A Year of Flowers

 

About the Book

Book: A Year of Flowers

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: November 18, 2024

In this collection of four heartfelt novellas, three former friends have found success in the floral industry, but happiness–and love–remain elusive.

In An Apology in Bloom, wedding florist Jaime Harper is on a meteoric rise, working for an event company led by a successful and way-too-handsome boss. When a letter arrives from her past mentor with an offer too good to pass up, will she stay or head back to her hometown?

In A Bouquet of Dreams, Claire Murphy has always dreamed of owning a flower shop, and when her employers hint at retirement, she believes her moment has arrived. But first she must confront her past–and the man who caused her to flee her hometown years ago.

In A Field of Beauty, Tessa Anderson has found an acre of farmland to start her flower farm and forget the past. She’s grateful for the help of two men–her boyfriend, Tyler, and a quiet soil specialist named Dawson. But as the farm finally starts to bloom, Tessa will discover something that challenges everything she’s built.

In A Future in Blossom, Jaime, Claire, and Tessa return to their hometown, finally ready to face each other and their beloved mentor, flower shop owner Rose Reid. As they unite to pull off an extraordinary wedding, amid the flurry of preparations they just may find their way to forgiveness.

 My Review: 

I loved this unique way of combining 4 short stories that all center around past friends, a tragedy, and the hope of a bright future for four friends and the men who become part of it. The novellas all revolve around the flower business. I enjoyed the different aspects of the industry that each story concentrated upon. My favorite was Tessa and her vision for a flower farm. She made her dream a reality, which is a great message to inspire others to try to do in their own life. 

Readers who enjoy authors such as Jan Karon will be happy to have another author like her to read.I received a complimentary copy of the book through the publisher, NetGalley, and Celebrate Lit. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California, where everyone knows everyone else, knows what they are doing and why. Most friends act a little nervous around Suzanne because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.

More from Suzanne

A Year of Flowers: Friendships in Full Bloom

If you’ve ever tended to a garden, you know that flowers and friendships have a lot in common—they both need a bit of love, attention, and sometimes, a good pruning. That’s the heart of my novella collection called A Year of Flowers, stories of three teenage girls who bonded over bouquets and blossomed into best friends under the guidance of Rose, the wise and wonderful flower shop owner.

But life, much like a garden, doesn’t always go according to plan. On one sweltering August day, something dreadful happens in the flower shop, and the girls, who once shared everything, suddenly vanish from each other’s lives.

Seven years later, we find out where each girl, now a young woman, has gone. Their love for flowers is still in full bloom. Jaime’s taken her talent to the big city, working as a floral artist for a high-end event agency in NYC. She’s turning heads with her extravagant designs, but something’s missing—maybe it’s the simple joy she once found in that small-town flower shop.

Claire has run off to Savannah, Georgia, where she’s knee-deep in blooms, working in a flower shop with dreams of running the place one day. She’s got her eye on the prize, but she’s also discovering that you can’t outrun the past, no matter how far you go.

Then there’s Tessa, who’s found solace in the soil of Asheville, NC, where she’s started a flower farm. It’s a peaceful life, but even in the quiet of the mountains, memories of that summer day haunt her like the mist that rolls over the hills.

As each story unfolds, we see that, like flowers, friendships need TLC. They can wilt easily without care and attention. And sometimes, a good pruning is necessary, to help it grow stronger.

In the final novella, the three young women are drawn back to where it all began—the flower shop, and to Rose. It’s time to dig up the past, clear out the weeds, and see if their friendship can bloom again. After all, just because a garden has been neglected doesn’t mean it can’t be revived with a little care and attention.

So, if you’re a fan of flowers, friendships, or happy endings, get a copy of A Year of Flowers. It’s a reminder that with the right care, both flowers and friendships can flourish, no matter how long they’ve been left untended.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, January 11

lakesidelivingsite, January 11

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 12

Book Looks by Lisa, January 12

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 13

Simple Harvest Reads, January 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

She Lives to Read, January 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 15

For Him and My Family, January 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 16

By the Book, January 17

Wishful Endings, January 17

Texas Book-aholic, January 18

Pause for Tales, January 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20

Lighthouse Academy, January 20

The Avid Reader, January 21

Stories By Gina, January 22 (Author Interview)

Jeanette’s Thoughts , January 23

Blossoms and Blessings, January 23

Batya’s Bits, January 24

Holly’s Book Corner, January 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54129

Escape from Nima

 

Description:

After successfully activating the Kaleidoscope to flee the desert land of Dara, Jack, a boy with pure white eyes, and his two sisters-Emma and Holly-bearing seven colored marks are thrust into the fiery Orange land of Nima.

They must navigate fields of lava and trek through dense jungles as they face new a monstrous beast, a religious cult, bounty hunters and a tyrannical Guardian bent on capturing them at any cost. With erupting volcanoes, the mysterious Greyl, and hordes of shards at the beck and call of Se’en-sii threatening them, the kids must risk everything to survive.

Aided by their trusted companions, new found allies, and growing powers, they seek a volatile flower of living fire, the next piece in the puzzle of their father’s Kaleidoscope. Pursued across the land, Emma, Jack, and Holly reckon with the lies their father told to protect them, while worlds away, Eli Waite desperately searches for a way to rescue his children from his past mistakes.

My Review: 

Things are cookin’ (pun intended) for Emma, Jack, Holly, and their companions as they navigate the new volcanic world of Nima to which they transported by way of the kaleidoscope. There is danger from several sources and they must navigate them as well as continue to learn more about the powers that have in these new worlds. I loved the characters they meet in this world. They are really going to add additional depth to the story. I also look forward to seeing how Professor Waite is going to be able to meet his children since this story ends on a cliffhanger.

Fans of science fiction and adventure will enjoy this second book in the Kaleidoscope Chronicles series. It can be read as a standalone, however, I highly recommend you read the first book in order to understand what has transpired on the other planet. I’m looking forward to reading book three.

I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

The Matter of the Secret Bride

 About the Book:

KingGeorge IV is petitioning Parliament for a divorce from his queen on the grounds of her adultery. But rumor has it that the king secretly married Maria Fitzherbert—long before he married the queen. Now Mrs. Fitzherbert has been robbed—and she’s frantically calling on Rosalind for help.

Because what those thieves took is proof that she and King George did really marry. That single piece of paper could destroy Mrs. Fitzherbert and her family—or it could prove the king guilty of bigamy.

Rosalind races to investigate. With her is ex-Bow Street officer, Adam Harkness, with whom Rosalind shares a complex and rapidly intensifying bond. But a case of theft soon turns to murder . . .

Josiah Poole, a disreputable attorney specializing in helping debtors—and who was seen entering Mrs. Fitzherbert’s house—is found brutally murdered. Mrs. Fitzherbert has debts. Could she have staged the theft, and employed Mr. Poole to sell the marriage certificate? Or is the truth even more complicated? Mrs. Fitzherbert’s daughters have secrets of their own. And Poole himself had no shortage of enemies.

With suspicious coincidences mounting, and more danger encroaching, Rosalind and Adam must move quickly to unravel a history-making mystery that might just lead them straight to the palace itself . . .

My Review: 

With the theft of a secret marriage certificate of Mrs. Fitzherbert and King George IV, Rosalind Thorne and Adam Harkness team up to locate it. If they don’t find it, the political atmosphere that is already rife with tension could become even more volatile. Rosalind walks a fine line between helping the noble families with their difficulties and earning a living. One false move or a slip of the tongue could ruin everything she has worked hard to obtain. I like that she is courageous and is determined to see this case through with all of its complexities. With several subplots and red herrings, you are given several possibilities as to what happened, which is what I liked about this mystery I enjoyed the romantic aspect of the relationship between Rosalind and Adam. He understands her better than anyone else, and they will be an even stronger detective duo in the future after solving this case. This is part of a series but the first one I have read. It can be read as a standalone without it affecting your understanding of the story. The author’s notes at the end were informative. I love history, so it was interesting to learn a bit about King George IV and his personal life that is central to the plot. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Cloaked in Beauty

 

About the Book: In the heart of the Piney Woods of Texas, Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit. Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to Letty grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping her out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.

My Review: 

I think it would difficult to write a modern day retelling of a fairy tale that is set in Texas, but Karen Witemeyer makes it seem so easy! With a young lady hiding in the woods with her pet wolf, and aspects of not one, not two, but three fairy tale stories come to life. I loved Letty, her grandmother Iris, Rusty the wolf, and Philip Carmichael, the man who must find and protect her.

Letty was quite the young woman as she goes on an arduous journey with Philip to be reunited with her mother. There were many times that many people would have quit, but she was brave and resourceful and never gave up. While living in seclusion may have seemed drastic in order to remain hidden from her foe, it actually helped Letty develop her strong, confident, and independent spirit. Philip was a great leading man as he showed time and again that he would risk his life to protect Letty and those who depended upon him for their safety.

Things to love:
danger
kind strangers
faith thread
the dragon and the wolf tale
love of books
penetrating the lair
the kiss

Favorite quote:
“At your side, wherever the road leads.”

This is the third book in the Texas Ever After series, but can be read as a standalone. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Dead Weight

 

About the Book

Book: Dead Weight: An Abbi Kincaid Suspense Novel

Author: Kathy Cassel

Genre: Suspense

Release date: August 29, 2023

When Florida Panhandle police officer Abbi Kincaid obtains a coveted position on the Bay County dive team, she has no inkling her first mission will be anything but routine. Recovering a murder weapon eighty feet below the ocean surface is a simple assignment until Abbi finds herself face-to-face with a mutilated body.

Then a fisherman pulls up a second body, and the similarities set off a search for a connection between the two murder victims. The quest leads to the murky world of high-stakes underwater salvage and treasure-hunting. But what instigated this killing spree, and why now?

A horrific new trail of evidence is uncovered, and Abbi begins to wonder if her beloved brother Brad’s recent death is unrelated or whether he is yet another victim of this predator, even as she wrestles with age-old questions of why God allows good people to die.

When one more salvage diver goes missing, Abbi is pulled into a dangerous mission to rescue him. Trapped by the killer in an underwater cave, Abbi can no longer keep running but must face her worst fears head-on. With time and air running out, can she find a way to save not just herself but the others trapped with her? Does she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so before time runs out?

 My Review: 

Investigator Abbi Kincaid is a new member of the Bay County underwater crime scene team and right away discovers a body when on a different assignment. Upon further investigating. Abbi puts the pieces together for several other murders that had happened in the area. She is a great asset to the team and the case was an interesting one. 

I liked the underwater police procedure novel, which was quite different than one on the land. If you enjoy crime stories in which you are given clues to see if you can figure out motive and perpetrator, you will like this book. 

I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Kathy Cassel is the author of more than a dozen fiction and non-fiction titles for preteens and teens, including 2021 Selah Award finalist Freerunner, Catching Hope, and 2023 Selah Award finalist and Christian Indie Award finalist, A Thousand Lies. Dead Weight is her first adult suspense novel and the first book in the Abbi Kincaid Suspense series.

Kathy has lived on three continents with her USAF husband, has eight children, five adopted of them adopted, three from Haiti, and six grandchildren. To better relate to her characters, she enjoys learning their skills such as whitewater rafting, scuba diving, and riding a motorcycle, but draws the line at sky diving.

More from Kathy

In 2015, my daughter Jessica and I had the idea to write an underwater crime scene series. She was in the FSUPC’s underwater crime scene program, but I had never dived. I kept asking her questions about scuba techniques to make the scenes authentic, but I didn’t have a feel for it. So I took the four-hour intro to scuba class. I did not expect to like it because I am a bit claustrophobic and also didn’t think I had enough air to clear my mask. But in reality, I did fine. In fact, I liked it enough that I signed up for Padi Basic on the spot.

Jessica and I worked on the book, and I continued learning to dive, ending up with my SDI open water advanced with some specialties. But it turns out we didn’t know what we were doing when it came to writing a fiction novel. So I enlisted the help of a fiction coach. We basically started the whole book over.

But by this time, my daughter and her husband were starting a family, and she decided to go to nursing school instead of going into law enforcement. Meanwhile, I pressed on alone with the book.

I decided that since my main character rode a motorcycle, it might be helpful to try that, too, so that the scenes where she rides would sound realistic. That was not without its own challenges, but I eventually got my certification, bought a cycle, and also learned to shoot a gun.

So, because of Abbi, I learned to dive, ride, and shoot!

The plot had changed drastically by now. I became so overwhelmed that I quit three times! During those times, I wrote three YA novels (Freerunner, Catching Hope, and A Thousand Lies). But I always knew I’d return to the underwater crime scene story. And I did. I kept pushing, and finally, with the help of my fiction coach, I finished the book. I hope you enjoy it.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 16

Bizwings Blog, December 17

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 18

Stories By Gina, December 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 19

Betti Mace, December 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 21

Simple Harvest Reads, December 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, December 23

Artistic Nobody, December 24 (Author Interview)

Book Looks by Lisa, December 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 26

Fiction Book Lover, December 27 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, December 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 28

Blogging With Carol, December 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book and a $40 Books a Million gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54121/

One Last Stand

Book Description: 

As a member of the Air One Rescue team, pilot London Brooks has built a new life—one far away from her clandestine past as an operative tasked to take down a branch of Russian terrorists. She has no desire to reenter that world or endure the grief of losing everyone she loved, including her fiancé. But the past won’t stay past. When she finds herself falsely accused, her reputation tarnished, and her life in danger, she has no choice but to plunge back into the treacherous world she left behind. Even if she must surrender everything—and everyone—she loves in her new life.Shep Watson will never forget the day he saved London Brooks from the avalanche that nearly killed her. He knew there was more to her story, but he’s intent on keeping her secrets. Just when it seems she’s finally ready to let him into her heart, her past comes knocking. But he can’t bear to lose her again. Which means, somehow, he’ll have to enter her world, keep up with her, and figure out a way to bring her home. But when the danger comes home to Alaska, what will it cost the Air One Rescue team?

My Review:

London Books has secrets that she hasn’t shared with anyone that just might get her killed. She has started a new life with the Air One Rescue team, but the past has a way of catching up with you. Shep Watson has secrets too, as he has been tasked with watching over her and protecting her. When London’s life spins out of control, I loved that Shep was her steadying force. He had such strength of character and determination to protect her that I was completely drawn into the story. I loved the danger, the plot twists, and the revelations of both London’s and Shep’s pasts.  

Things to Love:

a castle

secret passages

spies

Air One rescue team

faith thread

second chances

I have loved every story in the Alaska Air One Rescue series. I was so sad to see it end and wish there were more books to read. If you are looking for action-packed, suspenseful plots with romance and a faith thread, you will want to be sure and read these books. 

There Comes a Midnight Hour

Description: 

Cloaked in the shadows at a midnight masquerade, a killer lies in wait. Dancers waltz to and fro—completely unaware of the danger lurking in their midst.

Paris 1888

Mira Blayse had always dreamed of going to Paris, but she never imagined a murderer would lead her to the City of Light. Reunited with Byron, the two of them delve into the heart of Parisian society, determined to ensure that justice is served, no matter the cost.

Yet, as they uncover the intricate web of deception woven by the Order of Circe and their operatives, Mira finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

With tensions mounting and secrets unraveling on every side, the key to unlocking the truth lies in the identity of one of Circe’s leaders—the enigmatic Number Three. But in a world of false faces and hidden agendas, can Mira uncover the truth before it’s too late?

Review: 

I love the dynamic sleuthing duo of Mira Blayse and Byron Constantine! As the two continue their search for an unstable killer and member of the secret criminal organization, Circe, I was totally a part of their investigation. I loved the search for clues and the people and places they encounter. Pages were turning at a high rate of speed for me. 

Things to love: 

the masquerade ball

the catacombs

danger 

correspondence

continued courtship

plot twists

I highly recommend reading this third book in the series but do so in order. There is a lot of backstory you will need to know in order to follow the story. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! This is a book that lovers of Sherlock Holmes or historical mysteries will want to add to their collection. 

I received a complimentary copy of the book through BookSirens. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.