The Romantic Fiction Shelf

Adam's Emporium
Sarah Swatridge
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444851168, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 264pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adams-emporium-sarah-swatridge/1143546941

Synopsis: Ester Sharp once dreamed of becoming a doctor or dressmaker. But = then her husband spent her small fortune and died young, leaving her pennil= ess and pregnant. Now she lives in the slums, providing for her beloved dau= ghter Polly by taking in mending and running errands. One such task is visi= ting Adam Boniface, the handsome pawnbroker, on behalf of her poor but prou=
d neighbors. The two enjoy each other's company, and a warm relationship of=
mutual respect develops. But then a valuable gift gone missing sees Ester = arrested on suspicion of theft!

Critique: An original and impressively well crafted novel that will have a = special resonance with readers interested in true romance stories where the=
re are seemingly insurmountable odds against a happy ending, this large pri=
nt paperback edition "Adam's Emporium" by novelist Sarah Swatridge from the=
Linford Romance Library series is especially recommended for personal read= ing lists and community library Romance Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: The stories by Sarah Swatridge (https://sarahswatridge.co.u=
k) have a romantic element, but she's also had stories published which deal=
with coming to terms with a miscarriage, depression, bullying in the workp= lace, adult literacy. As a novelist, she aims to pull at her reader's emoti= ons, ideally to make them laugh and cry -- but leaving them feeling good at=
the end.

Flirting with Fire Mass
Jane Porter
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593438428, $8.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Flirting-Fire-Jane-Porter/dp/0593438426

Synopsis: Forty-nine-year-old Margot Hughes has lived and breathed theater = for the past twenty-five years. After a devastating breakup with her playwr= ight fiance, she now wants nothing to do with the industry. She has sworn o=
ff New York, theater, actors -- all of it.

She returns to her hometown on California's central coast and takes a job i=
n real estate, where she manages significant investment properties. But Mar= got is suddenly thrown back into the theater world when Sally, her friend a=
nd boss, who had been restoring and funding Cambria's historic theater, has=
a heart attack. Before she knows it, Margot is tapped to take over the tro= ubled summer production of Barefoot in the Park.

But the play is no walk in the park because the leads and director have all=
quit, and Margot struggles to find new actors -- until Max Russo arrives.

Forty-five-year-old Max is a former soap opera star turned rugged cowboy on=
TV's most popular western series. Max has a huge following and is the perf= ect hero to step up and save the play, provided Margot stars opposite him.

Although adamant she would never return to theater, Margot enjoys the long = hours of rehearsal with a professional like Max, who is charming, witty, an=
d passionate. But when the curtains close, can Margot allow herself to fall=
for Max when he represents everything she left behind?

Critique: Another gem of a women's friendship and contemporary romance nove=
l by a master of the genre, "Flirting With Fire" by Jane Porter is a fun re=
ad from cover to cover and especially recommended for the personal reading = lists of her legions of dedicated fans. While also available in a digital b= ook format (Kindle, $8.99), "Flirting With Fire" is an especially recommend=
ed pick for community library Contemporary Romance collections.

Editorial Note: Jane Porter (www.janeporter.com) is the author of more than=
75 romance and women's fiction titles. She has been a finalist for the pre= stigious RITA award six times, with her Tule Publishing novella, Take Me, C= owboy, winning the Novella Category July 2014. Today, Jane has over 15 mill= ion copies in print, including her wildly popular Flirting with Forty, a no= vel picked by Redbook Magazine as it's Red Hot Summer Read in 2006 before b= eing turned into a Lifetime movie in 2008 starring Heather Locklear. In 202=
1 two of Jane's Taming of the Sheenan romances were turned into original mo= vies for the Great American Family Network. Jane holds an MA in Writing fro=
m the University of San Francisco.

Must Love Flowers
Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
Random House Audio Books
9780593600559, $28.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Flowers-Debbie-Macomber/dp/059360055X

Synopsis: Joan Sample is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and =
an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse=
.. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen=
to her sister, who has been begging Joan to re-engage with the world. With=
Emmie's support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps:=
hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group=
, and even renting out a room to a local college student. Before long Joan =
is starting to feel a little like herself again.

Across town, Maggie Herbert works mornings as a barista, tending to impatie=
nt customers before rushing to afternoon nursing classes. She lives with he=
r alcoholic father, ducking his temperamental outbursts and struggling to p=
ay the household bills. But her circumstances brighten when she finds a roo=
m for rent in Joan's home. In the unexpected warmth of her new situation, M= aggie finds a glimmer of hope for a better life. But will Maggie's budding = attraction to one of her favorite customers ruin the harmony she's only rec= ently found with Joan?

Meanwhile, what is Joan to make of the mysterious landscaper who's been rev= italizing her garden -- a man who seems to harbor a past loss of his own?

As Maggie and Joan confront difficult life choices, they draw strength from=
this new friendship in surprising ways -- discovering in the process that = "found family" is often the very best kind.

Critique: As a novelist, Debbie Macomber has a genuine flair for the kind o=
f narrative driven storytelling style that has made her one of the most pop= ular authors working today. "Must Love Flowers" is her newest work and a 'm= ust' for the growing legions of her fans. While unreservedly recommended fo=
r community library Contemporary Romance and Women's Domestic Life collecti= ons, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Must Love Flowers"=
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians sh= ould also be aware that "Must Love Flowers" is also available for their col= lections in a large print paperback edition (Random House Large Print (9780= 593743744, $30.00, 400pp) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Rand=
om House Audio, 9780593740071, $40.00, CD).

There's No Coming Back from This
Ann Garvin
Lake Union Publishing https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781542033596, $16.99, PB, 303pp

https://www.amazon.com/Theres-No-Coming-Back-This/dp/1542033594

Synopsis: It seems lately that Poppy Lively is invisible to everyone but th=
e IRS.

After her accountant absconded with her life savings, newly bankrupt Poppy =
is on the verge of losing her home when an old flame, now a hotshot produce=
r, gives her a surprising way out: a job in costumes on a Hollywood film se=
t.

It's a bold move to pack her bags, keep secrets from her daughter, and head=
to Los Angeles, but Poppy's a capable person -- and how hard can a job in = wardrobe be? It's not like she has a choice; her life couldn't get any wors=
e. Even so, this midwesterner has a lot to learn about the fast and loose w= orld of movie stars, iconic costumes, and back-lot intrigue.

As a single mom, she's rarely had time for watching movies, she doesn't sew=
, and she doesn't know a thing about dressing the biggest names in the busi= ness. Floundering and overlooked, Poppy has one ally: Allen Carol, an ill-t= empered movie star taken with Poppy's unfiltered candor and general indiffe= rence to stardom.

When Poppy stumbles upon corruption, she relies on everyone underestimating=
her to discover who's at the center of it, a revelation that shakes her be= lief in humanity. What she thought was a way to secure a future for her dau= ghter becomes a spotlight illuminating the facts: Poppy is out of her leagu=
e among the divas of Tinseltown.

Poppy must decide whether to keep her mouth shut, as she's always done, or = with the help of a scruffy dog, show the moviemakers that they need her ung= lamorous ways, whether the superstars like it or not.

Critique: As a novelist, author Ann Garvin has an impressive and genuine fl= air for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that will keep read= ers with an interest in romantic comedy simply riveting from first page to = last. A fun read and the stuff of which Hallmark movies are made, "There's =
No Coming Back from This" is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended pi=
ck for community library collections. It should be noted that "There's No C= oming Back from This" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $= 4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 978171= 3616313, $19.99, MP3-CD)

Editorial Note: Ann Garvin (www.anngarvin.net) is the author of five funny = and sad novels about people who do too much, in a world that asks too much = from them. Ann teaches in the low-residency master of fine arts program at = Drexel University. She is also the founder of the Tall Poppy Writers and is=
dedicated to helping authors find readers and vice versa.

Summer in the Spotlight
Liz Johnson
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800744625, $29.99, HC, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Spotlight-Prince-Edward-Island/dp/0800744624

Synopsis: Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Ed= ward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys=
the building, it's not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future =
as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the faci= lities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise mone=
y to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anythin=
g, and Kelsey is sure there's more to the quiet man than meets the eye.

For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can't seem to find = the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover t=
he aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show,=
Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up -- or lose the heart of t=
he woman he longs for.

Critique: The final book in the 'Prince Edward Island Shores' series by Liz=
Johnson, "Summer in the Spotlight" will have a very special appeal to read= ers with an interest in wholesome contemporary Christian romance novels. Th=
e stuff of which Hallmark movies are made, "Summer in the Spotlight" is an = extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Conte= mporary Romance collections. It should be noted for the personal reading li= sts of Liz Johnson fans that "Summer in the Spotlight" is also readily avai= lable in a paperback edition (9780800737399, $16.99) and in a digital book = format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Liz Johnson (www.lizjohnsonbooks.com) is the author of more=
than a dozen novels, including Beyond the Tides and The Last Way Home, as = well as the Georgia Coast Romance and Prince Edward Island Dreams series.

Kiss the Girl
Zoraida Cordova
Hyperion Avenue
c/o Disney Books
https://books.disney.com
9781368053365, $15.99, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Girl-Meant-Zoraida-C%C3%B3rdova/dp/136805336X

Synopsis: Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She=
and her sisters (together, known as the band Siren Seven) have been a pop = culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red w=
ig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines=
.. Anyone would think she's the girl who has everything.

But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour,=
and Ariel can't wait to spend the summer just living a normal life -- part=
of a world she's only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head=
of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career imme= diately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show.

The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan pentho= use for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It's there = that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-c= oming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on=
the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobey=
s her father -- and goes with him.

Caught between the world she longs for and the one she's left behind, can A= riel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

Critique: Deftly blending elements of comedy, coming of age, and romance, a= uthor Zoralda Cordova once again demonstrates her natural flair for origina= lity and the kind of narrative driven storytelling skills that keep her rea= ders fascinated and engaged from first page to last. A thoroughly fun, whol= esome, memorable, and uplifting read, "Kiss the Girl" is an especially and = unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community libr= ary collections. It should be noted that "Kiss the Girl" is also readily av= ailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Zoraida Cordova (www.ZoraidaCordova.com) is the author of m= ore than two dozen novels and short stories, including the Brooklyn Brujas = series, Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence, and The Inheritance of O= rquidea Divina. In addition to writing novels, she serves on the board of W=
e Need Diverse Books, and is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vam= pires Never Get Old, as well as the co-host of the writing podcast, Deadlin=
e City. She writes romance novels as Zoey Castile.

Finding Us
Tracie Peterson
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764237423, $29.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Pictures-Heart-Tracie-Peterson/dp/076423742X

Synopsis: While taking photographs at an exposition in Seattle in 1909, Cam= era Girl Eleanor Bennett snaps an image of a woman in widow's clothes with = deep sorrow etched in her expression and a young infant in her arms.

Eleanor longs to study botany at the University of Washington and soon beco= mes fast friends with botanist Bill Reed, but she can't stop thinking about=
the widow in the photograph. She is stunned to learn Bill recognizes the w= oman as the sister-in-law he believed lost in a shipwreck.

As Eleanor and Bill hunt for Amelia Reed to reunite her with her grief-stri= cken husband, they must stand together to face the danger that follows and = learn to trust that God will direct their paths.

Critique: Of particular interest to readers with an affinity for American H= istorical Romance novels from a Christian perspective, "Finding Us" showcas=
es author Tracie Peterson's impressive and narrative driven storytelling sk= ills. Original, entertaining, and with a good many unexpected plot twists a=
nd turns, "Finding Us" is a highly recommended pick for personal reading li= sts and community library Romance collections. It should be noted that "Fin= ding Us" from Bethany House Publishers is also available in a paperback edi= tion (9780764237416, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the author of m= ore than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary. She has won the ACFW=
Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award=
.. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series.

The Roommate Pact
Allison Ashley
Mira Books
www.mirabooks.com
c/o HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780778334248 $18.99 pbk / $10.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Roommate-Pact-Novel-Allison-Ashley/dp/0778334244

Synopsis: The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her room= mate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they're forty,=
they'll take the proverbial plunge together -- as friends with benefits.

Maybe it's the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-e= nough deal, considering she hasn't had much luck in love and he's in no rus=
h to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there's no way she could ever real=
ly fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to = her father.

Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham's = injured in a serious rock climbing accident -- and he needs Claire's help t=
o heal. She'll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health -- even if =
it means moving in to Graham's bed and putting up with his little dog, who = hates her.

But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping "fo=
r now" from turning into "forever" isn't as easy as they'd planned!

Critique: The stuff of which Hallmark Movie Channel romance comedy/dramas a=
re made, "The Roommate Pact" by novelist Allison Ashley is a fun and funny = read from cover to cover. While a choice and original contribution to commu= nity library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted f=
or personal reading lists that "The Roommate Pact" is also readily availabl=
e in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete and unabridge=
d audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212657846, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Allison Ashley (https://authorallisonashley.wordpress.com) =
is a music-loving, coffee-drinking mom of two who loves love stories. She i=
s also an oncology pharmacist and spends her days focused on helping patien=
ts through one of the hardest things life can throw at them. Her escape has=
always been books (specifically books about happiness, love, and laughter)=
and it was inevitable that she'd eventually write her own. She promises to=
always write stories with deep romance, intense connection, and humor -- b=
ut most of all, that coveted happy ever after!

Letters of Comfort
Wanda & Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636094878, $16.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Comfort-Friendship-2/dp/1636094872

Synopsis: Doretta Schwartz used to be so happy and passed her positive atti= tude along to friends in several letters she wrote each month. But that all=
changed the day she learned of her fiance's death and a heavy weight of de= pression fell upon her. Feeling empty, she puts away her letter writing and=
won't even respond to calls from friends.

William's twin brother, Warren, is also grieving his loss, while at the sam=
e time, trying to be supportive to his parents and Doretta. Doretta respond=
s to Warren's friendship, but is he just becoming a replacement for the onc= e-in-a-lifetime love she lost?

Critique: "Letters of Comfort" is the second book in author Wanda Brunstett= er's outstanding new series 'The Friendship Letters'. This latest of her de= ftly crafted and fully entertaining Amish wholesome romance novels "Letters=
of Comfort" is very highly recommended and of particular interest for Amis=
h & Mennonite fiction enthusiasts. It should be noted for the growing legio=
ns of Wanda E. Brunstetter fans that "Letters of Comfort" fans that "Letter=
s of Comfort" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, $9.99). Librarians should note that there is also a large=
print edition of "Letters of Comfort" (Thorndike Press Large Print, 979888= 5792530, $35.99, Library Binding).

Editorial Note: Wanda Brunstetter (www.WandaBrunstetter.com) is an award-wi= nning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart =
in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 mi= llion copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller list=
s, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, = and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre=
, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Ma= gazine and USA Today.

And Then There Was You
Nancy Naigle
Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress
9781250794178, $18.00, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Was-You-Chestnut/dp/125079417X

Synopsis: Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed=
away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely=
with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhe= re.

Detective Randy Fellowes can't promise Natalie restitution, but he's determ= ined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he's ca= ught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the cas=
e.

Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns -- an old fishing=
cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with t=
he town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the are=
a and its heritage.

Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she redi= scovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again.

Critique: A deftly crafted contemporary romance novel that will have a spec= ial appeal to fans of the 'happy ever after' style of clean and wholesome r= omance stories, "And Then There Was You" launches novelist Nancy Naigle's n=
ew 'Chestnut Ridge' romance series. The kind of story that Hallmark Channel=
movies are made (literally!), "And Then There Was You" is a particularly r= ecommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Contempora=
ry Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted that "And Then There Was=
You" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Nancy Naigle (https://nancynaigle.allauthor.com) writes sma= ll-town love stories with a whole lot of heart. Several of her published no= vels have been made into Hallmark movies, and most recently The Shell Colle= ctor was adapted as the first Fox original movie to stream on Fox Nation.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8.4 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)