JOY TO THE GIRLS...... CUTE COLLEGE SWEETHEARTS CUDDLE IN A HALLMARK-Y CHRISTMAS TOWN.....(****).

 Joy to the Girls by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick (2025)

     A novella-sized hot chocolate candy cane mistletoe treat for all readers who loved the two authors' queer college freshmen romcom "She Gets the Girl."

     It's been three years since the unlikely but loving duo of Alex and Molly met in college, each of finding each other as soulmates, despite all their differences and personal problems. Now seniors on their Christmas break, they've been invited to spend the week leading up to the holiday at the most Christmas-y town small town imaginable.......it's like a Hallmark Christmas movie town times infinity.

     And the fictitious (but impossible not to adore) Barnwich, Pa. becomes a perfect setting for two of the most familiar holiday romance tropes......matchmaking two shy friends who are obviously head over heels for each other and our own lead lovebirds simultaneously withholding vital life changing information from each other.

     But you needn't worry that anything will impede the non-stop holiday cheer on display as well as Alex and Molly's own ultra powerful and very sweet chemistry together. Brief but always heartfelt, "Joy to the Girls jingles all way to a snow globe conclusion. Great book to stretch out with after wrapping presents, sipping eggnog and singing all those familiar songs playing non stop on the radio.

     4 stars (****).

A KILLER WEDDING......EVEN A CORPSE CAN'T SLOW DOWN THESE BORGIA-LIKE NUPTIALS.....(****)

 A Killer Wedding by Joan O'Leary (2025)

     Nothing could be more satisfying than an Irish Castle destination wedding top-loaded with a family of super rich reptiles, all of them brimming with nasty secrets. And the icing on the wedding cake - one of them ends up pushing up daisies ( or in this case, shamrocks) before the champagne's barely lost its fizz.

     The guests, soon to be suspects, gather at this ancient venue, dripping with atmosphere, history and secret passages for person (or persons) unknown to sneak around doing who-knows-what. The outside's dripping too, what with the unmerciful Irish weather pounding the castle walls with constant storms.

     The stellar assembled crowd consists of A-List celebs and their hosts, the fabled and fabulously wealthy Riptons, a family dynasty controlling a cosmetics empire. So basically they're the Borgias of lip gloss and lotions, gathered for the nuptials of one of their younger beloved scions. Thrown among them, like Alice in a viper-filled Wonderland, is young, ambitious fashion journalist and senior editor Christine Russo. Though a mixture of sheer determination and a bit of luck,, she's snagged the prime assignment of covering this highly anticipated Ripton wedding for 'Bespoke Weddings magazine.

     Christine's dream job turns nightmarish and dangerous once a murder's revealed, leaving her to face an entire family of potential killers, not to mention whoever's lurking in the secret passageways. As storms rage outside (and dark deeds revealed inside), who can she trust amid this Mad Tea Party of duplicitous and potentially lethal upper-crusters?

     Intrigued enough? I sure was and the juicy, witty, gossip-y twists and turns provide plenty of homicidal fun you could easily use to fill up five or more installments of 'Knives Out'. It's a tribute to the amount of sheer, page turning entertainment that author Jill O' Leary serves up that "A Killer Wedding' left me wishing there were just a few more extra chapters.

     A lively humorous delight from start to finish. Best reading experience,: wait for the traditional dark stormy night, with the wind whipping against the windows and the lights liable to blink out at any moment.....

      4 stars (****).

A TOUR TO DIE FOR.....AND IF YOU LOOK OVER TO YOUR LEFT......A DEAD BODY.....(****)

 A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard (2025)

     Happy to see San Francisco tour guide Capri Sanzio back in action once again, taking tourists on unique, visits to the sites of her beloved city's most notorious, grisly killings. Even though (in the previous book in the series), Capri solved the murders attributed to her late grandfather (wrongly dubbed 'Overkill Bill') she's still fielding questions about those crimes by her curious, sometimes obsessed clientele.

     And speaking of obsessed, one of the women on her tour claims to have seen a girl being strangled in a nearby apartment. Police find nothing and nobody in the apartment, but Capri's investigative instincts kick in, as well as her compulsion to help anyone in distress. Sure enough, it isn't long before a body turns up and Capri's fully on her amateur yet relentless hunt for uncovering the 'who' and 'why' of the the murder.

     But also on the professional police hunt is Detective Petito, the homicide cop who'd found himself aggravated and confounded by Capri during her previous adventure.......and also found himself, despite his rising temper at her fearless sleuthing, falling for her. And as Capri and Petito separately work the case, each in their own ways, the romantic sparks and chemistry between them are rapidly heating up.......

     Author Michelle Chouinard's deep love for San Francisco and all its lore makes this series a special treat to read. The city becomes a major character all by itself here and the book's peppered with fascinating bonus chapters on the town's most iconic locations .- The Mission District, the Tenderloin, Golden Gate Park and more. Even Capri's current murder case leads directly back to the city's wild and wooly days of the California Gold Rush and 19th century ships found still buried under the streets.

     As in the the first book, there's an absolute corker of a climactic showdown and more than few laugh out loud moments as the the rambunctious budding romance between Capri and Detective Petito gets underway.. Readers can enjoy 'A Tour to Die For' as a stand alone, but chances are, they'll then want to catch up on Capri's first case right away. Highly recommended for mystery lovers, with an overflow of possible suspects and red herrings to make your way through.

     4 stars (****).

NO REST FOR THE WICKED.....A PATHOLOGIST'S HALLOWEEN-ISH HOMETOWN MAKES HER HOMECOMING TURN LETHAL.....(*****)

 No Rest For The Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams (2025)

     Now here's a tasty chilling Halloween treat to drop into your trick-or-treat bag.....chock full of creepy atmosphere, deep dark family secrets and a Halloween destination town to die for.....(in which more than few people have already done so.....with more to come....)

     Pathologist Delores Hawthorne has been summoned by the FBI to return to her not-too-beloved hometown Little Horton, that Happy Halloween Wisconsin spook spot I just spoke of. Her father, a much revered town Patriarch, former mayor and U. S. Senator has disappeared in what looks like a brutal home invasion/kidnapping.. Delores herself fled the town years ago following a terrible, traumatic incident forever haunting her adolescence and adult life. And what an untimely time to come back to the family mansion........with the you-know-what holiday only days away......

     It's no apple-bobbing joy for Delores re-connecting with her imperious stepmother Charlotte, her estranged half=brother Asher and Josie, her teenage half sister she's meeting for the first time. Bad memories float through the air thicker than decorations for the upcoming big night in Little Horton.....with tourists flooding the town as if were Salem, Mass. (only with more cheese products.)

     To add to the already gruesome dark proceedings - a very real serial killer has come to town with any number of people on his Halloween to-do list, and it's beginning to appear related to the awful events in Delores Hawthorne's tortured past.

     I gobbled this book up faster than a jumbo bowl of candy corn.......it's a one book Halloween party all by itself - scares, twists, gore, suspense, even humor and wit when needed. And most surprising of all, a finale filled with genuine bittersweet heart-tugging. that might even moisten some readers' eyes.

     For anyone wanting to get themselves into a seasonal spooky mood (or a perfect read for any chilly night of the year) 'No Rest For The Wicked' provides one-stop shopping. Remember to keep more than your reading light on.

      5 stars (*****).

A MURDEROUS BUSINESS...... TWO WOMEN, SOLVE A MYSTERY AS THEY DEFY THE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY PATRIARCHY......(***)..

A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau (2025) 

     While I found the mystery part of this book only moderately interesting, its evocation of 1912 New York City and Yonkers provides a skillful snapshot of that long ago era........ both its antique charms and the challenging lives led by its second class citizens.....and by that I mean women.

     Two such women are Margot Baxter Harriman and Loretta 'Rett' Mancini, each fiercely independent take-charge people in a world where they're patronized and underestimated by the traditional ruling Patriarchy. Margot, the owner-CEO of her late father's company, has discovered a secret illegal conspiracy within her business. To ferret out the perpetrators, she hires Rett, a ready-for-anything girl who's more or less taken over her father's Private Investigation agency. .

     In addition to the society norms these unique women are already breaking, each of them separately engaging in queer romances has violated their era's most forbidden of taboos. Together, they make a formidable team of detectives, up against villains who aren't afraid to resort to murder to achieve their ends. But then Rett isn't afraid to bring along her brass knuckles and even a lock-picking expert when required.

     As much as I enjoyed the vivid characterization of the two leads and the telling portrait of their life and times, the plot itself doesn't contain much forward momentum and never picks up any real urgency. If Margot and Rett's adventures are to continue on in additional books, the series could use some immediate infusions of excitement and humor. Otherwise, if things don't liven up a little more for this dynamic duo, I'm not sure I'd check in on them again. A 2 & 1/2 star read which, for those cozy 1912 depictions, I'll round up to a 3.   (***).

ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS....A BEST SELLING NOVELIST'S DARK PAST STALKS HER ON A BOOK TOUR.....(*****)

All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan (2025) 

     This is the kind of thriller that's a treasure to find......a book that takes hold of you, fills you with a a sense of perpetual anxiety and dread and forces you put off everything you're doing to finish it.

     And if that isn't enough for readers, it fully plunges you into a bestselling author's frenetic world of agents, editors, publicists, devoted fans and a cross country tour of bookstores. Not just any author but one with a dark, haunting past and and now some person (or persons) who've crawled out from that past with sinister intent.

     Tessa Calloway's book rocketed to unheard of success and adoration with its inspirational story of a woman, (much like Tessa) who seized the day and took full control of her life. What her millions of fervent readers and her publishing team don't know.....the tragic terrible incidents from her childhood, one of which left her vilified in public and emotionally scarred for life. But out of her pain, she crafted her novel and lead character who've captured the world's imagination.

     Then author Hank Phillippi Ryan begins to slowly but surely turn the screws on Tessa. In the midst of her exhausting publicity tour of bookstores, someone's methodically stalking her in a variety of escalating methods.....cryptic notes, mysterious packages and elusive, disturbing appearances at her book signings. And Tessa's face-time calls to her doting husband and two children only serve to worsen her growing fears. Who exactly are these two new women neighbors who've suddenly become an intrusive part of her family's life?

     The mounting suspense and feeling of unease reach near unbearable levels here, which can bring a reader to the point of doing nothing else but stay glued to a chair to keep turning those pages. And the added bonus comes from author Ryan's knowing takes on writers and writing, on the power of creating stories that resonate with authors and their readers.

     For everyone who can't get enough thrillers that expertly work on your nerves, jump this one to the top of your list.  5 stars (*****)

A GUIDE TO FALLING OFF THE MAP......A DOWN UNDER ROAD TRIP STRIKES SPARKS FOR TWO LOVING FRIENDS SINCE CHILDHOOD (****)

 A Guide To Falling Off The Map by Zanni L. Arnot (2025)

      Heartbreaking thunder from Down Under? Two hurting souls, friends since childhood, finally realizing they're in love? And on top of all that, a rollicking (sometimes poignant) road trip though scenic Australia?

     You had me at all of the above. I couldn't wait to sign on. And this book didn't disappoint in delivering two lead characters you can't help but worry about and care for.

     Vinnie's a born theater girl, rocked by the suicide death of her performing arts loving mother. Big dreams possess her - Julliard, a life in NYC, Broadway stardom, and for the very right now, being picked as her school's Drama Captain. Her lifelong friend Roo dropped out of school to help support his mom and hopefully make something of his gifted eye for artistic photography.

     But life and cruel fate have conspired to turn their lives and dreams upside down. Vinnie feels hurt and betrayed by her best theater pal Lilah, utterly demolishing their dreams of sharing starry acting careers together. Even worse, Vinnie's struggling with the early debilitating symptoms of MS, the disease that led to her mom's suicide.

     Roo's dreams of a photography career flew off the rails too, as he's been bouncing from (and losing) one dead end, low paying job after another. But one thing remains constant for him and Vinnie - their fierce, unending devotion to a loving friendship forged in childhood.

     Can anything heal and redeem these two broken extraordinary young friends. What else but......(let's shout it all together).....Road Trip!)

     And off they do go, in a sputtering old Kombi van once belonging to Vinnie's mom. Planning success and fame for Roo, Vinnie encourages him to take enough memorable photos for her to arrange in a public exhibition. That he does, but Roo becomes well aware of Vinnie's escalating physical deterioration while they both cope with the reality that what they feel for each other is far more than friendship.

     As the book keeps you glued to it, all you'll want to do is either hug the two lead characters or just push them into each other to they can they finally comprehend what we've known all along. But then again, if we did that too early, we'd miss out on seeing them take that postcard-worthy tour of Australia (and saving us airfare and hotel money)

     For everyone who favors a heart tugging visit to "love-dawns-on-best-friends' territory, here's your next stop.

     4 stars (****).

RULES FOR FAKE GIRLFRIENDS......AN AMERICAN STUDENT IN BRITAIN FINDS UNLIKELY LOVE AND A HEARTFELT SCAVENGER HUNT.

 Rules For Fake Girlfriends by Raegan Revord (2025)

     First let me say that for a debut YA novel from a very young author, this is a remarkably accomplished, ambitious first effort.

     In terms of contemporary romance, it's obvious that author Raegan Revord loves and cherishes all the tropes that have been seemingly carved in stone over the years. (You can tell from the chapter headings that announce these many expected, familiar plot turns that by now readers (and filmgoers) know by heart.)

     Much to her widowed dad's worry and disappointment, college freshman Avery puts off her enrollment in Columbia to spend a year at a British seaside college attended by her late beloved mother. Her primary reason - to follow the scavenger hunt clues her mother left for her scattered all around the campus and surrounding countryside. Not even off the train yet, she's managed to fall into a queer fake-dating relationship with live-wire, vivacious Charlie, who's trying to make her own recently ex-girlfriend jealous.

     Avery collects a small coterie of friends, but the fake dating (as we all knew it would) turns into something much more and collides with sudden emotional complications that upends the young freshman's life choices.

     A lot's going on in this book for a fledgling author to take on at one time and author Revord does fall into the inevitable pitfalls of overwriting and repetitious prose. The scavenger hunt, no doubt meant to provide heartfelt moments along the way, struck me as vague, far fetched and not well thought out. And toward the final third, it mostly falls to the wayside when far more pressing issues take hold of Avery (such as her up-and-down Charlie romance, her estrangement from her longtime best friend and worries about her father's now solitary life.).

     But I cannot fault the book's passion, enthusiasm and empathy for all its characters and I think other readers will too, even if the tropes are so familiar to one and all. Once started, I simply had to follow Avery's story to its conclusion, so that makes her creator, Raegan Revord an author to watch out for.

      3 stars (***).