Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Loggerhead: A Mary Fisher Novel by T.A. Peters is the story of a Scottish woman named Mary. When the novel begins, she is in Europe and the second World War is about to begin. She is imprisoned and alone and that is what encourages her to write about a time when she was happy with her friend, even though the events that happened were not pleasant in any sense. Mary and her friend Abigail were vacationing in Loggerhead, Florida in the 1890s. However, their relaxing holiday becomes a troubled time when a thief steals Abigail’s jewelry and gets away. But that was just the beginning. They are soon forced into events that will make this the worst vacation they ever had, but also make it the most vital time in their relationship.

The story reeled me in from the very beginning. It was enticing and urging me to read on and find out what happened next. I think Mary was the perfect heroine. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about the novel, but once I got into the way things were described I was literally hooked. I loved Mary. She had a spark and the way she was expressed was just perfect. She and Abigail made the perfect couple. They had chemistry and they had love. To be honest, they reminded me a lot of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I could not find any fault in this novel. It was simply perfect. I really loved reading this story!

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

Adam W. Jones writes a story of innocent love nestled within a southern lifestyle in Fate Ball. Life is full of opportunities at the age of nineteen. Able Curran has just returned from a trek through Europe when he meets the beautiful seductress, Ava Dubose. Ava is lusciously sweet. Her touch, her kiss, her sexy laugh, her alluring southern accent has Able falling headfirst into the raging sea of love. Able wasn’t prepared for what was happening. Before too long, Ava’s dark side begins to emerge, tainting their blissful love affair. Ava seems nonchalant about rules and boundaries, breaking them with ease, making authority figures playthings to outwit and toy with. Ava is always ready for fun, never embarrassed or fearful at all. However, underneath her perfect appearance is a silent, tortured soul. Ava is imprisoned and her jailer is addiction. As the temptress turns into a tempest, will their fated union prevail, or will it be lost in the tumultuous sea of love?

Fate Ball by Adam W. Jones is an unforgettable romantic tragedy. Mr. Jones elegantly portrays love and calamity, faith and fate, and heartache and despair. How can love be so wonderful and so horrible? Addiction is a powerful foe; few can withstand its deceptive grip. Once injected with its venomous poison, the craving is relentless. However, love has an enduring strength that refuses to let go. The main characters are in a tug of war, pulled back and forth by these magnetic conflicting forces. Hope rises and plummets again and again. Able’s character depicts the true nature of love; it never fails, it is patient, always believes the best, and it can withstand anything. But, the core of his character is his inner strength and resolve. Throughout the years of bliss and misery, he doesn’t become stagnant. He grows and evolves, in spite of love’s betrayal. Jones pens Ava’s character explicitly, revealing the life and nature of an addict. It is not a pretty picture. Moreover, those who love and care for addicts become victims of unbearable suffering.

As we watch Ava’s character spiral out of control, we really never know why. Some things in life are inexplicable, and Ava’s addiction captures the truth of this statement. As for Able, tragedy almost destroys him, but his destiny has a different plan. The Fate Ball bounces into his life; he rebounds through his brokenness, and discovers life and purpose. Adam W. Jones narrative, Fate Ball, magnifies the eternal truth – love never fails.

Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

“Tireman was caught between his desire to be good and his demand for justice. He’d come to America for the dream, and his dream was now tarnished.” When lawyer Merit Bridges catches wind of Tireman’s predicament, she places herself firmly in batting position. Fighting for the underdog is her game and her legal team of slightly nontraditional members loyally stands firmly by her side. She even finds a role for her latest sexy boy toy before professional greed clouds his otherwise perfect existence in her world. When Tireman’s legal defense gets far uglier than Merit expected, thoughts of any youthful sexual diversion fall by the wayside, leaving her determined to keep her family and friends safe.

First things first, though. Merit must learn to use a gun and, in doing so, work on exorcising the demons that plague her thoughts. Since her husband took his own life with a hand gun, Merit is not altogether sold on wielding her own. Cryptic text messages, an evident home break in, several close calls on the highway, and reports from her son of a strange man reappearing at odd times in equally odd places encourage Merit to pay attention to the weird prickling in her arm pits and take heed of these premonitions of danger. Maybe she really does need a gun.

In this highly energetic story told in the fashion of bestselling author Sue Grafton, Dollar Signs: Texas Lady Lawyer vs Boots King provides a believable and twisted story of revenge and legal consequences. Author Manning Wolfe makes her mark among female crime story tellers with what could be the next big series on the market. The sentence structure and use of relatable language make this an exciting read for fans of mainstream crime fiction. Even with a firm emphasis on the story plot, Wolfe incorporates a fun parallel with the main character’s personal life that lends a necessary human element to the story.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Scout's Honor: A Novel by Dori Ann Dupré is the story of Scout Webb, who we literally see grow in front of our eyes. When the novel starts, Scout is 14 years old. A tomboy to boot, she really likes to play basketball and has a huge crush on Brother Doug, a lifeguard on Camp Judah. Her life revolves around playing basketball with her best friend and enjoying her time at camp. However, the summer of 1983 will be the summer that changes her life forever. One disaster and Scout will never be the same. We will be taken on a journey with Scout as she becomes a single mother and closes on her middle age years, when she will ask herself: why did her life change? What changed her? And whose fault was that?

This is a women’s fiction novel that leaves an imprint on your mind. I loved the fact that we got to see Scout grow up right in front of our eyes, in every sense of the words. We got to see her mature and learn that life is much more than just a basketball game. Her character growth was immense. The development was very good. Everything was written perfectly. I loved the fact that this novel gave us insight into the minds of real people and why do we do things that hurt other people. We never intend to, but we still do. Dupré did an amazing job with the novel. A beautiful cover too.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Butts for Readers' Favorite

Celeste Fletcher McHale has done the near impossible. I cried while reading. I have always thought people who were brought to tears over written words were perhaps a little overly emotional. Apparently it just takes a great author, and that author is Celeste Fletcher McHale. The Secret To Hummingbird Cake started off a little slow, and I found the main character, Carrigan, a bit whiny. But a big, life shattering event happens, it rocks her to the core, and reminds her what truly matters in life. About one third into the book, it picks up traction and sucks you in like you would never imagine possible. It is about at this point that you realize you WEREN'T supposed to like Carrigan all that much in the beginning.

Celeste wrote a plot that was so real. Carrigan and her friends, Ella Rae and Laine, and the situations that they were thrust into (by their choice or not) were so real. There was laughter, there were tears, there was so much feeling wrapped up in this book. I was impressed, also, that there was a Christian theme without an evangelistic feel. The fact that this is Celeste Fletcher McHale's first novel amazed me. I want my friends to read this book. I will be recommending it to my mom (top praise right there). If you've ever had a close friendship with a bonded group of friends, you will want to read this book. My heart is still tight from reading. I felt more emotion from McHale's writing than I ever thought possible.

Reviewed by Michael White for Readers' Favorite

Looking Through Water: A Novel is Bob Rich’s coming-of-age story told through fishing lessons. William McKay’s grandson, Kyle, is troubled. The only way William knows how to help Kyle is by telling Kyle stories about his own past. William tells Kyle stories about an Adirondacks lake. Some of his stories take place in the Florida Keys. All of his stories have bright, engaging characters (which are as fun for the reader to hear as they are for Kyle). William puts himself out there for Kyle, talking about old wounds, love, grievances, threats, and understanding. Then it is up to Kyle to decide how he will take this knowledge and apply it to his current situation. It is a story about a family and how intimately shared stories can shape the way we look at one another and the way we look at life.

Looking Through Water: A Novel is a beautiful, heartwarming story that everyone should read. It has the potential to touch so many people. Fishermen will love the tall tales and the stories about the ones that got away. Readers will associate with William, the loveable and good-natured grandfather type. We can all relate to an older, wiser male relative that instilled some wisdom in us (or at least tried). We can also relate to the know-it-all teenager who is less likely to listen to that age old wisdom. Bob Rich did such a nice job of wrapping the fishing stories in with layers of family tension and drama. He brought it all together in an inspiring, wonderful read.

Reviewed by Kathy Golden for Readers' Favorite

In Temper the Winds, Wilma Hamill engages readers in the lives of people grappling with love on multiple levels. Readers encounter people whose existence is filled with the kind of stimulating realism that keeps a person invested in the story. In some cases, Hamill’s tale pushes the envelope of credibility with behavior that forces one to think: yes, as disconcerting as they seem, things like this could have happened. Hamill also gives us children who behave like children and men who are both strong and fragile. I especially like the way the subplots wrapped themselves so conveniently around the life of Maggie, the main character. Her need to make a life for herself and for her daughters after her husband dies drives this story. However, the overall plot provides readers with a feast, much like a Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey is surrounded by an abundance of great side dishes.

The characters in Wilma Hamill’s Temper the Winds have a raw honesty that makes one glad to be privy to their thoughts and to the motives behind those thoughts. The author’s choice of multiple points of view is the right one. I would not consider the story to be predominantly a romance, though the romantic element is there. I categorize it as a family drama with believable intersections of lives in a way that maintains tension throughout the book and compels a person to finish it. Sex is handled tastefully. The n-word is used; yet, I don’t feel that the word was used in a manner that should be offensive to anyone, given the time period in which the story takes place. I would enjoy reading some novellas or novelettes that provide back story for some of the principal characters such as Claude and Leona, and Sara and her family. There’s also room for new stories about some of the other characters. This is the kind of book I would like to see made into a movie.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

When building inspector Max Spalding dies in a terrible car accident, something just doesn’t seem right. Detectives Graisco and Wickland, assigned to the case by the local Myrtle Beach police department, quickly realize that his death was no accident. And when they start to look into what really happened, they realize that they're in for more than they ever expected. In an investigative novel that leads from the highest echelons of Myrtle Beach’s elite all the way to a Russian crime syndicate, The Versailles Conspiracy by author Robert “Digger” Cartwright leads the reader on a wild ride of mystery, suspense and action, from its beginning all the way to its exciting end.

Digger Cartwright’s new book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. A fantastic police procedural, the descriptions, explanations and backstory provided make it difficult for me to believe that Mr. Cartwright doesn’t have a background in investigation himself. The plot is engaging and complex enough to keep even those who are tired of mysteries and thrillers to stay involved. The development of the characters is fantastic; you’ll find yourself rooting for Graisco and Wickland, and despising the Russian Vladimir Stratavynski as well as the other unsavories this book reveals. The Versailles Conspiracy is much more than a simple story, and would appeal to any reader who loves mysteries, detective novels, police procedurals, action/adventures, political intrigue, or just a plain good book. This was the first novel of Robert “Digger” Cartwright’s that I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite

The muddy waters of the Perdido River swamps are covering a multitude of secrets, as are the Shelbey, Percy and Doogan families. It is Duddy Doogan’s quest to uncover them all in a search for his father or his father’s remains, as well as some form of understanding that can finally set his cursed soul at ease. In Perdido River Bastard, D.B. Patterson takes you on a journey following a failed suicide attempt by our hero, Duddy Doogan, who has never quite settled after what happened to him in a traumatic childhood accident that is far from his conscious memory. He has never quite settled what happened to his father either, and has never made peace with the fact that his only memories of him are bad ones. At the urging of his godmother Hattie, Duddy follows a trail across Alabama and Florida that is little different from a treasure hunt, with each clue bringing him closer to one more piece of the puzzle. Not unlike Joseph Conrad’s legendary novel, Duddy goes on his own odyssey into the heart of darkness that is frightfully covered in a family curse as old as Uriah Shelbey who ran wild along the watershed of the Perdido River centuries before, planting his seeds and bastard children who fight to survive the legacy left to them. Along the way, Duddy discovers that there is a different sort of strength within him and a desire to live and thrive with new love by his side.

D.B. Patterson paints an all too vivid portrait of the traumatic history of a family struggling to survive a curse of which “death is family,” in Perdido River Bastard. As Duddy Doogan struggles to discover what is behind each small clue along the road of his quest, he begins to uncover more and more of who he is and the meaning to his life. The color, aroma, sound and flavor of the old south is brilliantly displayed throughout this very well written book. Every character is real, as if they are not a part of fiction, but are truly alive and sitting in front of you as you turn each page. The depth of the twisted plot leaves only subtle clues as to where it is leading the reader along the way, making the entire story full of surprise turns in every new chapter. Perdido River Bastard is a brilliantly written novel that you simply won’t be able to put down from beginning to end. You will smell it, taste it, see it, feel it and live it as though it was your own family history.

Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite

Essie's Roses: A Novel by Michelle Muriel is a historical fiction novel set in the South during the years leading up to the American Civil War. Essie, a slave, is born on the Westland plantation at the same time as the plantation owner, Katie Winthrop, births a little girl named Evie. Mysterious circumstances surround Essie's parentage, as her mother dies in birth. Evie's father loved Essie's mother, so they must hide the small girl. Against odds, Essie and Evie forge a deep friendship, surpassing race lines and cultural norms of the time. However, Evie's father is a horrible man and things come to pass that could change the girls' lives forever. Will they be able to overcome all the societal pressures and truly find freedom?

Miss Muriel's novel is a thing of beauty. I loved the changing perspectives. It was refreshing to see various points of view of the same story, and the author did it seamlessly, keeping the flow of the story going. I also enjoyed seeing a story set before the Civil War. I find the whole era fascinating so it was a well-written prelude to a bloody war. I could tell the author took a great deal of time researching the era, and that is something I always appreciate in a historical novel. Overall, Essie's Roses: A Novel will make you laugh and cry, but most of all appreciate the innocence of children's friendship. Michelle Muriel should be very proud of her accomplishment in this novel and I will happily recommend it to others.