January Mini Reviews

Mary Mini Review

I managed to kick off my reading year with some good books. Please click on the covers to learn more about the books.

My Husband’s Wife is an atmospheric and twisty book. A woman goes out for a run and when she returns home her key won’t unlock the front door. And then she discovers another woman is living her life. This story is hard to describe and impossible to do it without spoiling so just go in blind. I suggest keeping a list of the characters to help keep hold of the plot. I thought Bel Powley; Henry Rowley and Richard Armitage did a great job with the narration. I enjoyed the use of sound effects too. If you’re looking for a one or two day read this could be it. Recommended. 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for early access to the audiobook..

My first book of 2026. Beautiful writing, lovely narration. One of the more enjoyable novels I’ve read in a while. Highly recommended. 5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for the giveaway win of an ARC.
I loved the first book in what I hope will be a series. The second book, Wildwood, is a very good follow up to Northwoods. I love the main law enforcement characters: the local sheriff, officer and FBI agent from Chicago tasked with assisting the small (understaffed, really), rural department trying to solve a drug crime that grows larger than anyone knew or suspected. I have thoughts on how I’d love to see this series progress and will be delighted if it continues.
4.5 stars rounded up.

An imagined epistolary novel about correspondence between Emily Dickinson and Louisa May Alcott. Observations of family dynamics and social mores of the day are at the forefront. I found it to be a good read in between a contemporary romance and a thriller. For fans of the epistolary format and a quick read. I liked it. 3 stars

Remember That Day

Mary Berkley, Historical Romance, Mary Balogh

Description:

A soldier and a pacifist make the unlikeliest of pairs, but when attraction sparks, there’s nothing that can prevent their love from igniting.

Winifred Cunningham, the adopted daughter of a portrait painter, hopes that her new close friend, Owen Ware, will soon ask for her hand in marriage. But when Owen introduces Winifred to his elder brother Nicholas, the late Earl of Stratton’s second son, the slow burn of attraction between them begins.

Nicholas is a cavalry colonel—a hardened soldier whom Winifred at first despises. She finds him intimidating and cruel-looking, while he finds her strange and startlingly forthright. During a summer at Ravenswood, however, Nicholas and Winifred are unwillingly thrown together on several occasions, until they realize the passion that drives their disagreements is not due to dislike—it is because of attraction.

Winifred still awaits Owen’s proposal, and Nicholas has made his intention to marry his commanding officer’s daughter quite clear. With allegiances to other marriage prospects and brotherly bonds at risk, not to mention the age difference between them, Nicholas and Winifred know it would be wholly improper to pursue a romance…

And yet, romance is irresistible. Perhaps even inevitable. (publisher)

My take:  

Remember That Day is the joyful story of a Cunningham daughter and a Ware son. I enjoyed both characters and cheered for them along the way. Loads of characters make appearances from previous books in the Ware and Westcott books. Although I thought the pace was a bit slow from the start it really picked up in the second half. I’m a fan of Mary Balogh so I didn’t mind the detailed description (at times). I loved the family dynamics and the annual Summer Fete that has been described before. A lovely sense of community is felt throughout. An enjoyable novel with a little foreshadowing of possible future books? Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC.

 

Spotlight: Remember That Day

Mary Berkley, Blog Tour, Mary Balogh, Spotlight

New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns with REMEMBER THAT DAY (Berkley Hardcover; on sale January 6, 2026), the sweeping and deeply romantic fifth installment in her beloved Ravenswood series. With more than 23 million copies of her books in print and over twenty-five major romance awards, Balogh once again delivers a lush historical love story full of emotional intensity, irresistible tension, and impeccably drawn Regency detail.

About the Book:
A soldier and a pacifist make the unlikeliest of pairs, but when passion sparks, there’s nothing that can prevent their love from igniting. Winifred Cunningham, the adopted daughter of a portrait painter, hopes that her new close friend, Owen Ware, will soon ask for her hand in marriage. But when Owen introduces Winifred to his elder brother Nicholas, the late Earl of Stratton’s second son, the slow burn between them begins.
Nicholas is a cavalry colonel—a hardened soldier whom Winifred at first despises. She finds him intimidating and cruel-looking, while he finds her strange and startlingly forthright. During a summer at Ravenswood, however, Nicholas and Winifred are unwillingly thrown together on several occasions, until they realize the passion that drives their disagreements is not due to dislike—it is because of attraction.
Winifred still awaits Owen’s proposal, and Nicholas has made his intention to marry his commanding officer’s daughter quite clear. With allegiances to other marriage prospects and brotherly bonds at risk, not to mention the age difference between them, Nicholas and Winifred know it would be wholly improper to pursue a romance…
And yet, romance is irresistible. Perhaps even inevitable.
* * *
About the Author:
Mary Balogh grew up in Wales and now lives with her husband, Robert, in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series.

December Mini Reviews

Mary Mini Review

It’s a couple of weeks before Christmas and the town of Mistletoe, ME is in the midst of its annual holiday celebration. Holly White and her husband Sheriff Evan Gray have received news and Holly promises him she’ll take it easy during the festivities this year. Cue what has become the annual murder and all bets could be off. Is it possible Holly has a stalker? Or, at the very least, someone who doesn’t want her poking her nose where it doesn’t belong.
This series has become a regular Christmas cozy read for me and the newest story didn’t disappoint. Recommended to fans of the series and a Christmas cozy mystery filled with quirky characters. 4 stars

Setting: 1950s England, Sandringham House, Buckingham Palace.  MCs: Jack, an American chef with dreams of owning a restaurant; Olive: a single mother trying to move up the BBC ladder; Queen Elizabeth is also featured. A decent story but also included my least favorite trope (no spoiler). The audiobook narration was great. 3.5 stars

Cute mystery. Fun audio. I hope there will be another book featuring Maggie and Ethan. 4 stars

Assassins look to escape the kill clause in their employment agreement. Enjoyable narration that kept me listening in full. My first experience with a Lisa Unger book. A short story that had me thinking I’d give one of her full length novels a try. 3.75 stars

November Mini Reviews

Mary Mini Review

Excellent mystery that answers questions about Lila Nash (featured in previous Joe Talbert books). Lila has landed her dream job working as a prosecutor in the Hennepin County Attorney office and a series of murders (cold cases and current) is her prime focus. This was a page turner. I recommend reading the series to see the MCs develop but The Stolen Hours can stand alone. I hope to read more about the legal and detective teams in future books.  5 stars

Deputy Taylor Gray discovers a little girl, seemingly abandoned, in the small town of Hart’s Ridge. A search for the girl’s parents eventually leads to a larger crime. Taylor’s chief brings in a detective to lead the case which doesn’t sit well with Taylor. She has to deal with the politics of the small department and prove herself capable. That will take time. Hart’s Ridge is the first in the series and I look forward to reading more. Also, I loved the adopted dog storyline that I hope will carry on through the series.  4 stars

The Forget-Me-Not Library

Mary Heather Webber, Macmillan Audio, Magical Realism, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press

Description:

Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for.

Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books—and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way.

When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again. (publisher)

My take:

I’ve been a fan of Heather Webber’s magical stories for a while and her latest novel could be my favorite. The Forget-Me-Not Library is set in a charming Alabama town where some people accidentally find themselves. A car breaks down emitting smoke of a color that has definite meaning – maybe not to the driver but the townsfolk know. Filled with enjoyable secondary characters the story went straight to my heart. It’s about finding family and learning from the wisdom of those who know. I loved it all.

I was lucky to get the NetGalley audio galley in addition to the digital arc. It was voiced perfectly by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis. There are two POVs. Sometimes I don’t enjoy this format but I’ve found it really works in a Heather Webber book. I didn’t want to stop listening.

Highly recommended to readers who enjoy light magical realism.

 

October Mini Reviews

Mary Mini Review

I read/listened to this whodunit. The narrator was great and hearing the pronunciation of the Welsh names, places etc made it all a better experience. The book opens with a dead body discovered in a lake on the morning after a New Year’s Eve party. Many people are not sorry to discover the identity of the body and it will be up to two detectives to find the murderer. During the investigation secrets slowly surface making for an addictive read with an unexpected twist at the end. I look forward to reading more in the series.  3.5 stars rounded up

A compelling novel of first love and second chances. Emotional and filled with angst. I’m looking forward to One Golden Summer – the followup about the MMC’s brother.  4 stars

You don’t need to read the first Rachel Krall book to enjoy Dark Corners but I think you should because it’s really good! In the second book we have a serial killer, a bunch of influencers, a prisoner and an FBI agent with more than a casual interest in Rachel. Dark Corners is fast paced which I love in a suspense book. I wish there was a third book…  4 stars

Never Over is a story about heartbreak, abandonment and grief. It’s a second chance at first love. Every time the MCs had a heartfelt conversation it hit like a power ballad duet from decades ago. And it worked for me – especially in audiobook format. Carly Robins’ performance was so enjoyable. I’m not an expert on regional accents so I can’t speak to that but I loved how she voiced the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to an early audio galley.  4 stars