Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

#TheImprobableMeetCuteSecondChancescollection #NetGalley

Here are stories by six authors for those who enjoy romances. Featured are works by Christina Lauren; Hannah Bonam-Young; Julie Soto; Trilina Pucci; Catherine Cowles; Navessa Allen. Dip in anywhere for a light read. These may put you in the Valentine’s Day spirit.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Pub date: 20 January 2026

Description:

from the publisher

Fate works in mysterious ways—and this Valentine’s Day, it’s feeling particularly mischievous. From accidental Zoom crashes to graveyard resurrections, six beloved romance authors bring you a collection of increasingly steamy second chances.

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren

When marketing consultant Veronica accidentally crashes the wrong Zoom meeting, she’s shocked to receive a job offer from the company’s intriguing CEO. Their professional email exchanges quickly turn flirty, but Veronica’s mind keeps drifting to her reserved but gorgeous new neighbor. As Valentine’s Day approaches, she’ll discover that sometimes the most improbable meet-cute can lead to the perfect match.

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young

When a history teacher receives a letter from her deceased grandmother revealing a secret love affair in the 1950s, it leads her to a time capsule hidden decades ago. But it’s the charming grandson of her grandmother’s lost love who changes everything, proving that sometimes the heart knows exactly where—and when—it belongs.

Second Act Romance by Julie Soto

When food poisoning takes out the lead in their Valentine’s Day production of Oklahoma!, TV sensation Colby J. Turner swoops in to save the show. But for leading lady Bex Hardgrave, this last-minute casting is more drama than she bargained for. Eight years ago, their onstage chemistry sparked real-life fireworks—until a misunderstanding brought down the curtain. As showtime approaches, Bex and Colby must decide if their second-chance romance deserves its own standing ovation.

A Play for Love by Trilina Pucci

Years ago, during a college production of Romeo and Juliet, Rory and Oliver shared one unforgettable stage kiss before fate pulled them apart. Now, while drowning her Valentine’s Day sorrows at brunch, she spots her former Romeo, wearing nothing but gold shorts and wings, playing Cupid for the lovelorn masses. Their chemistry still sizzles, but these former leads will need more than Shakespeare’s guidance to turn their second chance into a true romance.

Death to Valentine’s Day by Catherine Cowles

After her boyfriend’s betrayal, the last thing Maia St. James wants is Valentine’s Day. But when friends drag her to a Death to Valentine’s Day masquerade ball at a mountain lodge, she ends up kissing a masked stranger—only to discover he’s her ex’s older brother. And when a guest is found murdered, the party becomes a deadly mystery. Now Maia must unmask a killer before her second chance at romance is cut short.

Valentine’s Slay by Navessa Allen

Louisiana gravedigger Noah Evans’s Valentine’s night shift takes an unexpected turn when his high school crush, Emma, starts screaming from her freshly dug grave. As they unearth a deadly family conspiracy, Noah and Emma discover that old flames burn even hotter the second time around—especially when someone’s trying to kill them.

I cannot recommend this title highly enough. It offers a fabulous guide to books coming out in both fiction and non-fiction categories. I am a huge fiction reader so loved that there were sections on commercial fiction, debut authors and more. The non-fiction also has many subcategories in the listings.

In addition to the books that I have now added to my TBR based on the lists, there are generous excerpts for a number of titles. These include a summary of the book, some chapters, information on the author and more. There are also links to request titles from NG.

Note to those who do not use NG. Type Buzz Books into your browser and you can download the guide there.

Truly five stars here!

Many thanks to Publishers Market Place/Buzz Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 20 January 2026

Description:

from the publisher

Dive into Spring/Summer 2026’s most anticipated releases, curated by industry insider Publishers Marketplace to showcase both established voices and emerging talents across fiction, nonfiction, and young adult categories. At the end of most excerpts, you will find a link to download or request the full galley—exclusive to the NetGalley edition!

Whether you are in the book business ecosystem or not, Buzz Books is simply the best way to sample a selection of some of the buzziest titles coming soon. Buzz Books Spring/Summer 2026 presents a bounty of exclusive excerpts, with new works from Min Jin Lee, Veronica Roth, JR Ward, Emma Straub, Tia Williams, Karan Mahajan, and so many more!

In these digital pages you will find excerpts of new titles from the thrilling adult debut of bestselling YA authors Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld, The Mortons, to a darkly funny memoir by Annabelle Gurwitch, The End of My Life Is Killing Me, to what’s sure to be another heart-wrencher, John of John by the inimitable Douglas Stuart. There’s nonfiction from rapper Mopreme Shakur, National Geographic star Sue Aikens, Cultural Strategist for Showing Up for Racial Justice Beth Howard and incredible others. And we’ve got a hot summer romance at the Jersey Shore, Have a Great Summer by Francesca Cocchi, sure to melt your winter doldrums.

Buzz Books is our love letter to the books and book community we adore, and we are glad you are part of building the buzz for great books.

by Rachel Linden-an e book bargain

#TheSecretofOrangeBlossomCake #NetGalley

This is a lovely story about adapting to change, questioning assumptions, planning life’s next steps, family, loss, food, Italy, and romance. So much to like in these pages.

As the story opens Jules feels as if things are going well. Along with her roommate, she does a short video each week that features recipes from the past-think jello mold for one. Jules thinks that a big break is about to come-does it? Find out early in the story.

Jules has faced loss. Her mother left the family for a new relationship. The subsequent death of her father was a real cause of grief. In this novel, she will come to understand more about her family and herself and will put her life pieces back together.

One thread of the story centers on the cookbook contract that Julia must fulfill. She has a summer to do it but is very stuck. The novel brings her and her half sister (whom Jules had thought had a perfect life-but does she?) to Italy. Here Jules will spend time with her beloved grandmother and try to unblock and create her book. Still, she wonders, why can’t she see the pages of her grandmother’s beloved recipe book which are blank to her but not her grandmother.

In Italy, Jules will again meet her teenage first love. Yes, readers will want to know how this goes. Oh, and don’t forget the book’s title-what is the significance of the orange blossom cake?

There are many reasons to pick up this book. The pages turn in this appealing novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 30 September 2025

384 pages

Romance-Women’s Fiction-Sci Fi and Fantasy

From the Publisher

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/20/books/review/shakespeare-book-titles.html

There are so many readers who will see the Anne with an E on this book’s cover and be pretty certain as to who is being referenced. For those in the know, the red hair of the young woman is another clue. Yes, this is a novel that takes Anne of Green Gables as its inspiration.

Kantra has written several books inspired by classics. There are two about Little Women and another about Dorothy Gale (from the Wizard of Oz). Here she turns to a new take on Anne’s story.

In Kantra’s telling, the story is set on lovely Mackinac Island. What will Anne find here? Readers will hope that she will find all that she is looking for.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for the invitation to this blog tour.

The book is published on 20 January 2026.

About ANNE OF A DIFFERENT ISLAND:

from the publisher

A woman learns to be the heroine of her own life in this heartfelt novel inspired by Anne of Green Gables by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

She believed life could follow a plotline—until the story she was living unraveled.

Anne Gallagher has always lived by the book. Anne of Green Gables, that is. Growing up on Mackinac Island, she saw herself as her namesake: the same impulsive charm, the same wild imagination, even the same red hair (dyed, but still). She followed in Anne Shirley’s fictional footsteps, chasing dreams of teaching and writing, and falling for her very own storybook hero.

But when a string of real-life plot twists—a failing romance, a fight with the administration, and the sudden death of her beloved father—pulls her back to the island she once couldn’t wait to leave, Anne is forced to face a truth no story ever prepared her for. Sometimes, life doesn’t follow a script.

Back in the house she grew up in, Anne must confront her past and the people she left behind, including Joe Miller, the boy who once called her “The Pest.” It’s time to figure out what she wants and rewrite her story to create her own happy ending. Not the book version. The real one.

From the Publisher:

#TheSharkHouse #NetGalley

I never thought all that much about sharks before listening to this latest book by Sara Ackerman. Now, after hearing this audio book, I have a deeper respect for them. A warning though-listening to some of the injuries and deaths in the water was a bit harrowing.

The narration is straightforward and clear making this an easy and accessible listen. The atmosphere of the islands comes to life as does Minnow’s story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for this title. All thoughts are my own.

Release date: 13 January 2026

Description:

from the publisher

A taut and emotional story, The Shark House sweeps you into a gripping mystery beneath the ocean’s surface, where one woman’s search for answers uncovers long-buried secrets and a reckoning years in the making. Perfect for fans of Lessons In Chemistry and Once There Were Wolves.

1998. The Kohala coast has seen a series of shark attacks in less than a week, setting the island community on edge. Biologist and shark whisperer Minnow Gray arrives on the scene to better understand what may have provoked the attacks, and if the same great white shark is still haunting the area. But as she descends into the blue Hawaiian depths, she soon learns there is far more going on than meets the eye.

Witness to an unspeakable tragedy involving a white shark and her own father, Minnow has her own dark past to contend with. She knows deep inside that unlocking the memory of that long ago morning will be the only way to set her life back on track. And the longer she’s in Hawai’i, the more she comes to see that her journey here might be as much about finding herself as finding the shark.

An atmospheric exploration of the intricate dance between humans and sharks, set against a backdrop of stunning Hawaiian landscapes and deep-sea danger. It’s a tale of resilience, redemption, and the raw power of the natural world. Dive in, if you dare.

Note:

See my blog for other reviews of Ackerman’s books. I have enjoyed them.

#TheGiverofStars #NetGalley

Jojo Moyes has written many novels that I have loved. There, of course, was the trio of books that began with Me Before You. I also enjoyed The Last Letter From Your Lover and Silver Bay, among others.

I was interested in reading The Giver of Stars but hesitated for a while. The reason was that I had recently read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and I knew that the books covered similar territory (literally in terms of geography and also in concept). I am glad to report that both novels are well worth a reader’s time.

Each of these historical novels is premised on the love of books and ways to make books available to readers. In this one, readers follow Alice. She was born in England and has married an American. Her life is not exactly what she was hoping for so, when Eleanor Roosevelt is looking for women to distribute books, she is eager to rise to the challenge.

Over the course of the novel Alice and her new female friends learn a lot about one another and how they want to live their lives. Follow along with them and enjoy this latest novel by one of our best writers of women’s fiction.

My only quibble with this book is that it is so similar to Troublesome Creek. For that reason, readers may want to spend time with just one of these titles.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Editorial reviews:

“Though she made her mark writing contemporary romance, Moyes proves just as adept at historical fiction. . . . The Giver of Stars is a celebration of love, but also of reading, of knowledge, of female friendship, of the beauty of our most rural corners, and our enduring American grit: the kind of true grit that can be found in the hills of Kentucky and on the pages of this inspiring book.”
—The Washington Post

“Moyes paints an engrossing picture of life in rural America, and it’s easy to root for the enterprising librarians.”
—The New York Times Book Review

Peter James has written many Roy Grace thrillers. I am among, what I suspect, are the very few not to have read them. I made up for this with The Hawk is Dead, a title that I thoroughly enjoyed. I trust that I will make my way to the author’s backlist post haste.

There was much that I loved in this novel that is based on a killing that took place after a train on which Queen Camilla was traveling was derailed. Who was the intended victim? Whodunnit? Why? Find out while enjoying this lengthy (over 500 pages) title.

The plot was involving, the characters (including the Royals) well drawn, the settings vivid and the detection involving. So much to like here.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this title. All opinions are my own.

About the Author (from the Amazon website)

PETER JAMES is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author best known for his crime thrillers featuring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, who Queen Camilla recently named as her favourite fictional detective. Praised by critics and much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern-day policing, he has won more than 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger.

His books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, achieved 21 Sunday Times No 1s, and have been translated into 38 languages. His Roy Grace novels are currently filming their 6th season for the hit ITV drama, Grace, starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper and available to view on ITVX and on Britbox.

Seven of his novels have been adapted into hit stage plays, with his most recent, Picture You Dead, now on national tour in the UK. His plays have have been named as “The most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie.

From the Publisher

Imagine that your family sends you (alone) to the U.S. because of financial hardship in Ireland and you will need to support your relatives back home. Imagine that you are able to take on someone else’s identity to become the servant of Andrew Carnegie’s mother. Will you be found out? Will your position be secure? These are among the premises of this richly detailed historical novel. Relationships between upstairs and downstairs, specifically between Clara and Andrew Carnegie are a major part of this novel. Read it too to learn more about the business world and women’s roles in the post Civil War U.S. Overall, an enjoyable read.

What could be better than sitting down with a new Marie Benedict novel? I have read nearly all of her books and admire her wide ranging subjects and the ways in which she brings the past to life. That is certainly true in this new novel.

This is a dual timeline story, something that is popular in historical fiction. What makes this one unique is that it is about Hatshepsut in ancient Egypt. Some readers may indeed know her name but they will get to go so much deeper as they read this novel. Truly the parts of the book about her and life in her time were very interesting.

I also enjoyed spending time with Evelyn (Eve) Herbert in the story that took place in the 1900s. It was fun to experience Highclere Castle (of later Downton Abby) fame and to spend time with Eve’s family and, of course, Howard Carter (he of the momentous discoveries). Of course, being on a dig was fascinating too.

Readers will see that Hatshepsut and Eve were both women of their time and women who wanted more than traditional roles. Readers will not forget either of them.

This is a novel that will be welcomed by fans of historical fiction, women’s fiction and the author. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 24 March 2026

Post first published on 18 January 2026

Description:

from the publisher

Known for her “delightful blend of historical fiction and suspense” (People), New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict, returns with a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten Pharaoh—rewriting both of their legacies forever.

In the 1920s, archeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle made headlines around the world with the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun. But behind it all stood Lady Evelyn Herbert—daughter of Lord Carnarvon—whose daring spirit and relentless curiosity made the momentous find possible.

Nearly 3,000 years earlier, another woman defied the expectations of her time: Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost pharaoh. Her reign was bold, visionary—and nearly erased from history.

When Evelyn becomes obsessed with finding Hatshepsut’s secret tomb, she risks everything to uncover the truth about her reign and keep valued artifacts in Egypt, their rightful home. But as danger closes in and political tensions rise, she must make an impossible choice: protect her father’s legacy—or forge her own.

Propelled by high adventure and deadly intrigue, Daughter of Egypt is the story of two ambitious women who lived centuries apart. Both were forced to hide who they were during their lifetimes, yet ultimately changed history forever.

From the Publisher:

“Immersive … Benedict evokes the excitement of archaeology in colonial Egypt with an abundance of lush details. There’s plenty to enjoy in this story of two women defying expectations.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Benedict’s flair for bringing the past to life draws in readers, providing not only lessons in history but an engrossing and entertaining tale. The complex issues of exploration and the collection of antiquities add resonance to the story.” ―Library Journal

Note:

There are a number of reviews of other Benedict books on my site. They have all offered good reads. Are you a fan?

Also, some may want to look for Gill Paul’s novel, The Collector’s Daughter, which also features Evelyn Herbert. See review on my blog.