Tag: #Contemporary

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Assault and Batter (Donut Shop Mysteries Book 11)

Posted on by BookReviews

From Jessica Beck, the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Donut Mysteries, The Classic Diner Mysteries, and The Ghost Cat Mysteries.

ASSAULT AND BATTER, Book 11 in the Donut Mystery Series!

When Emily Hargraves tells Suzanne that she’s marrying Max, her ex-husband, Suzanne is happy enough for her, but when Jude Williams, one of Emily’s old flames, decides to light the ceremony up, someone decides to extinguish his flame before he can act. Was it Max, the groom-to-be; Peter, his best man; Lisa, the woman Jude had been dating; her jealous husband, Frank; or perhaps it was Reggie Nance, a man who had reasons of his own to want to see Jude dead? Suzanne and Grace must act quickly and solve the murder before someone else ends up missing the reception, permanently.

Praise for the Donut Mysteries by New York Times Bestselling Author Jessica Beck

“A delight. Suzanne Hart is a lovable amateur sleuth who has a hilariously protective mother and great donut recipes! Readers will have a blast with this book.” —Diane Mott Davidson, New York Times bestselling author of Fatally Flaky

“If you like donuts—and who doesn’t?—you’ll love this mystery. It’s like a trip to your favorite coffee shop, but without the calories!” —Leslie Meier, author of the Lucy Stone mysteries New Year’s Eve Murder and Wedding Day Murder

“The perfect comfort read: a delicious murder, a likeable heroine, quirky Southern characters—and donut recipes!” —Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony award–winning author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries

“A tribute to comfort food and to the comfort of small town life. With great donut recipes!”—JoAnna Carl, author of The Chocolate Cupid Killings

“A yummy new treat in the culinary mystery genre. Skillfully weaving donut recipes throughout a well-plotted story, the author proves that life after divorce can be sweet; all you need are good friends, your own business, and comfort food. Delicious!”—Tamar Myers, author of Death of a Rug Lord and The Cane Mutiny

“A cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a wonderful small Southern town…Fatally Frosted is a great follow-up to Glazed Murder. Suzanne is a great heroine, Ms. Beck has a sure-fire winner!”—Fresh Fiction

“Along with the hilarious plot, author Jessica Beck treats the readers to a few recipes strategically placed within the novel. Sinister Sprinkles will keep you guessing until the very end.”—The Mystery Librarian

“A sugary concoction that provides readers a glimpse through the donut hole of living in a small town.”—Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round Reviews

find the book

Posted in #BookTours

Thirty Grains of Love

Posted on by BookReviews

Thirty Grains of Love
Anette Rosen
Publication date: August 26th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Women’s Fiction

What if the life you fight to save is the life that keeps you from becoming free?

It is 2001, and renowned artist Isabella unveils a triumphant solo exhibition at Boston’s prestigious modern art gallery. While critics have hailed her talent for creating spectacular color-saturated canvases, her career, marriage, and finances are crumbling.

Determined to save her family’s historical house by the sea as well as her psychiatrist husband’s reputation during his court trial in Europe, Isabella must somehow care for her daughter without a steady income. After she demands that her former lover, Angel, support her passion project, Isabella promises him one night in return. Restoring the house and obtaining financing are both part of the project. This depends on tracking down her missing best friend, Nina, whom she had put forward to a wealthy sponsor for adapting his memoir into a novel.

Now trapped in a love triangle and a deepening financial crisis, Isabella must find a way forward as the conflict between love, legacy, and survival compels her to question her deepest beliefs while her reputation hangs in the balance.

Thirty Grains of Love is the tale of long-time friends who must piece together their broken personal lives while pursuing their dreams, defining their identities, and experiencing authentic love for the very first time. Set against the backdrop of history and generational echoes of secrecy and social limitations, it explores the route to happiness and its price across four marriage models—trad wife, double career, open relationship, and unequal income.

An uplifting story with a dual timeline showing that the hardest yet most rewarding decision in midlife is to embrace one’s true self.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

ISABELLA

The Exhibition

Boston 2001

Here I am on another continent, living my dream—a dream I had forgotten and now need to save. Beau Isabella conquered the art world—only to lose everything she ever had. What a deal. And what a mess. Me, as usual, but this time it’s for real.

People are gathering outside the exhibit at NAGA, Boston’s prestigious modern art gallery, welcoming the snowflakes on their faces and eager to get in. Above the entrance hangs a banner adorned with vibrant, shimmering purple letters: ISABELLA. I picture the stars skating far above, poised to illuminate the city in pristine white once the clouds clear.

I wish I fit in here. I wish I were free.

My first exhibition in North America. Pressure, a heavy weight, mingles with pride. TV reporters speaking at the entrance about explosions of color, enchanted faces, and innovative art. Behind them, a poster depicts my auburn hair and pale shoulders as I turn around in a sweeping movement. The New York Times featured an extensive review last week, and I keep rereading my favorite part:

It is hard to believe that Boston discovered this incredible talent first. Visitors say they haven’t experienced colors like this since the Impressionist era. Isabella’s compositions spark countless interpretations; the public and the critics have fallen in love with her.

I hope I can keep the palette bright if Nina is still missing. I need her for my project, and I need her as a friend. She always finds the right words. And then Lucy’s school bills arrive, as punctual as a Japanese train. How could Chris be so sure we can afford it all?

Yesterday was different. I stood near the gallery entrance in my burgundy evening dress, trying to appear both graceful and casual amid the camera flashes—I’m not ready for celebrity just yet. My gallery partner, Alicia, took me aside to meet another journalist.

Meanwhile, I handled the press questions with ease. They’ve become routine, even on television. I only make them put on more rouge to hide how pale my skin is from no sleep and daily exhaustion. Some journalists worship me and submit to my presence just to serve the public—even if they haven’t seen my work. Others are looking for a juicy detail that might make me more intriguing, trying to chip away at my “art goddess” halo.

Still, this time, a humble man from a local magazine, at first distracted and absorbed in his notes, brought me out of my shell with his last question:

“How has your talent remained, even after you ignored it for decades? Is there someone in the family from whom you inherited this gift?”

I took a deep breath. The walls started moving, like each time I tried to approach the tripod hiding in a corner at home. We had long sacrificed the atelier. Feeling miserable for not having painted in years, I didn’t need a gray-suited journalist to remind me of that. I’m thirty-eight, not retired. And it’s a question I never answer in public. So, despite the subtle provocation, I responded with a smile.

“It’s not as if I completely ignored it—books with my illustrations flew off the shelves like hotcakes. I enjoy children’s books the most because they encourage kids to give wings to their imagination before they can read longer texts. The most important thing in life is to touch someone with what you do. If you give somebody a lesson, valuable advice, a beautiful song, or a new life, then you’ve been present in this world.” I shook my head, letting my earrings swing, to give him a sign that the interview was over.

After that, I enjoyed the peacefulness of my natural surroundings—an exhibition hall filled with paintings and new ideas. I knew I had one last chance to preserve it all, but it felt good not to think about reality for a while. After all, Nina must still be alive—she left of her own free will—and for the time being, I somehow serve my debt and Chris’ lawyers’ bills. If only he could silence the media… What was his psychiatrist’s training for? He employed the wrong assistant, and now she is destroying his reputation.

However, you need a free heart to create, so instead of diving into accounting, I keep dreaming of restoring the seaside villa. An art object, it would be my perfect retreat.

It was a pleasant surprise when the next visitor entered the room. Maybe he could contribute to achieving my dream. Angel’s height and wavy dark hair seized everyone’s attention. He surveyed the space like a panther, searching for a suitable place to start. I bounded over to him.

Author Bio:

Anette has been writing stories since she could hold a pencil, short after she turned four. What started as an intrinsic love for storytelling has turned into a lifelong passion, only to be subdued for a while by a professional career and the care she took of her two wonderful daughters. There’s nothing Anette likes better than writing (and reading) stories that are both inspiring and humorous, with a touch of romance and a heartwarming streak of truth running through them. Anette is a passionate traveller and a big dreamer who never gives up on anything. When she’s not writing or inventing new stories, you can find her among her friends or in her maisonette in Frankfurt, Germany, watching masterpiece movies or a tennis match with a glass of wine and her fluffy cat, Lia, beside her. Anette has a master’s degree in English and American literature and a PhD in Linguistics. Having worked as a freelance translator and a project manager, her favourite job has been that of a Tour Director, leading North American groups on educational tours throughout Europe. Anette’s stories have found their home in online and printed magazines. Her novella “The Sea Moves On” was published in October 2022 in Sofia to receive a hearty welcome from its readers. Currently, the novel “Thirty Grains of Love” is short before publication.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY

Thirty Grains of Love Blitz

—

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Deadly Donuts (Donut Shop Mysteries Book 10)

Posted on by BookReviews

The New York Times Bestselling Donut Mysteries from Jessica Beck!

“Jessica Beck’s Glazed Murder is a delight. Suzanne Hart is a lovable amateur sleuth who has a hilariously overprotective mother and great donut recipes! Readers will have a blast with this book!
Diane Mott Davidson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Fatally Flaky.

“The perfect comfort read: a delicious murder, a likeable heroine, quirky Southern characters–and donut recipes!”
Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony award winning author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries.

“A tribute to comfort food and to the comfort of small-town life.”
Joanna Carl, author of The Chocolate Cupid Killings.

“A yummy new treat in the culinary mystery genre.”
Tamar Myers, author of Death of a Rug Lord and The Cane Mystery.

“If you like donuts, you’ll love this mystery.”
Leslie Meier, author of the Lucy Stone mysteries.

DEADLY DONUTS
Book 10 in the Donut Mysteries from New York Times Bestseller Jessica Beck, Author of The Classic Diner Mysteries and The Ghost Cat Mystery Series!

ABOUT THE BOOK
When a mysterious stranger shows up at Donut Hearts threatening to reveal a deadly secret about Suzanne’s late father, she believes that he’s lying, but when he offers to show her proof that her dad wasn’t who she thought he was, Suzanne realizes that she has to listen. It’s just too bad that the stranger is murdered before he can share what he knows. Suzanne and her mother are the main suspects, but it turns out that there are plenty of other people who wouldn’t mind seeing the stranger dead!

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

Illegally Iced (Donut Shop Mysteries Book 9)

Posted on by BookReviews

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart knows how to treat her customers. But sometimes life can get a bit sticky. When a spat she has with a local blacksmith—one that could have been solved with a handshake and a mixed dozen—ends with his murder, Suzanne is caught dead in her tracks. Suddenly everyone in April Springs has their eyes on her. And they’re hungry with suspicion.
Left with little choice but to catch the killer herself, Suzanne starts lining up suspects. But her case is full of holes. How did the killer strike in the middle of the day without a single witness to the crime? Who knew that the humble blacksmith was actually an heir to a family fortune? The heat is on as Suzanne tries to solve the case and save her business. Can she have her cake-donut and eat it too?

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A delight. Suzanne Hart is a lovable amateur sleuth who has a hilariously protective mother and great donut recipes! Readers will have a blast with this book.” ―Diane Mott Davidson, New York Times bestselling author of Fatally Flaky, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“A tribute to comfort food and to the comfort of small town life. With great donut recipes!” ―JoAnna Carl, author of The Chocolate Cupid Killings, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“If you like donuts–and who doesn’t?–you’ll love this mystery. It’s like a trip to your favorite coffee shop, but without the calories!” ―Leslie Meier, author of the Lucy Stone mysteries New Year’s Eve Murder and Wedding Day Murder, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“The perfect comfort read: a delicious murder, a likeable heroine, quirky Southern characters–and donut recipes!” ―Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony award–winning author of the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“A yummy new treat in the culinary mystery genre. Skillfully weaving donut recipes throughout a well-plotted story, the author proves that life after divorce can be sweet; all you need are good friends, your own business, and comfort food. Delicious!” ―Tamar Myers, author of Death of a Rug Lord and The Cane Mutiny, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“A sugary concoction that provides readers a glimpse through the donut hole of living in a small town.” ―Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round Reviews, on the Donut Shop Mysteries

“Along with the hilarious plot, author Jessica Beck treats the readers to a few recipes strategically placed within the novel. Sinister Sprinkles will keep you guessing until the very end.” ―The Mystery Librarian

From the Back Cover

WELCOME BACK TO DONUT HEARTS―
where the coffee is hot, the donuts are fresh, and the pastries aren’t the only thing getting iced…

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart knows how to treat her customers. But sometimes life can get a bit sticky. When a spat she has with a local blacksmith―one that could have been solved with a handshake and a mixed dozen―ends with his murder, Suzanne is caught dead in her tracks. Suddenly everyone in April Springs has their eyes on her. And they’re hungry with suspicion.

“A delight. Suzanne Hart is a lovable amateur sleuth.” ―Diane Mott Davidson

Left with little choice but to catch the killer herself, Suzanne starts lining up suspects. But her case is full of holes. How did the killer strike in the middle of the day without a single witness to the crime? Who knew that the humble blacksmith was actually an heir to a family fortune? The heat is on as Suzanne tries to solve the case and save her business. Can she have her cake-donut and eat it too?

“The perfect comfort read [with] a likeable heroine, quirky Southern characters―and donut recipes!” ―Rhys Bowen

 

Posted in #History

Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush

Posted on by BookReviews

Nixon’s White House counsel discusses the Bush-Cheney administration in this New York Timesbestseller: “Powerful . . . a riveting book.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

Former White House counsel John Dean, with the unique viewpoint and expertise born of working for Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal, here looks critically at the administration of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, arguing that its worldview—and its tendency toward secrecy and deception—set America back decades, and may ultimately do more damage to the nation than Nixon at his worst.

“He has become a discerning connoisseur of presidential venality.” —The New York Times

“Few critics have as effectively put the disparate pieces together.” —Publishers Weekly


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The most facile presidential comparison one could make for George W. Bush would be his father, who presided over a war in Iraq and a struggling economy. Some “neocons” reject the parallel and compare Bush to his father’s predecessor, Ronald Reagan, citing a plainspoken quality and a belief in deep tax cuts. But John Dean goes further back, seeing in Bush all the secrecy and scandal of Dean’s former boss, the notorious Richard Nixon. The difference, as the title of Dean’s book indicates, is that Bush is a heck of a lot worse. While the book provides insightful snippets of the way Nixon used to do business, it offers them to shed light on the practices of Bush. In Dean’s estimation, the secrecy with which Bush and Dick Cheney govern is not merely a preferred system of management but an obsessive strategy meant to conceal a deeply troubling agenda of corporate favoritism and a dramatic growth in unchecked power for the executive branch that put at risk the lives of American citizens, civil liberties, and the Constitution. Dean sets out to make his point by drawing attention to several areas about which Bush and Cheney have been tight-lipped: the revealing by a “senior White House official” of the identity of an undercover CIA operative whose husband questioned the administration, the health of Cheney, the identity of Cheney’s energy task force, the information requested by the bi-partisan 9/11 commission, Bush’s business dealings early in his career, the creation of a “shadow government”, wartime prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, and scores more. He theorizes that the truth about these and many other situations, including the decision to go to war in Iraq, will eventually surface and that Bush and Cheney’s secrecy is a thus far effective means of keep a lid on a rapidly multiplying set of lies and scandals that far outstrip the misdeeds that led directly to Dean’s former employer resigning in disgrace. Dean’s charges are impassioned and more severe than many of Bush’s most persistent critics. But those charges are realized only after careful reasoning and steady logic by a man who knows his way around scandal and corruption. –John Moe

From the Publisher

Former White House counsel and New York Times bestselling author John Dean reveals how the Bush White House has set America back decades-employing a worldview and tactics of deception that will do more damage to the nation than Nixon at his worst.

About the Author

John W. Dean (b. 1938) served as White House counsel for President Richard Nixon from 1970 to 1973. During the Watergate scandal, his Senate testimony helped lead to Nixon’s resignation. Dean has written about Watergate in his New York Times bestsellers Blind Ambition and The Nixon Defense. Among his fourteen other books are the national bestsellers Worse Than Watergate, Conservatives Without Conscience, and Broken Government. A retired investment banker, Dean is now a columnist, commentator, and teacher in a continuing legal education program for attorneys, the Watergate CLE. Most recently, Dean held the Barry Goldwater Chair of American Institutions at Arizona State University. He is currently consulting on a Watergate television series under development for ABC Entertainment.