New Beginnings by Mary Metcalfe

The title New Beginnings doesn’t give this book justice. It is about new beginnings, and we’ve all read numerous books with that similar theme, however, this story is far from the same ole, same ole.

To be honest, the cover of the book is my reason for wanting to read it, I love horses. They don’t show up until later in the story, but it was worth it.

The main character, Carol Brock, is a hot, forty-three year old realtor. She starts out as a control freak, but by the end of the story – not so much. Of course a hot, good looking guy has a lot to do with it, and his name is Devin Elliott, a restoration specialist – and the one with the horses.

Devin has a psycho ex-girlfriend, Allison, who is the ‘bad guy’ in the story.  He wants to buy a home owned by Allison’s mother, which doesn’t go over so well with a psychopath. Carol has the listing and shows the home, which is how she becomes involved in the mess.

The characters in New Beginnings are what make this story captivating. Carol has two kids in college, a best friend and her family, and Devin’s best friends are a gay married couple who take care of his farmhouse and horses. All the characters held my interest as they traveled around Boston, and to and from the farm. Everything becomes complicated because of Allison, the psychopath.

My favorite stories are those having unpredictable developments throughout the story, and Mary Metcalfe’s outstanding writing kept all but one incident unpredictable. It was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday, and it does encourage self-reflection.

Smell My Feet! 10 Seriously Silly and Sweet Short Stories for Squirts by Martha Rodriguez

Short stories for children . . . “short or tall, big or small, young or old” are what Martha Rodriguez entertains her readers with in Smell My Feet.

Sprinkled throughout the ten stories is a love for children, family, and friends. The stories are real, everyday occurrences, which children relate to. Each story is unique and fun, what better way for children to learn valuable life lessons.

I can picture a child finishing a story and applying a lesson hidden in the mastery of chosen words by the author. It’s an easy feat to accomplish with the clever characters that match the literary genius behind them.

Smell My Feet! displays a respect for children while raising the bar of expectations, without being condescending. I applaud Martha Rodriguez for this extraordinary skill.

Components of Murder by Robert M. Cawley

Components of Murder is a biography of Gene McLain, yet it is cleverly written in the form of a novel.

As Blondie tells her husband, Gene McLain, “You are the best.”  Nicknamed ‘Bulldog,’ Gene is an investigative reporter who takes his job seriously. He works for the Arizona Reporter in Phoenix, Arizona and is relentless when investigating homicides. Besides writing for the newspaper, he carries a gun acting much like a cop. These are the days before technology, so Gene relies on his street sources for information.

There are always crimes to solve, but the one that challenges Gene is the senseless murders of two men. He can’t let this one go until it’s solved - the killer thinks he’s committed the perfect crime. It’s a captivating read as we get to see Gene prove the killer wrong.

Robert M. Cawley invites his readers to walk in two pair of Gene McLain’s shoes, his work shoes and his family shoes. We get to experience the mind of a genius at work while Gene connects the dots where others cannot. Walking in his family shoes is similar to reading a love story. His beautiful wife Blondie, and two great kids, are a constant source of strength and stability for Gene. I think McLain would agree that without his family, he would not be at the top of his game.

There’s nothing better than reading a good book about a true person – Gene McLain being the best in his field.

The cover of Components of Murder is so apropos – the blood soaked Saguaro.

The Burning Candle: A Midieval Novel by Lisa J. Yarde

The intensity of The Tudors TV show is how I would compare The Burning Candle. Lisa J. Yarde writes a captivating historical novel about Isabel, the Comtesse de Meulan. The era is 11^th century France and Isabel is eleven years old; prime age to marry in medieval times.

As women are betrothed soon after birth, they have no choice regarding the men they wed. Isabel marries Robert de Beaumont, Comte de Meulan, who is about forty years older than she is. Robert makes promises not be cruel, like Isabel’s parents were throughout her eleven years, but he ends up being crueler emotionally and physically than her parents ever were.

Robert moves Isabel to live at King Henry’s court. It is here that Robert reveals his true colors. During this time, Isabel falls in love, only in her heart, with William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey.

While reading The Burning Candle I felt like I was living back in medieval times.  The dynamic characters evolve around Isabel and they evoke the love/hate feelings of a great story. Isabel struggles with what is right from wrong, as she deals with a hidden love for William while being married to Robert, abandoning her children, keeping secrets until no longer possible and pure angst in her life.

The best compliment I can give Lisa J. Yarde is that due to her outstanding research, I was able to experience everyday life during the medieval era, while learning about Isabel the Comtesse de Meulan. She was a strong woman for her times who endured more adversity than any woman ever should.

The Burning Candle by Lisa J. Varde is a fascinating story, with its numerous unpredictable turns - some violent, and some pleasant. It is written so well it was difficult to put down. I always enjoy learning about a historical person by reading a well-researched historical novel. 

Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi

A small town community goes viral.

The town is Liberty, Ohio and the setting is Second Chance Grill. The Grill has a new owner, Dr. Mary Chance, who inherits the restaurant, and is determined to turn it into a success in about a year.

Being a doctor, Mary is a fish out of water running a restaurant. But the inheritance coincided with a tragedy. Mary lost her best friend where she lived and worked in Cincinnati. In trying to deal with her grief she takes a sabbatical and decides to go to Liberty to run Second Chance Grill.

Mary’s plans are to return to Cincinnati, in about a year, to take over a clinic, however, she falls in love - not once, but twice - first with Blossom, a spunky eleven year old cancer survivor, and then with Blossom’s father, Anthony.

Blossom is one month shy of being cancer free, when her leukemia returns. What does Dr. Mary Chance do when Anthony’s health insurance doesn’t cover a bone marrow transplant? What does the small town community of Liberty do to help? What plan do the extraordinary women of Second Chance Grill devise?

What a treat Christine Nolfi’s readers are in store for! It is great fun to meet up with all the extraordinary women of Second Chance Grill.

Christine Nolfi writes this captivating story, Second Chance Grill, applying her expertise writing brilliance. Her characters are all unique and we care about each one of them. No one is perfect in Liberty, Ohio, especially at Second Chance Grill. But everyone deserves a second chance.