Review: Singapore Sapphire (Harriet Gordon Mysteries #1) by A. M. Stuart

I have had this book on my TBR shelf for A WHILE now. I randomly picked it up at a used bookstore forever ago and thought it sounded good. I liked that it was set in a different location than I was used to reading and perhaps might have a hint of adventure in ways that I haven’t experienced before in some ‘far east’ mystery books.

But like so many readers, I took it home and set it down on my bookshelf for another day. Every time I would go looking for something to read, I would pause at the title but then keep going in favor of another lady detective novel where I had known and loved already instead of picking up someone new. But then I was sitting at my sister in law’s house in Arizona desperate for something new to read and for some reason this book popped up on my Kindle App as recommended reading.

Not wanting to spend money on a dud, I downloaded a sample and it was clear from the very beginning that after three chapters I desperately needed the full book—-and the next three books in the series! I will admit that at first I was intimidated by the ‘glossary’ and cast of characters listed at the beginning. I was unfamiliar with many of the words and there seemed to be a lot of characters but I am glad I didn’t let that throw me off and instead it enriched the story for me!

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Review: The Mozart Code by Rachel McMillan

Over the years I have read and enjoyed many or Rachel McMillan’s books! I especially loved her book The London Restoration that I read in 2020. It was a standalone novel with lots of historical detail and some romance. While I enjoyed her historical mysteries, it was the standalone novel that really made me love her writing!

When I saw that she was coming out with a new standalone piece of historical fiction, I was eager to get my hands on it. I love books about espionage and spies especially when they are women spies! I have read a lot of historical fiction with female spies in WWII and while that might be the hot ticket right now, I never get tired of reading books like that!

McMillan is a wonderful writer and I know how much detail she puts in her books not only with her characters but with her historical facts as well. If you enjoy historical fiction by Kate Quinn or espionage mysteries by Susan Elia MacNeal, then you will no doubt enjoy this latest novel from McMillan! I waited and waited and waited for my copy to arrive and when it finally did, I had COVID. While I planned to read it during my quarantine, I ended up having a hard time focusing on reading so I saved it for my flight to Arizona. I quickly read this one in a matter of days once I started it on the plane—it was an excellent choice that’s for sure!

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Review: The Key to Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2) by Ashley Weaver

This series captured my heart last year with it’s debut! I have read other books and series by Ashley Weaver but this is the series that has captured my attention the absolute most! After book one I was so eager to see what happened with Ellie next! Did she go back to safe cracking and stealing or did she keep on the straight and narrow?

I grabbed this book as soon as it was released and since it was on the shorter side (under 300 pages) I basically read it in one sitting—on my flight to Cabo. It was a super quick read and I found that the magic and allure of the book and characters didn’t change for me from book one to two and I am once again eagerly awaiting the next book in the series! If you are a historical mystery fan you need this book series. The first and second books are short and can be read in one or two sittings. I would recommend starting with the first book so you can enjoy all the character relationships rather than diving in with this one first.

But if you do decide to dive in with the second book and not start with the first one, not a huge big deal as the author keeps you fully abreast of events of the previous book and the character relationships. Ellie is a lovely modern character with wit and charm but also an edge. If you love authors like Anna Lee Huber and Deanna Raybourn then you will no doubt find a winner with Electra “Ellie” McDonnell!

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Special Feature: The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson

I absolutely love the message this books sends! Like it or not, representation in all forms matters! When I was growing up, I was not necessarily a ‘big girl’ but I certainly wasn’t a Kate Moss either! Kate Moss was the quintessential ‘ideal woman’ of the 1990s. She was on the cover of every magazine I read at that time and I just couldn’t understand why I didn’t look like her. I knew from a very young age that there just weren’t ‘plus’ or ‘athletic’ women on any covers or ad campaigns.

Now everywhere I look, I see thicker women, plus size models, and athletic women on covers, in ad campaigns, and I am absolutely here for it! I love seeing women with real bodies and muscles and looking fierce in swim suits, lingerie , and regular day clothes! That was one of the things that caught my eye about this book. I loved that the catalyst for the story is a body positive lingerie campaign—-not to mention the main character is a black woman! I love that this book address body positivity and incorporates other forms of diversity!


This is Danielle Jackson’s debut novel and I am absolutely here for it! It’s a modern day romance for the modern day woman—the modern day real woman! So many romance novels feature ‘slim white women’ but not this book! If you want to read about a realistic woman with modern struggles and solutions with characters who embrace their curves, then this is the book for you. I am so happy to feature this one on my blog today! It’s out now and receiving positive reviews and ratings so be sure to check it out!

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Review: A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen

I have to say that Tessa Arlen has been an author that I have enjoyed in different ways over the years. I started reading her earlier books years ago which were mostly historical mysteries. Later on I discovered her new heroines and historical fiction series as well and later on a standalone historical fiction novel. Some times, some authors are better at writing mysteries while others thrieve with general historical fiction. Arlen is wonderful at all of them! I have loved many of her books for different reasons as they are always well written and researched.

This book was a no brainer! First I featured an excerpt for a tour of the book, but I knew this would be one that I would absolutely read, sadly the tour timeline didn’t line up with my own reading calendar so I had to just do a feature for the tour but immediately started reading the book as soon as I read the excerpt! It sounded so good and plus—that COVER! I am so in love with the cover! It’s stunning and a wonderful historical fiction read.

One of the reasons that I was so drawn to this book (besides the author and cover) was the time period. I love Edwardian era books so much and often they are few and far between with authors favoring either the Victorian era or WWI. The Edwardian era is such a weird time period with authors often just lightly touching on it and then moving on into WWI, but with Arlen I knew that I would get a well researched and well written accounting of my favorite historical period! And I was not disappointed!

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