Tag: #Clean

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

The Inn at Holiday Bay: Secret in the Storm

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.

After suffering a personal tragedy, Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn’t seem to convince to leave, and a new family she’d never be able to live without.

In book 26 in the series, the perfect storm develops when an unusual weather pattern involving higher than normal temperatures, hundred-year rain totals, and wind speeds that haven’t been seen in a decade, combine with the arrival at the inn of a group of senior citizens with a secret, a ghost, and a pile of cash, or at least potential cash, that might very well make the difference between life and death.

SeaEmJay
5.0 out of 5 stars Different
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This isn’t a "true" murder mystery, but it is a mystery. A couple mysteries, in fact. There's a search for hidden money that's desperately needed to save a life and the cold case of a man who drowned on a beach in Holiday Bay 40 years ago. All this plays out in the middle of a raging storm. Georgia also has some news that could have a big effect on the Inn, if she can get past her fears and "what ifs" that are keeping her from moving forward. If you’re looking for a "who dunnit" with danger and suspense, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you're looking for a couple of interesting puzzles, a little look back into the 80s (I can't believe they were 40 years ago...how did that happen?), then you might enjoy this book. I've read this whole series, and I find them a nice, gentle, leisurely read. There's no sex, violence, swearing, etc, so sit in your recliner, have a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy.
Posted in Book Tours

The Christmas Wish in Twinkle Falls

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The Christmas Wish: in Twinkle Falls
Freda Ann
(A Twinkle Falls Novel, )
Publication date: November 21st 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

After my husband died overseas in an ambush, our kids became my world. He was my one and only—I could never meet anyone who makes me feel the way he did.

(Rochelle)

Needing a fresh start last year, I took my kids to Twinkle Falls for Christmas, but meeting Jesse was never part of my plan. When my best friend introduced us, this retired police officer’s charm and infectious smile started breaking down my walls.

Me and the kids agreed to make Twinkle Falls our forever home at the end of our three month break—but something went horribly wrong after returning home to pack up our things.

(Jesse)

After losing touch with Rochelle once she stopped all communication with me, I knew I’d been ghosted. Roe was the one person I could imagine a future with when my ex left me once I became an amputee.

With my buddies trying to fix me up, I decide it’s time to move on from the past.

(Rochelle)

Nine months after our planned move, me and the kids arrive in Twinkle Falls with everything we own after purchasing a home. Feeling horrible the way I left things with Jesse, our friends agree to let me be the one to tell him we’re here once me and the kids get settled.

Now ready to share the news, I texted Jesse asking if we can talk, but days go by with no response.

While having lunch with my friends I glance around the restaurant and my jaw drops. I see why Jesse didn’t respond to my message—he’s found another woman—the one whose hands are all over him.

Can a Christmas wish intervene and seal this couple’s fate?

This is a feel good, clean, faith-based Christmas romance featuring the charm of small town life, insta-love, and a Christmas miracle with a happily ever after.

It’s book 6 of an ongoing holiday themed sweet romance series, Hallmark style.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

When I open the back door to the parking lot, I practically walk into someone. “Sorry about—”

With my mouth still hanging open, my dog whines as I search the beautiful woman’s eyes before me saying, “Rochelle, hey! Did uh, did you get my text last night?”

“Excuse me, can we get by?” An elderly man asks.

“Yes, of course. Sorry about that.” I state while Beau and I step to the side, holding the door for him and a woman close to his age before moving so we don’t block anyone else.

“Hello, Jesse.” Rochelle locks eyes with me, appearing a bit nervous. “Uh, sorry, but I didn’t notice your message until I dropped the kids off at school.” She glances at my dog.

“It’s okay. This here is Beau. Can uh, can you sit with me for a few minutes?” I ask raising a brow.

Rustling my dog’s ears, she looks around and says, “I guess so.”

As we go back inside, Bridgette cuts her eyes at us from behind the coffee bar. Smiling at Roe, she says, “I think there’s a table open by the fireplace, if that works?”

My eyes lock with Rochelle’s as she concedes, “Sure, that’ll work.”

Bridgette smirks at her and leads the way to our table. “Here we go. Would you like some coffee?” She asks while I point to the floor near the wall for Beau to lay down out of the way.

“Yes, please.” We answer at the same time grinning.

Following a few minutes of silence as we stare out the front window facing the park, I turn and say, “Thanks for agreeing to sit with me. I um, wanted to apologize for not responding to your message. It took me by surprise since I hadn’t heard from you for so long and—”

“No, you don’t need to do that. If anyone apologizes, it should be me. There’s something I have to tell you so please bear with me.”

She starts blinking as if she has something in her eye, but I see a tear making its way over her perfect cheekbone. Why is she crying?

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are the kids okay?” I lay my hand on top of hers gently squeezing it.

Nodding, she explains. “It’s my Mom. She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. She had to have a double mastectomy and go through chemo.”

Scooting my chair next to hers I tuck Rochelle under my arm holding her for what seemed like hours. When I feel her relaxing against me, I kiss the top of her head.

“I can’t begin to express how sorry I am for your mom and for what your family has been through. If only I had known, I would have been there for you.”

It was then when she lost all composure and slowly melted into me. At that moment two became one and the crowd around us disappeared and nothing else mattered.

Author Bio:

Freda Ann is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit in multiple categories after release.

She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you’ll wish you could visit.

After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.

To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

The Christmas Wish in Twinkle Falls Blitz

—

Posted in Book Tours

A Wyoming Family Holiday

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A Wyoming Family Holiday: A Clean and Uplifting Romance
Virginia McCullough
(Back to Adelaide Creek, )
Published by: Harlequin Heartwarming
Publication date: October 28th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Can saving a town landmark…

Restore her faith in love?

When attorney Sloan Lancaster returns to Adelaide Creek to care for his father, he’s shocked at Winding Creek Rehab and Care Center’s run-down state. He considers moving his dad but is drawn to his high school crush Bethany, in charge of the facility’s restoration. Moved by Bethany’s community spirit and her adorable young daughter, Heidi, Sloan makes an anonymous donation to the center as the holidays bring them all closer. But when Sloan’s identity is revealed, Bethany pulls away, anxious about conflict of interest. Can she overcome her fears to embrace Sloan’s support—and build the loving family she’s always wanted?

From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.

Back to Adelaide Creek

Book 1: The Rancher’s Wyoming Twins
Book 2: The Doc’s Holiday Homecoming
Book 3: His Wyoming Surprise
Book 4: Finding His Wyoming Sweetheart
Book 5: A Wyoming Family Holiday

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Sloan Lancaster raised the hood of his jacket and raced through the downpour, skirting the water overflowing dips and deep potholes in the asphalt parking lot. This, plus the rundown brick and wood exterior, was all he needed to conclude that the Winding Creek Rehab and Care Center was past its prime. Especially dreary was the aging paint job, once white, but now a dull, dirty gray. Sloan summed up his first impression of this facility in one word: neglected.

As he ducked into the hands-free revolving door a commotion in the lobby caught his attention. Women and men in scrubs or lab coats were pushing and pulling furniture across the carpeted floor, while a couple of burly guys in maintenance uniforms dragged an oversized tarp into the far corner of the room where rainwater ran down the wall.

Two women a few feet in front of him struggled to pull a couch across the middle of the lobby. He approached from behind and called out, “Wait, let me help with that. Tell me where you want it.”

A woman spun around. “Thanks. We can use the help.” Her eyes opened wide in surprise. “Sloan?”

“Bethany?” He struggled to find his next words as he grasped the wooden armrest on one end. “I’d know you anywhere.” It was true. He hadn’t seen her since high school and she’d barely changed at all.

Not the time to ask a lot of questions. He made his early morning workouts pay off as he dragged the couch to the only empty spot on the other side of the lobby big enough to accommodate it. The space was already filled with a hodgepodge of tables and armchairs that had escaped the leaking roof and ceilings.

Bethany pushed the couch from the other end. Her expression turned serious as she straightened up and put her hands on her hips. “You’re here to see your dad, I assume. Medical transport brought him here a couple of hours ago.”

Her burgundy pantsuit and crisp tailored white shirt gave her a professional look in the style of the women lawyers at his firm. That led Sloan to guess that his old friend Bethany Hoover was an administrator in this place, where, for better or worse, his dad was now a patient. The worn out exterior and general disarray in the lobby weren’t filling him with positive feelings about that.

The opposite, in fact.

Author Bio:

A writer all her adult life, Virginia McCullough has had the opportunity to write the stories of her heart in her novels, including Girl in the Spotlight, the first book in her Two Moon Bay series for Harlequin Heartwarming. (Book 2 is scheduled for release in January 2018). Her award-winning romance and women’s fiction titles include The Jacks of Her Heart, Amber Light, Greta’s Grace, The Chapels on the Hill, and Island Healing.

Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.

Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter


GIVEAWAY!

A Wyoming Family Holiday Blitz

https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js

—

Posted in Book Tours

Hideout

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

She trusted the system to keep her safe. 

Now it might get her killed.


Hideout

The FBI Tampa Mystery Series Book 2

by A.M. Holloway

Genre: Clean Romantic Suspense, Mystery Thriller 


She trusted the system to keep her safe. Now it might get her killed.

She vanished into Witness Protection. Now, she’s running for her life.

When FBI Agent Ray Smithson gets a frantic call in the dead of night, he knows exactly who it is—Mary Beth, the woman he once swore to protect. It’s been over two years since she disappeared under a new identity, but her terrified voice rips open feelings Ray thought he’d buried for good.

With his trusted partner, Micah French, Ray races across Florida to find her before the people hunting her close in.
But nothing makes sense—how did they track her down?
Why has her former handler gone missing?
And could Mary Beth unknowingly be holding the key to something even more dangerous?

As long-hidden truths surface, Ray must face his past and protect the woman who never left his heart.
Enemies are closing in, trust is fragile, and the only chance at survival may be a hideout in Tampa—if they can reach it in time.

Hideout in Tampa delivers gripping Christian suspense packed with danger, loyalty, and second chances—perfect for fans of fast-paced FBI thrillers with clean romance and enduring faith.

 

**On Sale for Only .99cents Sep 26th-30th!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


Revenge

The FBI Tampa Mystery Series Book 1


Love, Bullets, and a Second Chance — Will They Survive the Crossfire?

When FBI Special Agent Micah French joins a high-risk pursuit through the streets of Tampa, he never expects the day to end with his partner shot and the woman he once loved holding his partner’s life in her hands.

Finley Herald, the surgeon who broke his heart a decade ago, now lives in Tampa. She’s saving lives at Tampa General and possibly risking her own when a vengeful cartel leader wages war against the agents involved in his brother’s death.

As bullets fly, allies fall, and a trail of revenge stretches from Mexico to Florida, Micah must navigate a storm of violence, betrayal, and second chances.

Every decision could be his last, and Finley’s reappearance threatens to shatter the emotional defenses he’s spent years building.

This book is a gripping blend of action, faith, and romance, where love may be the deadliest risk of all.

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads



A.M. Holloway is an author of clean murder mysteries where crime and suspense take hold. Her catalog spans five series. A.M., who is married, relies on her husband’s expertise in the CSI field to ensure accuracy in her books. She was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in Central Florida. When not writing, you will find her with her family, enjoying the outdoors, or sitting in her favorite chair, daydreaming about her next book.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $30 giveaway!


Hideout

https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js