island series last week and of course I had to drop everything and read it.

This is Gabby and Barnaby's story. Gabby featured in the first book of the series (although obviously she plays a bigger role in this one). Barnaby is Luke's (the hero of book one) brother. 

What I especially found intriguing is that Luke is the sheriff (constable? I forget, exactly) basically The Law on Sea Smoke Island, and in this book, Barnaby is frequently running afoul of the law...or protecting others who are being framed, or suspected of crimes, etc. So, basically, it's pitting brother against brother, hero against hero...

Given how often I end up writing small-town cop-heroes, it's gratifying to read someone else's take on it. 

In some ways, this series reminds me of Josh Lanyon's Secret's and Scrabble series. 

Trick of Light

Jennifer Bernard

https://www.jenniferbernard.net/trick-of-light

Sea Smoke Island has a way of dragging the past into the light...no matter who gets burned.

Gabby Ramon barely escaped with her life the last time she set foot on Sea Smoke Island. But what self-respecting true crime podcaster could walk away from so many buried secrets, including literal pirate treasure? She’s determined to uncover the truth—even if it means clashing with the island’s most powerful—and infuriatingly handsome—man.

Barnaby Carmichael never wanted to run his family’s empire, but protecting their legacy means keeping a dangerous secret buried. When Gabby’s investigation starts hitting too close to home, he’s ready to shut her down. Until islanders begin falling mysteriously ill—and the only person who can help him clear his family’s name is the woman threatening to expose it.

As desire sparks and danger deepens, Gabby and Barnaby must decide what’s riskier—the secrets they’re uncovering or the way they’re falling for each other.

TRICK OF LIGHT is an enemies to lovers romantic suspense set on the hauntingly beautiful coast of Maine. 

Mug Shot: Christmas Camp Mug

 

Technically, this isn't my mug; it belongs to a friend of mine. And, technically, I'd only use it to drink spiced wine, eggnog or hard cider rather than anything hot--I'm sure we've discussed the heat issue with camp mugs before now. 

Still, it's very bright and cheery and just perfect for the season.  Also, it's my niece's birthday today, so Happy Birthday, Merry!

What I'm Reading: Holiday Round-up

I'm doing something different again this week. Here's my Christmas Reading Wish List. 

Jingle Spells (Emily Grimoire): A witch who hates Christmas returns to Oak Haven and teams up with a holiday-hating human to restore order in this sweet magical romance.

Emily Grimoire has no discernible website, so all I’ve got for you is an Amazon link. Mia Culpa. I have the first book in this series and am really looking forward to Christmas in Oak Haven.

The House on Hidden Lane (Jayne Ann Krentz): New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz dives into an enthralling new romantic suspense novel filled with deeply entrenched grudges, psychic dangers, and a conspiracy that threatens not only two families but also the entire paranormal community.

I haven’t read a new Krentz book in AGES! So, this is going to be a treat. Unfortunately, it looks like the release date isn’t until JANUARY? WTF?

 

Scrooged for the Holidays (Kayla Grosse): A modern "A Christmas Carol" retelling where Ice Queen Greer meets three supernatural men in a mountain town, leading to a steamy holiday romance with paranormal elements.

I LOVE this idea. And the fact that the three men are angels? Be still my heart!

 

Good Spirits (B.K. Borison): A woman finds romance with the ghost of Christmas Past while he's haunting her.

 

Okay, as mentioned above, I’m a sucker for anything based on “A Christmas Carol”. And I think I’d buy this book just for the gorgeous cover.  And speaking of which…

 

 

Lovelight Farms (B.K. Borison): A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

 

This one is a couple of years old, but I love a good madcap, Christmas-tree-farm romance and the cover is once again GORGEOUS.

I have a few new Christmas-themed books releasing this year as well! them here:

https://www.pgforte.com/only-for-the-holidays

Winterlude
A Winter Hearts Christmas Collection

Includes This Winter's Night, Winter World of Love and Winter of Our Discontent, and a sneak peek at Lightning in a Bottle.

This Winter's Night:  Dario and Ophelia Leonides are passionately in love. The only things marring their happiness are Lia's homesickness and continued inability to conceive a child. 

Dario would do anything to make Lia smile again. He's hoping to use the miraculous technology his father-in-law has pioneered, combined with the magic inherent in his native land. But calling upon the forces of Kokopeli may have unintended consequences. 

Winter World of Love: Just one short year ago, Ophelia Leonides returned to New Texacali hoping to reconcile with her husband. And, for a while, it seemed that most, if not all, her dreams were coming true. But as the holiday season approaches, Ophelia can’t help but notice that Dario has begun to brood. He says it has nothing to do with her, but trust, once lost, is hard to regain.

Dario is frustrated by his inability to give Ophelia the life he knows she deserves. Now, as old ghosts from his past draw close, and the bright future he’s promised his wife grows increasingly dim, he’s on the brink of making a last, desperate gamble--one that might destroy everything they've been hoping to achieve.

I'll Be Home for Christmas 
An Oberon Christmas Duology

Includes two novellas, If Only in My Dreams, and Spicy Nick. One holiday weekend. Two special stories. Will they both have happy endings? Well, it’s Oberon, so anything is possible.

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS: Scout is heading home for the holidays when her flight gets rerouted into Alternate Universe Oberon, where nothing is as she remembers it.

 

SPICY NICK: When his wife finally makes it home (after her unexpected adventure) Nick is ready to greet her with a little holiday spice!

We're Dreaming of a Wine Christmas

A Pour Decisions Christmas Story

The Martinelli sisters have a lot of reasons to celebrate this holiday season!

Mug Shot: Currier and Ives

 

We're still in Thanksgiving season, so here's a cup that I inherited from my grandmother. And, as you can see, there's a picture of someone riding in a horse drawn carriage. So, I choose to associate this with the song Over the River and Through the Woods. 

And, I mean, I'M the grandmother now, and technically, my grandson DOES have to travel over the river and through the woods to get to my house--even if the river and woods are in HIS development, rather than mine. 

So, yay! Thanksgiving!

Mug Shot: Pumpkinesque (?) Mug

 

Well, this is clearly an Autumn coded mug, what with the color, the vaguely pumpkin-like shape and the autumn leaf design. And, like the black cat mug from a few weeks back, the rim curves inward making it somewhat awkward to drink out of. 

Still, it's a PSL mug if ever I've seen one. And since Thanksgiving is celebrated this week, that's really what matters. 

What I'm Reading: The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer, Anne Stuart)

I've been having the WORST LUCK with books lately, either they haven't held my interest, or I didn't like them enough to finish. So I gave up and re-read something I knew I'd like. The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes is a collaboration of three authors and it's very much in the same vein as the Practical Magic or Charmed. It's fun and light-hearted and I was this-many-weeks-old when I realized that the title was a pun. Miss Fortunes = misfortunes. To make matters worse, one of the characters flat out explains it right IN THE BOOK: "we ended up the Little Miss Fortunes, and you'd have thought somebody would have seen the play on words there, wouldn't you? But no"

Yeah, no kidding. Me either. 

Anyway, it's cute, well-written, and magical, with three happy endings. Or possibly four. I'm rooting for you, Pauline!

The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes

Jennifer Crusie
Eileen Dreyer
Anne Stuart 

https://www.amazon.com/Unfortunate-Miss-Fortunes-Novel-ebook/dp/B004VMWJX4

Three magical sisters meet their true loves—in a wicked scheme to take their powers—in this sexy romantic fantasy from a trio of beloved authors.

When she was sixteen, Dee Fortune kidnapped her two younger sisters and ran from danger. Now twenty-nine, she's still trying to control her shape-shifting power, which is no easy task when Danny James shows up one Friday morning with his deadly smile and dangerous questions about the past.

Dee's sister Lizzie is determined to save her family from financial ruin by turning straw into gold; now if she could only stop turning forks into bunnies. Then Elric, a sorcerer, appears one Friday annoyed with the chaos Lizzie is creating in the universe and in his heart . . .

While Mare, the youngest Miss Fortune, towers above her sisters, her telekinetic power is dwarfed by their gifts. She spends her days at Value Video and her nights contemplating the futility of her existence. But then a gorgeous Value Video VP and Mare's long lost love turn up…and they all turn up the heat on a weekend that no Fortune will soon forget!

Mug Shot: Owl Mug

 

I guess we're on a tangent this month. Owls are also on my could-be-a-spirit-animal list. I've loved them forever, too. 

I love this mug for many reasons. First of all, it's bigger than it looks in the picture, which means it holds a lot of coffee without feeling massive. Also, the Taupe and Teal color combo has always been a favorite. The spirals look like something I might have put on a mug during my high school ceramics phase. Actually, the owl looks like something I might have drawn in high school, as well. 

I bought this used and have NO idea when it was made, but everything about it, including the shape, screams '70s to me...which is when I actually was in high school, so it all tracks. I feel like I imagined this mug into being. 

Not for nothing, but my husband also likes this mug. I know, surprised me, too.