Half Past Mourning by Fleeta Cunningham

Half Past Mourning by Fleeta Cunningham
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (312 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

An hour after her wedding, Nina's new husband and his '55 Thunderbird disappear, and the search for him is inconclusive, leaving her married but alone with no answers as to what happened. Waiting for word from him, wondering where he is, she has no real future until she spies his car in a parking lot and starts asking questions.

When Professor Peter Shayne uncovers a driver's license concealed in the trunk of the T-Bird he's just purchased, he tracks down Nina for more information. As they follow clues together, Peter finds himself attracted to this woman, but what if they locate her husband? How can he declare his love for her if she's still married?

Torn and confused by the unfolding secrets of the boy she loved and married, Nina doubts she can trust her growing feelings for Peter. She must discover her husband's whereabouts, even if the truth hurts.

Living in limbo can sap a person’s courage and destroy dreams—a truth Nina Kirkland comes to realize more every day. However, a canary yellow T-Bird she would know anywhere brings back memories and hurt. It also sparks an old need to compete, plus it brings Dr. Peter Shayne PhD front and center in her life.

Twenty-four-year-old Nina, true to her vows and promises, looks at no man as a possible romantic partner. She's a wedded woman without a wedding night and has been for two years. The romance and love part of her life is on hold. However, the caring, precious, patient love that gently wraps around her like a magic mist rejuvenates her courage and gives her hope. More than that, it gives her a companion that loves her ‘little-girl-tomboy’ side that shows as she relates to her fourth graders, the competitive car racer side and the compassionate, caring sides that shows with her uncle, friends, and young students.

Dr. Peter Shayne is comfortable in his own skin—ah, what a hero! He does not kiss another man’s wife, neither does he walk away from the married Nina who touches that place in his heart that’s never been touched before—he bides his time. He offers support and help and lets a deep all encompassing love grow strong enough to give Nina the courage to trust her judgment again after having her faith in herself badly shaken. He's not at all affronted when pretty little Nina tells him she can win the gymkhana with his T-Bird but he cannot. He even wants her to teach him so he can win at a later time. Can you believe!

The secondary characters are background to showcase the hero and heroine. However, many of them have very realistic personalities. Nina’s uncle Eldon Lassiter, even though in a wheelchair, is a busy man yet helps others along the way, but most of all he's Nina’s solid-as-a-rock family. Marigold, the mother-in-law, more or less falls in the ‘ witch’ category—my goodness, how Nina survives her is a miracle. The never-present husband Danny Wilson, while not bodily present, is very much a part of the plot. His absence is wrapped in mystery and in times brings on suspense before the truth comes out.

The humor and joy Sinbad the cat and Princess the 1924 antique Isotta exotic touring car add give that special little flavor that makes Half Past Mourning even more delightful to read.

Fleeta Cunningham slips in mores, styles, and pastimes of the 1950s era as she lets the reader share time with the characters as they work to make sense of their lives. Her subtle, understated writing style moves along smooth as silk and slips the reader into a sparkling, enjoyable vicarious experience.

Drive-By Valentine by Kimber An

Drive-By Valentine by Kimber An
Publisher: Noble Romance
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Short Story (14 pgs)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lotus

Pushing thirty on Valentine’s Day, Eve realizes her desperate search for love has led to nothing but misery. Then, she takes a chance on a little old lady who’s famous for finding the perfect guy for every girl just by looking at his truck.

What to do when your coworkers are betting you would be staying home without a date on Valentine’s Day? You prove them wrong by finding the perfect date, but how?

Drive-By Valentine was a title that grabbed my attention and and then the story kept it when I quickly finished reading it in one sitting.

Eve found her answer in a little old lady who could look at a truck and determine whether the owner would be a perfect match for someone. Could she really do that? Besides Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the only other magical day, full of surprises, secret admirers, gifts, and love. Ms. An makes use of the spirit of Valentine’s Day to weave a tale filled with possibilities.

Eve is a hard working businesswoman who hasn’t had the best luck in finding love. She's been living her life with her mother’s approval. Her mother approved of Eve’s MBA, BMW, and her apartment (which Eve’s mother personally picked out for her). Eve feels she can’t really be herself all the time because it goes against her mother’s vision of her life. When she finds Sofia, the little old lady, Eve becomes liberated, backed by Sofia who cheers her on. Does Sofia find a perfect match for Eve? Who is it? How did Sofia find these perfect matches? These are the intriguing questions dealt with in this novella. I enjoyed Ms. An’s writing which captivated me and made me laugh out loud a few times. Even though the story was short, it packed a wonderful amount of the pertinent details within it.

Drive-By Valentine is a sweet and satisfying romance short enough to be a perfect read during lunch or any time you have a break during your day. I will treasure and re-read this little gem of a story that warms my heart and puts a smile on my face when I think about it.

More Like Her by Liza Palmer

More Like Her by Liza Palmer
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (363 pgs)
Heat Level sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

`I`m not the girl men choose. I`m the girl who`s charming and funny and then drives home alone wondering what she did wrong. I`m the girl who meets someone half-way decent and then fills in the gaps in his character with my own imagination, only to be shocked when he`s not the man I thought he was. I`m the girl who hides who she really is...`

Frannie has spent her life disguising who she really is for fear of falling short of other people`s expectations. And when she meets her new boss, Frannie can`t help but wish she was just a bit more like her. Because Emma has it all: the job, the lifestyle, the happy marriage... even the perfect dog.

But everything is not as it seems. And Frannie`s about to find out - in the hardest way possible - that chasing perfection isn`t necessarily the route to the happy life that she`s always imagined it to be.

A heartbreaking and romantic story about love, life, friendship and the true importance of chasing your own dreams.

The grass is always greener on the other side, or so the old adage goes. We look at others and automatically assume what they have is so much better. The thing we often forget is even the most seemingly perfect lives can be hiding dark – and even deadly – secrets. Frances Reid is about to discover this for herself in a horrifying and life-altering way.

Frannie is a fun and engaging character. She has a heart the size of a watermelon and will do anything for a friend in need. Her one flaw is her lack of confidence in herself and her ability to maintain a healthy relationship with a man. However, this is the thing that drives her throughout the course of the novel. Despite her penchant for ‘poor me’ moments, she’s pretty quick to pull herself back to reality. Frannie really is her own worst enemy and stands in her own way more often than anyone or anything else. The only thing that will ever change her mind is a positive experience with the perfect man. That man is Sam.

Sam Earley, architect and southern gentleman, is looking for a new start. Attempting to get out from under his father’s shadow, he’s left his home in Tennessee and moved halfway across the country. Sam is my dream guy: he’s sweet, he’s charming, and he’s goodhearted. When you toss in the fact he’s both successful and hot, how can you go wrong? Frannie feels the same way. His natural goodheartedness is a sure draw for any insecure, loving woman. He's exactly what Frannie needs – a solid and secure man, devoted to nothing but her and her happiness. Together, they are an enjoyable and entertaining couple, the kind of people you’d love to spend your Friday nights with.

More Like Her is a tale of self-discovery, love lost and found, and the harsh truth that what you see isn’t always what is real. The author weaves a story full of laugh-out-loud humor and mixes it with healthy doses of down-to-earth reality sure to break your heart. As in life, the story reflects the idea that while you can’t always have what you want, there might be something just as good lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right time to show itself. More Like Her is a wonderful story that hits all your emotional buttons and leaves you smiling.