Julie's Review: The Coffee Shop of Curiosities

Author: Heather Webber
Series: None
Publication Date:  August 1, 2023
Publisher: Forge Publishing
Pages: 320
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: Sometimes you have to take chances to live
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Summary: A mysterious letter. An offer taken. And the chance to move forward. When Ava Harrison receives a letter containing an unusual job listing one month after the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, she thinks she’s being haunted. The listing―a job as a live-in caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cranky cat in Driftwood, Alabama―is the perfect chance to start a new life. A normal life. Ava has always been too fearful to even travel, so no one’s more surprised than she is when she throws caution to the wind and drives to the distant beachside town. On the surface, Maggie Mae Brightwell is a bundle of energy as she runs Magpie’s, Driftwood’s coffee and curiosity shop, where there’s magic to be found in pairing the old with the new. But lurking under her cheerful exterior is a painful truth―keeping busy is the best way to distract herself from the lingering loss of her mama and her worries about her aging father. No one knows better than she does that you can’t pour from an empty cup, but holding on to the past is the only thing keeping the hope alive that her mama will return home one day. Ava and Maggie soon find they’re kindred spirits, as they’re both haunted―not by spirits, but by regret. Both must learn to let go of the past to move on―because sometimes the waves of change bring you to the place where you most belong. ~amazon.com

Review: There is something special about Heather Webber's books for me. Perhaps is the bit of magic that she sprinkles along the way but I think it's also how she writes her characters. From the eccentric, to the secretive to the hurting, all of them are key parts to the story she's weaving. The story begins and ends with Ava but it is her journey that ends up bringing the small town together and healing old wounds. 

I loved all of the characters in this novel and the interpersonal relationships even if they were complicated at times because well life is complicated. Dez and Maggie have always had a special father/daughter relationship but lately Dez has been acting odd and Maggie is getting concerned. Maggie has her own health issues to worry about and she needs to take care of herself but she's too busy worrying about and taking care of the town. Plus there's all kinds of rumors abound about Dez selling the coffee shop that Maggie's mom opened before she disappeared years ago and Maggie can't let it go. Plus an old flame of hers and re-emerged and wants to rekindle what they had. 

Then there's the mysterious Sam who Ava finds herself drawn to him and of course his dog, Norman. Ava who is still working through the grief of her friend, Alexander and trying to live a normal life. She's worried about her own health issues she had when she was younger. 

I loved the matching of the curiosities from the coffee shop with people that seemed random but really put them on their correct path in life. 

If you are a fan of Sarah Addison Allen's novels, then you should definitely pick up Heather Webbers's books. 

Julie's Review: South of the Buttonwood Tree

Author: Heather Webber
Series: None
Publication Date:  July 21, 2020
Publisher: Forge Books
Pages: 330
Obtained: Publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Gorgeous novel about finding yourself and your family
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Summary: Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she’s happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however, when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree. Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace’s secrets. The unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter Blue’s and Sarah Grace’s lives forever. Both women must fight for what they truly want in life and for who they love. In doing so, they uncover long-held secrets that reveal exactly who they really are—and what they’re willing to sacrifice in the name of family. ~amazon.com

Review:  Blue Bishop has been "cursed" by her last name for her entire left. She's never felt that she belonged in Buttonwood because of this. She has a very close knit circle that she's let in over the years but other than that she keeps to herself. She also has a gift of finding lost things which on one day include finding a baby by the famous Buttonwood tree. The tree has a magical quality about it because it tells you what you need to hear not what you want to hear. The tree left a button saying to give the baby to Blue. What isn't known is how the appearance of this baby will turn lives upside down and all around.

On the other side of town, Sarah Grace is trying to figure out what do do about her marriage. Luckily she doesn't have to make that choice because he does it for her. Now all that she has to do is right her life and find what makes her happy. Like some of us, what makes her happy is right in front of her. Sarah Grace has a special gift as well, she can feel the past of the houses that she's living in or rehabbing. She's also trying to reconcile her past and trying to make sense of the decisions she made. 

This book had so much heart that it will stay with me for a long time. Everyone has secrets but perhaps none as interlinked as the residents of Buttonwood. I loved how Ms. Webber wove her magical realism into this novel. This was the perfect escape from what ails you right now.

Jenn's Review: Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe

Author: Heather Webber
Series: None
Publication Date: July 16th 2019
Publisher: Forge Books
Pages: 336
Obtained: Purchase
Genre:  Women's Fiction, Magical Realism
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: family, secrets, and misunderstandings 
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Summary: Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café. It was supposed to be a quick trip to close the café and settle her grandmother’s estate, but despite her best intentions to avoid forming ties or even getting to know her father’s side of the family, Anna Kate finds herself inexplicably drawn to the quirky Southern town her mother ran away from so many years ago, and the mysterious blackbird pie everybody can’t stop talking about. As the truth about her past slowly becomes clear, Anna Kate will need to decide if this lone blackbird will finally be able to take her broken wings and fly.

Review: Heather Webber has long been one of my favorite authors ever since Julie introduced me to her Lucy Valentine  series years ago. She has a way of writing characters that is warm, inviting, and oh-so-accessible. I was intrigued by Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe as it is her first novel that ventures into the realm of Women's Fiction.

It's amazing how the strand of a single person's life can run through so many other lives and how events can change and shape who we become.  Even when several people are touched by the same experience the individual effects can be so incredibly different.  These are the themes Heather Webber skillfully explores and there is much to love here.  There are several character's stories that unfold gently and I was enthralled watching their past catch up with their present. Despite the fact that the story is told from several different points of view, the transitions were not jarring and I felt drawn into the quirky town and all of its inhabitants.

As much as I enjoy magical realism, I found that it was the only thing that seemed slightly out of place in the novel.  Don't get me wrong, it was artfully done and it gave the novel quaint charm. However, the magic of the pie would have been enough for me and I felt that the story could have easily stood on it's own without much of the rest of it.

The novel ends as quietly as it begins and one can't help but feel you are leaving the character's behind too soon.  I found myself wishing to be back in in Wicklow, sitting down for a piece of pie, and catching up with all the neighbors.  That's the thing about a Heather Webber novel, it sticks with you for days after you close the cover.

Julie's Review: Undeniably Yours

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #5
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Blue Dandelion Press
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre: Mystery, Paranormal
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: Another fabulous Lucy novel
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Blurb:  NO GOOD DEED While still recuperating from injuries sustained in her previous case, the last thing psychic investigator Lucy Valentine wants is to dive into another job. But when Detective Lieutenant Aiden Holliday comes calling for help in finding a missing woman, saying no is not an option. TV journalist Kira Fitzpatrick has vanished without a trace. There’s little for Lucy to go on except picking up Kira’s current investigation where she left off. The fearless reporter had been close to cracking one of the year’s biggest cases: the disappearance of a two-year-old boy. 

GOES UNPUNISHED Now Lucy must use her abilities to find both of them. As she follows a twisted trail of lies and deceit, she uncovers a shocking twist to Kira’s exposé that someone is desperate to keep secret. It’s a race against the clock as Lucy struggles to discover who’s telling the truth…and who’s willing to kill to keep her from solving the case.

Review: I don't know if you've noticed but Jenn & I adore this series. It really does have a little bit of something for everyone: mystery, romance, paranormal. Plus you've got a plucky heroine in Lucy Valentine. 

Undeniably Yours picks up where Perfectly Matched leaves off. Which is good because that one left quite the cliffhanger. It doesn't take long to get roped into the story, the mystery of the novel. Ms. Webber always does a good job of creating an intriguing plot. Lucy always finds herself in the thick of things but its usually because someone she cares about is also in the thick of it. This time it's her detective friend Aiden Holliday, who happens to be engaged to her friend Em. 

Lucy joins Aiden in searching for Kira Fitzpatrick, a missing investigative reporter. She was in the middle of blowing the roof of of a missing child's case when this happens. It is up to Lucy and Aiden to pull together the pieces before it's too late.  

While the case is one of the more heart-wrenching ones Lucy gets involved in, as usual it is the relationships that she has that make me love her and these books. Between her parents and their unusual relationship to her own relationship with Sean, they are the heart of these books. I have loved seeing Lucy grow up and fall deeper in love with Sean. She has begun to accept how her gift can help people and not view it as a burden. 

If you haven't read this lovely series, then I beg you to start from the beginning with Truly, Madly. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it. 

Jenn's Review

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Jenn's Review: Undeniably Yours

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #5
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Blue Dandelion Press
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre: 
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: Another fabulous Lucy novel
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Blurb:  NO GOOD DEED 

While still recuperating from injuries sustained in her previous case, the last thing psychic investigator Lucy Valentine wants is to dive into another job. But when Detective Lieutenant Aiden Holliday comes calling for help in finding a missing woman, saying no is not an option. 

TV journalist Kira Fitzpatrick has vanished without a trace. There’s little for Lucy to go on except picking up Kira’s current investigation where she left off. The fearless reporter had been close to cracking one of the year’s biggest cases: the disappearance of a two-year-old boy. 

GOES UNPUNISHED 

Now Lucy must use her abilities to find both of them. As she follows a twisted trail of lies and deceit, she uncovers a shocking twist to Kira’s exposé that someone is desperate to keep secret. It’s a race against the clock as Lucy struggles to discover who’s telling the truth…and who’s willing to kill to keep her from solving the case.

Review:  Whenever I'm looking for a book that I know I will love I turn to Heather Webber/Heather Blake.  I actually try to save her books, especially the Lucy Valentine series, for when I need a reading lift but Julie's review of the fourth novel, Perfectly Matched, left me craving a visit with LucyD.

Perfectly Matched had a significant twisty cliffhanger at the end and it was marvelous that Undeniably Yours picks up right where things were left off.  The supporting cast is more in the background this time around but they are still supportive and present in the story.  (Most of Lucy's friends and investigative team are out of commission after the last case so Lucy has to go this one with just Aiden.)  The case is intriguing and personal for everyone.  I had an inkling of where things were headed and I was not disappointed to be right, but I certainly wasn't completely right; Heather Webber always has good twists up her sleeve.

The only thing I wish there had been discussed more was her unusual predictive link with Sean.  Has it disappeared completely? Will it resurface?  Last book spent a lot of time dealing with Lucy and her abilities and while she did use them, I felt like I wanted a little more continuation with the exploration of this.  However that was a small shadow over an otherwise sunny novel.

There was no cliffhanger this time, but as always things were tied up just enough to leave you craving more time with Lucy and her family.  I love all of Heather Webber's books, but Lucy Valentine will always be my favorite, so I will patiently await her next adventure.

Julie's Review: Perfectly Matched

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #4
Publication Date: May 14, 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 308
Obtained: Mine
Genre:  Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: I have missed Lucy and if you haven't read Lucy's adventures you must!
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Summary: The heat is on... When Boston psychic Lucy Valentine finds herself involved with a group of eccentric mediums trying to fine tune their abilities, she is convinced a rare spring heat wave has flushed all the local crazies out of hiding. Adding to her theory is her newest client in the Lost Loves division of Valentine, Inc., her family?s lucrative matchmaking firm. He?s an animal whisperer who hires Lucy to locate his soul mate?because his cat told him so. Finding his purrfect match, however, isn't as easy as it seems. But craziest of all is the Beantown Burner, a serial arsonist who is targeting private eye Sam Donahue, brother of Lucy?s boyfriend, Sean. With the help of her kooky psychic group, Lucy must tap into hidden abilities to catch the firebug before the fires turn deadly. She never expected to discover that the motive behind the flames hits a little too close to home...and dangerously close to her heart. ~amazon.com

Review: So Perfectly Matched has been on my shelf for 2 years and I regret that but now I can go ahead and read the next one in the series, Undeniably Yours, before going through Lucy withdrawal. I was so happy to be back with Lucy and the gang. Lucy makes me laugh because while she has a gift, she can find lost things by connecting to the person who lost it, she doesn't take herself too seriously. She's cautious using her gift and only wants to help people.

In Perfectly Matched, there are a couple mysteries going at once: the arsonist and the case of a missing girl. Neither are connected and both are resolved. Sometimes in mystery novels the author forces the two distinct cases to be entertwined but I'm happy that Ms. Webber didn't do that. There are also subplots going on with Lucy's friends and family. Her family and friends constantly make me laugh because they are so fun and get themselves in situations that you just shake your head at.

The arsonist case is messing with someone close to Lucy. Can Lucy solve the mystery? Can she help her new client find love? I figured out one of the subplots early on but was interested to see how it plays out. Plus we are left with a cliffhanger?!! I was left going, WHAT?!

Ms. Webber writes characters that I would want to hang out with and befriend. They are salt of the earth people. Her grandmother, Dovie, continues to be one of my favorite characters. She is contant in her quest to see Lucy pregnant with Sean's baby. Only problem is, Lucy and Sean aren't even there yet.

If you are looking for a book series to curl up with then you must read these and you won't regret it.

Jenn's Review





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Jenn's Review: The Goodbye Witch

Author: Heather Blake
Series: Wishcraft Mystery #4
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Signet
Pages: 299
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  cozy mystery, paranormal
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: ...
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Blurb:  As Enchanted Village’s resident Wishcrafter, Darcy Merriweather has the power to make other people’s wishes come true, but what she really wishes is that she had the power to uncloak the invisible man who’s stalking her best friend....
 
Darcy’s closest friend and fellow witch, Starla Sullivan, hoped she’d never see her ex-husband, Kyle, again. Two years ago he tried to kill her, and he has been a fugitive ever since. Now Starla claims to have seen him back in Enchanted Village, but it seems she’s the only one who can see him. To everyone else, her ex is invisible.
 
Darcy only wishes his motives were as transparent as the rest of him. Since the police can’t arrest someone they can’t see, it’s up to Darcy to find the secret behind Kyle’s latest disappearing act—before he does something they can’t see coming….


Review:  Heather Blake is my go to author when I need a book that I know I'm going to love.  The Goodbye Witch definitely fits the bill.  Her characters are so fabulous that it's like spending time with friends you haven't seen in a while.

I don't recall Starla's ex-husband ever being mentioned before, but that made him no less terrifying. Darcy gets pulled into the middle of the investigation again, this time at the request of the Elder which helps keep Glinda from further complicating Darcy's and Nick's relationship by insisting Darcy stay out of investigations.  I don't understand Glinda and her jealousy and rigidity, though I think I came to understand her a little better in this book.  She looks at the world as black and white absolutes and it seems to prevent her from moving forward. 

As for moving forward, Darcy and Nick finally seem to be on the same footing, thanks mostly to being able to work together on the investigation. I loved the progression of Darcy's relationship with Mimi, as well. It was also nice to see Darcy soften a little and step back and reflect a little more. 

As for the mystery, Heather Blake stumped me again, and although the solution wasn't all that complicated, it was excellent. I started to unravel things with Darcy, but I had no idea what really happened until she did.  I also loved all the little surprises at the end; yet another reason why I love Heather Blake's books. 

If you haven't checked out her Wishcraft series, I highly recommend it... If you haven't checked out any of her series, what are you waiting for???

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Jenn's Review: A Potion to Die For

Author: Heather Blake
Series: Magic Potion Mystery #1
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Signet
Pages: 336
Obtained: purchased
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Another fantastic magical series from Heather Blake/Heather Webber
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Blurb:  TROUBLE IS BREWING…

As the owner of Little Shop of Potions, a magic potion shop specializing in love potions, Carly Bell Hartwell finds her product more in demand than ever. A local soothsayer has predicted that a couple in town will soon divorce—and now it seems every married person in Hitching Post, Alabama, wants a little extra matrimonial magic to make sure they stay hitched.

But when Carly finds a dead man in her shop, clutching one of her potion bottles, she goes from most popular potion person to public enemy number one. In no time the murder investigation becomes a witch hunt—literally! Now Carly is going to need to brew up some serious sleuthing skills to clear her name and find the real killer—before the whole town becomes convinced her potions really are to die for!

Review:  When I need a book I know I will love, I pick up a novel from Heather Blake.  This is a new series from Ms. Blake who has a talent for making the magical fit into everyday life as if it's quite common.  It's one of the many things I love about her work.

Once again Ms. Blake's written some magnificent characters I can't wait to revisit.  I actually had a little trouble getting into this one through no fault of the novel itself.  It is just that I miss all of her other characters from her all her other series and was wishing I was visiting with them.  However, by the time I put A Potion to Die For down I found myself having fallen in love with a whole new cast of characters...  and was missing them desperately.  I want to get to know all of them better, especially Carly's cousin Delia who has been relegated as the bad witch by Carly and the rest of her family.

Once again, I found myself wanting to visit the town that Heather Blake created.  I loved the shops and the houses --I could picture them all so vividly.  Also, I must admit that I fell for the red herring hook, line, and sinker.  The real culprit took me completely by surprise... and I won't spoil it for you by saying any more than that.

If you haven't read a Heather Blake book (or a novel by her other nom de plume, Heather Webber), I can't recommend her enough.  She's one of my all time favorites.

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Jenn's Review: Trouble in Spades

Blurb:  Landscaping is Nina Quinn's business, but trouble seems to be her middle name. Saddled with a recently expelled, faithless local–cop husband, a teenaged terror of a stepson, and the yappiest, most unhousebreakable Chihuahua in captivity, Nina needs a respite –– and the backyard makeover she's undertaking for her sister Maria and Nate, Maria's fiance, may do the trick.

But, of course, Nate vanishes mysteriously, and Nina's gardening magic inadvertently turns up a corpse. And with a thief on the prowl who's preying on the neighborhood elderly, a suspicious Pandora's Box of a package arriving on her doorstep, and yet another body inconveniently turning up, Nina's going to have to dig into her community's dirtiest little secrets to regain her peace and sanity –– if she can manage to stay alive long enough to enjoy it

Review:  I have been waiting for the next Lucy Valentine or Wishcraft mystery from Heather Webber/ Heather Blake and missing her writing... until I remembered I still have most of the Nina Quinn books to read!  Hooray!

The Nina Quinn series is a read in a sitting book for me, (as long as I have a sitting in which to read it!).  As usual I love all of Heather Webber's characters.  She has a way of populating her novels without making caricatures of the supporting cast; for example I adore her crazy neighbors.

Nina gets drawn into all of her family's drama and she does it with as much grace as she can muster.  Although I pegged the main culprit  midway through the book, it did not go down the way I thought it would.  There were certain story lines that I was sure I had solved, but in the end, the twists surprised me.

The Nina Quinn series is a light, quick read, but it's always a fun one.  When I need a book I know I will enjoy, Heather Blake/Heather Webber is my go to!

Final Take:  4/5


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Jenn's Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy

 Blurb:  Darcy Merriweather is Enchanted Village’s newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. But as Darcy prepares a celebration for a magical florist, she discovers that every rose has its thorns…

When magical florist Harriette Harkette decides to throw a lavish eightieth birthday party for herself, she hires Darcy’s Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service, As You Wish, to plan the soiree. But turning eighty isn’t all Harriette is celebrating—the Floracrafter has recently created the midnight black Witching Hour rose, the first all-natural rose of that color.

Darcy works hard on planning an extravagant celebration that will make Harriette feel like the belle of the ball. But when cake delivery boy Michael Healey—a former employee at Harriette’s greenhouse—is found dead, the celebration takes a turn. Now Michael’s ghost has imprinted on Darcy, meaning that they’re bonded until she can untangle the thicket surrounding his murder—and what exactly it has to do with the Witching Hour rose…  

Review:  Oh, how I love the Wishcraft series!  You will hear me say that about Heather Blake's alter ego Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series too.  Last year I also tried one of her Nina Quinn mysteries and loved it as well, so I guess it has become abundantly clear that I will have to shorten this by saying, I love her writing, no matter whom she is writing as.

Heather Blake/Webber books are usually labeled cozy and are the pinnacle of what a cozy mystery should be.  For me, cozy mysteries are often predictable and overly quaint; neither of these are words I would use to describe Heather Blake's books.  Whenever I pick up one of her books I find it hard to put down.  I love her characters, I love her mysteries, and I love that she can write about magic without making it the focal point of the story.  (In fact, I'm betting that even non-fantasy readers will love her work -so much so that I've sent Julie the first book in the series!)

Things are finally starting to return to normal for Darcy when she stumbles across another body.  Although the chief of the village police is her boyfriend, the Crafters to turn to Darcy to find resolution, the Elder has even tasked her with it.  This would cause a normal amount of friction if it weren't for the fact that the woman trying to steal her man is on the force with him just waiting to make her life difficult for interfering with the investigation.  While there were a few things I guessed, I did not solve the mystery and that is always a plus in my book.

I cannot recommend the Wish Crafter series enough... or the Lucy Valentine series... and Heather Blake has a new Magic Potion series coming out in November and I'm sure I'll love it too.  In the mean time, I will have to catch up with Nina Quinn...

Final Take:  5/5


 

Jenn's Review: A Witch Before Dying

Summary:  Darcy Merriweather is Salem, Massachusetts’ newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. While Darcy isn’t able to grant wishes for herself, she does possess a certain knack for solving problems—including the occasional murder…

When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her missing mother’s disorderly home, the Wishcrafter is certainly up for the task. After all, the motto of her Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service As You Wish is “No Job Impossible.” But beneath the piles of old newspapers and knickknacks Darcy discovers something much more disturbing—Patrice Keaton’s body.

Darcy’s determined to give Elodie peace of mind by investigating her mother’s disappearance and death. Patrice was last seen over a year ago after a fight with her Charmcrafter boyfriend. Was her murder a crime of passion? Or were Patrice’s troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet? Now Darcy has to not only find a killer, she has to find the Anicula— before the power of ultimate wish fulfillment falls into the wrong hands…

Review:  I adore Heather Blake's/Heather Webber's books.  They're fun without being overly frivolous.  They're engaging and magical, just like her characters.  (In a lot of ways, her writing reminds me of lighter version Sarah Addison Allen, who I also love.)

I have never been to Salem, so I have no idea if The Enchanted Village I've constructed in my head from the Wishcraft series resembles an actual place, but I must say I love the quaint, charming town in the novels.  Not only do I want to visit, I'd move there!  ( I think that makes me a Seeker... in the Crafter world.)  The residents are all interesting as is their interpersonal relationships.

Darcy has gotten pulled into another crime investigation and Heather Blake has done it in a way that seems completely normal, well, for a Crafter anyway.  It makes sense that fellow Crafter's would trust Darcy more than the police.  I like the way she's laid the groundwork for further investigations too, to keep things from getting too "Cabot Cove-y".    

The plot was plenty twisty and full of surprises.  I thought I had found the culprit early on, but I was completely suckered in by a false trail.  I like how there is a little romance in each novel, but it's fits into the plot and doesn't take over the storyline.  I love getting to know all the townsfolk and it was amazing how quickly all the characters came back to me... and it's been almost a year since I read the first novel.

All in all, if you enjoy Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series (read it if you haven't!), I think you will enjoy the Wishcraft series she writes under Heather Blake.  I'm going to delve further into her Nina Quinn mystery series this year too.  She is becoming one of those author's who's books I purchase at publication no questions asked.

Final Take:  4.5/5.0

Alice's Review: Truly, Madly

Summary: Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.  Plus, her rent is due.  Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking forsomething. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it… ~amazon.com

Review: When Julie suggested I read Truly, Madly by Heather Webber I was a bit skeptical. Even thought she raves about Heather Webber and the Lucy Valentine series, I was still unconvinced. From what I know about Julie, this is so not the kind of novel she reads. This novel is part romance, part chick lit, part paranormal. Lucy is a psychic for Pete’s sake. Now that I read the first book in the series, I totally get it. I’m sure I love Lucy and her cast of misfits nearly as much as Julie does.

Lucy Valentine has a gift very different from that of her aura-seeing matchmaking family. When she touches someone’s palm, she can see where he or she misplaced a lost item. This gift can make shaking hands with someone a nightmare. Lucy thinks this gift is not really a gift at all, it’s more of a curse.

I really loved this novel. It was funny, fast paced and kept me guessing all the way to the end. The premise was refreshing, unique and original. Heather Webber created some truly unique characters. They are all so likeable. I really enjoyed our protagonist Lucy. I took such pleasure watching her blossom before my eyes into a woman who finally comes to terms with what she considered a curse for so long.

I think what I enjoyed most in this novel is that there are so many adventures left for Lucy, not to mention the supporting characters. Will Detective Aiden and Emerson get together? What’s in store for Butch the butcher and vegetarian Marisol? Is love on the horizon for them as well?

I enjoyed this one so much, I will definitely continue reading the series. Heather Webber made a fan out me, in spite of her being a Red Sox fan.

Final Take: 4/5

Check out Jenn's Review: Truly, Madly
Check out  Julie's Review: Truly, Madly

Jenn's Review: Perfectly Matched

Summary:  The heat is on...

When Boston psychic Lucy Valentine finds herself involved with a group of eccentric mediums trying to fine tune their abilities, she is convinced a rare spring heat wave has flushed all the local crazies out of hiding.

Adding to her theory is her newest client in the Lost Loves division of Valentine, Inc., her family’s lucrative matchmaking firm. He’s an animal whisperer who hires Lucy to locate his soul mate—because his cat told him so. Finding his purrfect match, however, isn't as easy as it seems.

But craziest of all is the Beantown Burner, a serial arsonist who is targeting private eye Sam Donahue, brother of Lucy’s boyfriend, Sean. With the help of her kooky psychic group, Lucy must tap into hidden abilities to catch the firebug before the fires turn deadly. She never expected to discover that the motive behind the flames hits a little too close to home...and dangerously close to her heart.

Review:   Oh, how I love Lucy Valentine! I am thrilled that Heather Webber decided to continue this series. Perfectly Matched is the fourth book in the Lucy Valentine series and it quickly became one of my favorites.

One of the best parts of the Lucy Valentine books is the way Heather Webber perfectly balances the combination of her character's and their relationships with a mystery in the plots. I was so absorbed by what was going on with everyone that I wasn't even trying to solve the cases Lucy was working on. Heather Webber is one of those rare author's who's work I can just sit back and enjoy.

The ending was a total shocker, in more ways than one. I did catch the one major clue but dismissed it as something else entirely. I was totally in the dark. Just as things stated to get neatly tied up, Ms. Webber drops a major bombshell that sent me reeling.

Hopefully, Heather Webber has already started work on another Lucy Valentine book, because I'm not sure how long she can keep me hanging. This is Lucy at her best.  If you have never tried this series, I highly recommend it; you will be rewarded with great characters and entertaining story lines.

Final Take:  5/5

Jenn's Review: A Hoe Lot of Trouble

Summary:  Nina Collette Ceceri Quinn’s business, Taken By Surprise--a landscaping firm specializing in surprise garden makeovers--is the only thing in her life that seems to be thriving. Her marriage to adulterous police detective Kevin Quinn has wilted. Her anti-social stepson Riley is spreading trouble around like pungent manure. Even her gardening tools are disappearing, including a rather valuable set of hoes. Worst of all, the delightful old man who first introduced her to the joys of horticulture is dead--and not by natural causes. Something evil has taken root in Nina’s Ohio small town, and the local police--including dearly unbeloved Kev--are baffled. But it’s amazing what a resourceful gardener can dig up when she puts her mind to it--though, by sticking her hands too deeply into this fetid, fertile soil, Nina might well end up planted beneath her own petunias.  ~goodreads.com

Review:  I love Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series and her new Wishcraft series published under the name Heather Blake, so I thought it might be fun to read some of her earlier works like A Hoe Lot of Trouble. Here you can see vestiges of the Heather Webber I've come to love

I don't read many cozy mysteries, because I find them rather predictable. I have to say even though it isn't a heavy read, Heather Webber had me completely fooled. Apparently, plot twists are something she has always done well. I'm still a little flummoxed about why Nina stuck her nose so far into an investigation in the first place, but, such is the nature of a cozy mystery. And while I found some of it a little frivolous, it held my attention straight through.

I also enjoyed her characters; it's hard not to like Nina. She's strong and spirited and a lot less vulnerable than many of Ms. Webber's other female leads. Nina is going to take the bull by the horns, even of it is in the middle of a china shop. I always find myself thinking her characters would make great friends and Nina is no different. I also found it refreshing that there was no formulaic love interest such as you find in so many cozies. Not to say that Nina isn't on the rebound and looking, but she's okay with that.

A Hoe Lot of Trouble is the beginning of a series of Nina Quinn garden mysteries, and I'm pretty sure I will be reading them all. This is a perfect beach read. I will enjoy seeing how the series progresses and what other kinds of trouble Nina can get herself into.

Final Take:  3.75/5

Jenn's Review: Absolutely, Positively

Summary: “Exposed” by a Boston Herald reporter, Lucy is suddenly the talk of the town. Long back-story short: Even though the rest of her Valentine ancestors were blessed by Cupid with psychic abilities, Lucy’s only special power lies in her ability to find things. This skill has proven quite a blessing for those who come to her matchmaking agency in search of finding their long-lost loves. Now that Lucy’s secret is out, she has more new clients than she knows what to do with. But soon a certain man of mystery steals Lucy’s spotlight…

No, it’s not Sean Donahue, the sexy fireman-turned-private-eye who’s stolen Lucy’s heart. It’s a masked man in a cowboy hat, dubbed “The Lone Ranger,” who’s been throwing handfuls of cash across the Common. Now all of Beantown’s abuzz. Can Lucy unmask the mysterious money man, track down all her clients’ old flames, and turn up the heat on her love life? Absolutely, positively…

Review:   I have been holding on to this Lucy Valentine novel for almost a year in hopes that Heather Webber would be writing more in the series. I adore this series and I just didn't want it to end. Now, with Perfectly Matched available electronically, and soon to be available in print, I finally felt comfortable starting Absolutely, Positively.

It was wonderful to revisit Lucy Valentine, but man, did she frustrate me this time through. Granted, I'm not in her shoes, but she sets too much store in perfectly matched auras and curses. Yes, she has past precedent to back it up, but she really needs to have a little faith. She spends so much time worrying about the future and what may happen that she misses the here and now of what is happening. ...And here I am talking about Lucy as if she was a real person... But that's just why I love this series so; I get entirely wrapped up in the characters and their lives. So when I quote my daughter and say this was "not my favorite" Lucy Valentine novel, understand that it's like saying this is not my favorite Godiva chocolate.

For the first time ever, I saw many of them twists coming, perhaps because this story felt more character driven. The plot is usually well balanced with the character development but I felt like it took a bit of a back seat here. This didn't make it any less enjoyable, because I just adore Heather Webber's easy, witty style. It was the journey that made it worth the while.

I'm certainly glad that this wasn't the last book in the series; I can't wait to see where all of the characters go from here. Now that I know that the Lucy Valentine series will continue, I think I won't wait so long to pick up Perfectly Matched. In fact, you may see my review for it real soon.

Final Take:  4.25/5.0

Jenn's Review: It Takes A Witch

Summary:  Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...  ~product description

Review: Having adored Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series, I knew It Takes a Witch under her new pen name Heather Blake would have a lot to live up to. (I'm actually am so enamored with the Lucy Valentine books that I don't want to read book three which, as it stands now, is the last book in the series.)  I am pleased to report that It Takes a Witch held its own.

Whereas the Lucy Valentine books dabble in the paranormal, It Takes a Witch is fully paranormal because it centers around a community of Crafters (AKA witches) living among mortals in a little New England town.  The town capitalizes on their witchy reputation by commercializing it, and making it a magical destination, completely unawares that there are real witches in residence.  However, Enchanted Village has had a recent crime wave that starts with some pick pocketing and ends with a murder which is not only bad for publicity, it's downright un-neighborly.  I love the setting of this book because I live not too far from a quaint mystical community that may or may not be home to real witches and It Takes a Witch provided a wonderful scope for the imagination.

The mystery is good.  I didn't find myself pushing to figure out the whodunit of it all because there were so many small mysteries to enjoy unravelling.   Some of the things I solved before Darcy and some I didn't... and a few little things Heather Blake left unresolved for the next book.  There's also a good dose of her trademark humor and witty dialogue.

My only complaint is that I felt that I didn't get to know the characters quite as well as I would have liked, but there were an abundance of them, which is perhaps why Blake didn't explore them as deeply as she could have.  I loved that so few of the characters are who they seem to be on the surface.  I also liked the fact that Darcy wasn't investigating the town crime wave because she was nosy or curious, but because she got pulled into it in an attempt to protect her family.

This story was a snapshot into Darcy's and Harper's life.   I want to know about Darcy's past. I want to know Nick's story.  I want to know more about Darcy's family heritage as Crafters.  I want to know more about the community of Crafters.  I want to know more about the different Crafters.  I want to know about the Elder.  And I definitely want to know more about the crazy twist at the end.  I want... to read the next book!

The crazy thing is, I wouldn't mind if Heather Blake switched protagonists with each story in the series.  That's not to say that I didn't love Darcy, it's just that there isn't an uninteresting character and they certainly provide a wealth of untapped stories for the continuation of the series.  

If you are looking for a nice light mystery with lots of great characters,  a little magic, and a little romance, you've got to check out It Takes a Witch.  Also check out her other books, published under Heather Webber.  I have quite a few of them in my TBR pile.

Final Take:  3.75/5


Want to sample It Takes a Witch?  Here's an excerpt.

Jenn's Top Books of 2011

My goal for 2011 was to get back to reading about 60 books a year, the way I had before my daughter was born.  I accomplished 60 plus (still reading or I'd give you an exact count), partly thanks to owning an e-reader, I think.  I'm amazed by the number of really fantastic reads I've had this year.

I was going to do a top 10 list, but quite a few of these are series that deserve to be mentioned in their entirety.  So here goes, in no particular order:

• The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - she writes amazing books full of food and magical realism; if any of the above sounds good, and you haven't read any of her novels, put one on your 'To be read' list for this year.  You won't be disappointed.
• The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking - if you're a fan of YA paranormal and you have yet to read anything by this self-publishing queen, check out this series.  Ms. Hocking recently signed with our friends at St. Martin's Press and these are all being re-released with new, gorgeous covers.   I might just have to re-purchase the set just for the fabulous cover art!
• The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson - if you can get past the first 80 pages of plot exposition in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, you won't be able to put this Swedish Noir series down for long.
• The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - Now that I have the perspective of having finished the series, I will be re-reading these in their entirety the very first chance I get. Ms. Kagawa's fantasy world is fantastic and I will revisit it many times for years to come.
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I don't usually like historical fiction but this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go.  It's a heart-breaking read that brings life in Nazi Germany to life for YA or adults.
• Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs - This is the 14th book in the Temperance Brennan series and I really felt that it was a return to everything I love about Ms. Reichs' work -even though there was barely a mention about Tempe's love life, which I am seriously invested in...
• Lucy Valentine series by Heather Webber - so far there are three books in this series and I can't bring myself to read the last one because I don't want to come to the end of it. A little paranormal realism, a little romance, and a little mystery make these perfect warm, fuzzy reads.
• Shadow Falls series by C.C. Hunter - I think this YA paranormal series doesn't get the recognition it deserves.  I rarely find a book where I want to know more about every single character, but such is the case with this series.  
• The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate - one of those rare books where you can relate to every character.  I wanted to move into this marvelous food-lit book with it's touch of magical realism.
• Kill Chain by Meg Gardiner - Seriously, you have to read her books!  There are two series, and they really do need to be read in order so either start with China Lake (Evan Delaney) or The Dirty Secrets Club (Jo Beckett) -but start somewhere!

I'm looking at my towering To Be Read pile and I see a few more books from the authors above along with many new ones.  I'm excited for a new year of reading - aren't you?

Jenn's Review: Deeply, Desperately

Summary: The irrepressible star of Truly, Madly, is back in business. This time, Lucy Valentine will go to the ends of the earth to find true love for her clients…and maybe even herself.

Lucy wants to breathe new life into her family’s Boston-based matchmaking company. But how? Even though she comes from a long line of ancestors blessed by Cupid with psychic abilities, a freak accident left Lucy with only one special skill: finding things. Car keys, socks in the dryer, needles in haystacks...and now, in a stroke of professional genius, lost loves!

It’s not long before Lucy’s on a winning streak, helping old flames reunite and create new sparks. Business is booming. But when Lucy finds herself involved in a possible case of murder, she realizes she’s in too deep. Enter Sean Donahue. Lucy’s handsome fire-fighter turned private-eye, Sean is just the man she needs to help her on the job. Could he also be the man she’s been looking for all along? When it comes to Valentine, Inc., falling in love is always serious business…

Review:  Oh, how I love Lucy Valentine!  I know Julie and I are both gushing about it, but it really is "all that" and more.  The series is light, and warm, and funny... and I can never manage to put it down.

In this book Lucy, who has just started to come into her own, has several bombshells dropped on her.  Now not only is she dealing with starting her own division of the family business, Lost Loves, and helping the polices with cold cases, she has a nosy reporter following her every move, (more) family drama and secrets, a relationship that runs the extremes of hot and cold, and a friend who can't seem to let things go.  As life takes it's course and situations begin to work themselves out, Lucy learns that sometimes your, fate is in your own hands.

Heather Webber has a writing style that just draws you in.  It's never trite or cutesy and certainly not in-your-face allegorical.  Her stories unfold with a beautiful natural progression that makes the way she's juggling three story lines seem effortless.  The plot twists are almost always a surprise, and a delicious one at that, and if you do manage to see one coming, you probably won't anticipate the next one (and I'm not easily caught off guard)!  Her characters are completely three-dimensional and every one of them could have their own spin-off.

I honestly don't know how I will put off reading Absolutely, Positively to read the things I need to review.  Perhaps the reality of having to wait for a fourth book that has no publish date will help me save it to savour.  I doubt it.  I'm too "desperate" to know what happens to Lucy next.  But I definitely will be checking out her Nina Quinn mystery series in the interim*!

Final Take:  5/5

Julie's Review  


*Also, watch for It Takes a Witch, A Wishcraft Mystery, coming out January 2012, under Heather Webber's pen name, Heather Blake

Jenn's Review: Truly, Madly

Summary:  Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.

Plus, her rent is due.

Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who works upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…

Review:  What a delightful book! I'm so glad Julie introduced us to Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series. Often, romantic mysteries are too much romance, not enough mystery, or vice versa, but I found this to be the perfect balance.

The premise of Truly, Madly is interesting before the vision of the ring on the skeleton occurs; then it's downright difficult to put down. It becomes even more intriguing when Lucy has to ask Sean, the handsome PI for help. There's something about him that makes Lucy's abilities go haywire and he has a past he won't discuss. I'm usually hard to surprise with plot twists, but Heather Webber kept me guessing. Some of the romantic aspects were predictable but I didn't guess Sean's secrets, and I certainly didn't see the resolution of the main mystery coming.

The characters were all inviting, and I want to learn more about every one of them, even the minor ones. I love that Lucy is flawed, but not broken beyond repair. She gets herself into some uncomfortable situations, but most of them are through crisis of conscience. Doing the right thing is not always easy.

Heather Webber has created a cast of characters that is fraught with potential for further stories and adventures. I look forward to exploring more Lucy Valentine soon, with Deeply, Desperately. ~I immediately downloaded the next two books before even finishing this one, because I know I won't be able to stay away too long.

Final Take: 4.5/5

Julie's Review

By the way, if Julie and I haven't convinced you, you can read excerpts from Heather Webber's books on her website, or read her short story featuring Lucy Valentine, Definitely, Maybe.

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Aislynn for winning the first three novels in the Lucy Valentine series. I am positive you will love them! Please send Julie your mailing address so we can have the publisher ship you the novels.

As always, Girls Just Reading used Random.org to generate the winner.