April 2010

www.dianemottdavidson.com
www.avonbooks.com

The latest entry in Diane Mott Davidson's long-running Goldy Bear/Schulz culinary mystery series is, I think, one of her better offerings in a while, though there are still things I felt were left out. The past few books, to me, haven't lined up in terms of time frame. While the book series has been going on for 20 years and in that time, the characters have only aged 5 years, so in past books, I've gotten hung up on technology that really shouldn't exist yet. This time, references to  technology were minimal and realistic. Picky I know, but it's something that I can't help but notice.

This time around, Goldy is in the height of wedding season. One bride isn't so bad, but the other makes Bridezilla's look innocent. Frequent menu changes are driving Goldy nuts, and she's at her breaking point. When the Bridezilla shows up during the other wedding reception to announce she gave Goldy the wrong gues…

Released October 2009

www.taunton.com

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

It's always been my firm belief that every child should learn how to cook. Beginners can help the adult with measuring, stirring and gathering ingredients. As a child ages, teach fraction based math skills by doubling recipes, chopping is easy for pre-teens and teens. My children are now teens and both can prepare their own meals following any recipe. This is an essential basic life skill that I think too many overlook.

Cake Keeper Cakes is great for adults and children. The recipes are easy to follow, I love the addition of color photos, but more than that, children simply love cake so they'll be excited to help in the kitchen. And, cake as an occasional treat is good for the soul.


Lauren Chattman has worked as a pastry chef. The book covers the essentials you need for your kitchen, including pans, ingredients and various other equipment. She also includes a breakdown of techniques to use when mak…

Released April 2010

www.jeanjohnson.net

As soon as I glanced at the back cover, I knew I had to read Bedtime Stories. Jean Johnson's anthology takes the fairy tales we know and love and retells them in an erotic fashion. It's not as unusual as some might think, many of the original fairy tales were slightly erotic while others (particularly Brothers Grimm) were quite horrific.

I read the Frog Prince with glee. She does a great job turning that story into a story that captures very essence of a blossoming romance without ever seeming trite. I loved this story and think the author did a fabulous job retelling it.

The next story, The Courtship of Wali Daad, was new to me and probably will be for most readers. However, it's also very romantic and tells the tale of an older grass cutter who has spent his life saving his coins. He decides to use the money for a random act of kindness and that leads to a richly painted story of matchmaking.

After this, I started losing interest. …

Released April 2010

www.avalonbooks.com

Chocolatier Chloe Brandeau remains unsure why her aunt chose her over her cousin as the new owner of a run-down apartment complex, but she hopes to live up to her aunt's requests. It's not easy when an area developer, the very rich and handsome Ethan Behar, keeps throwing out offers for the building. She's said no dozens of times, but he refuses to take no for an answer.

Trying to keep the aging apartments in good order is tough and Chloe's running out of money. She can't go against her aunt's wishes though. Not to mention the fact that Chloe's friend keeps setting her up on blind dates hoping Chloe might find the man of her dreams. But, the more Ethan hangs around, the more Chloe realizes the man she wants is the man who may only be interested in her because of her property.


Chocolate Magic is a charming romance that's not short on chemistry, but like all Avalon romances, the books are gentler and suitable for bot…

Released February 23, 2010

www.wendycorsistaub.com

Want to be kept on the edge of your seat? Wendy Corsi Staub's latest, Live to Tell, hooks you in and keeps you reading for hours. Best of all, there's a sub-plot that is going to be carried over into her next release.

After her husband leaves her for another woman, Lauren Walsh does all she can to keep her family together. When the children's father fails to pick them up as promised for his weekend visitation, Lauren's annoyed and hurt that he doesn't see what he's doing to them. When he doesn't return phone calls or show up for work, her annoyance quickly turns to worry.

Meanwhile, Lauren feels that someone is watching her. In fact, she's certain she's seen someone in the shadows of her backyard. She's isolated herself from most of her former friends, so she has to figure out what happened to her ex and figure out if her mind is playing tricks or if her family is in danger.

The story within Liv…