Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree

Thrifty Tips for a Frugal Lifestyle

Posted on January 20, 2026January 18, 2026 by Reluctant Retiree

Are you trying to find some new ways to live a more frugal lifestyle but you are having a lack of inspiration?

This book is filled with tips for simple frugal changes that you can make in your household, with your beauty routine, with your finances, and at the grocery store.

You are sure to be inspired to make some of these simple changes and to have money for things that really matter to you!

Zimmy
4.0 out of 5 stars. Exactly what I waS looking for.
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2020.
Format: Kindle. Verified Purchase
I wanted to start preparing for a retired life with my husband and hope to RV a lot. I've looked at several books about frugal living and they all seemed to extreme or not really being frugal as we wanted to be. This ebook with straight forward tips and experience. It just keeps it simple and can apply to any lifestyle.

#LGTBQ+

Cam’s Chance (Arrowtown Book 5)

Posted on January 20, 2026January 19, 2026 by Reluctant Retiree

Arrowtown Book 5

Can be read as a standalone

Camden “Cam” Stone had a long past and a hard life. For the past ten years he’d kept up the facade of a businessman, running the only bar in Arrowtown. The hours were long, but the people were friendly and if he didn’t share much about himself, no one seemed to care. But all that changed when a new baker came to town – a baker with a flippant personality and skills the whole town were soon talking about. Nobody could be that perfect, could they?

“Fabulous” Fergus Ferdinand was a bull shifter, and yes, his momma did have a sense of humor, once. Having been away from his fold for years, he’d come to the shifter town, in the hopes of building a business that would be good enough to convince his momma to come and live with him. From the moment he opened his bakery doors, people flocked to buy from him, eager for the new sweet sensations his business offered. So, it was understandable, when the gruff bar owner seemed immune to his sweet things and his sunny personality, that Fergus was a bit surprised.

Unfortunately, Cam’s suspicious nature, and his subsequent investigation into Fergus creates a whole stack of problems for the unlikely pair. Throw in a pair of pink unicorn pants, a momma in desperate need of saving, and a wolf with an eclair addiction and the couple are kept busy twenty-four seven. Just when they get to the point where the two men can take a breath, Fergus gets sick… and a whole stack of new challenges crop up.

This is an MM Mpreg Fated Mates story. Although, it can be read as a standalone, reading the previous books will give you more understanding of the secondary characters. There is snarky humor, some violence, and a lot of sweet treats. As this book is intended for adults only, please store your ebooks responsibly.

#non-fiction

Italian Without Words

Posted on January 19, 2026January 18, 2026 by Reluctant Retiree

A hilarious guide to learning the romance language and communication styles of Italy.

You don’t need words to speak Italian. You don’t have to study Italian or travel to Italy to communicate like a true paesano. All you really need is this unique “phrase book” of the most common Italian expressions, complete with authentic Italian gestures and body language.

Now, even if you don’t know a single word of Italian, you can learn the most common greetings and expressions, dinner-table comments, hot vows of love, bargaining tricks, insults, threats and curses. This book shows you how. There’s no faster or funnier way to learn how to communicate in Italy, Italian restaurants, with your grandparents or your friends.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Italian gestures are a language unto themselves. In Italian Without Words, 86 expressions are presented, paired with the Italian phrases they conjure and their English translations, all demonstrated by a man and woman who have to be seen to be appreciated. They’re funny, but the intent is not to ridicule; rather, they are holding on to a part of their heritage. The facial expressions that accompany the phrases are entertaining to practice, and visits to Italy are enhanced by the ability to communicate “You’re a disgrace!” (Disgraziato!), “I dare you!” (Ti sfido. Provaci!), and “Don’t leave me, I love you!” (Non lasciarmi, ti voglio bene!) without saying a word.

About the Author

Don Cangelosi, a Director of the Boys Club of N.Y., and Joseph Delli Carpini, an advertising executive, are native New Yorkers who delight in carrying on long conversations in Italian without uttering a single word. They usually get the best tables in Italian restaurants.

#History

Hidden History of the Florida Keys

Posted on January 19, 2026January 15, 2026 by Reluctant Retiree

“Seldom-told tales of the ‘lively and unusual cast of historic figures’ who helped shape the Florida Keys from the 1820s through the 1960s.”—Keys News

The Florida Keys have witnessed all kinds of historical events, from the dramatic and the outrageous to the tragic and the comic. In the nineteenth century, uncompromising individuals fought duels and plotted political upsets. During the Civil War, a company of “Key West Avengers” escaped their Union-occupied city to join the Confederacy by sailing through the Bahamas. In the early twentieth century, black Bahamians founded a town of their own, while railway engineers went up against the U.S. Navy in a bid to complete the Overseas Railroad. When Prohibition came to the Keys, one defiant woman established a rum-running empire that dominated South Florida.

Join Laura Albritton and Jerry Wilkinson as they delve into tales of treasure hunters, developers, exotic dancers, determined preservationists and more, from the colorful history of these islands.
Includes photos

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hidden History on the Florida Keys,” a new volume penned by Laura Albritton and Upper Keys historian Jerry Wilkinson, reveals seldom-told tales of the “lively and unusual cast of historic figures” who helped shape the Florida Keys from the 1820s through the 1960s.” Keys News

About the Author

Fifth-generation Floridian Laura Albritton is a writer, book reviewer, and writing teacher. Her work has appeared in publications such as the Miami Herald, Sculpture magazine, Harvard Review and the Florida Keys Weekly, while her award-winning short fiction has been published in many literary journals. She wrote the travel book Miami for Families (University Press of Florida) and co-authored Marathon: The Middle Keys and Key West’s Duval Street (Arcadia Publishing) with Jerry Wilkinson. Laura holds a degree in comparative literature from Columbia and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Miami.

Fourth-generation Floridian Jerry Wilkinson arrived in Key West in 1947. He served in the U.S Air Force for twenty-four years before operating his own business. For decades, Jerry has researched and documented Florida Keys history, particularly that of the Upper Keys. He has contributed to books, films and television programs and created an extensive Keys history website (www.keyshistory.org). Jerry is president of the Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys and serves on the boards of the Historic Florida Keys Foundation and the Florida Keys History and Discovery Center. Jerry’s previous books include Key Largo and Islamorada, co-authored with Brad Bertelli.