Book and Product Reviews by Roundtable Reviews

Released June 2012 Harlequin Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Love is Murder took a long time to work my way through. That's a really good thing, as you get a lot of book for the money. The anthology contains 30 short stories, plus an introduction by Sandra Brown. Take time to read the introduction, because you'll quickly learn that the collection of stories is a tribute to the late Beverly Barton, who passed away in April 2011. It is too time consuming to issue a brief synopsis of every story in this anthology. Instead, I'm going to share a couple of my favorites. Topping my list is a front-page sounding story of a mother who hopes after years of not knowing what happened to her daughter someone might reopen the case and discover the truth. Mariah Stewart does an amazing job at telling a story that sounds real and has an ending you won't see coming in Without Mercy . Andrea Kane's Lockdown is another gripping romantic suspense. It's the perfect day

Released June 2012 Emylia Hall Harlequin Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth The Book of Summers is likely one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. The premise sounded good, but as I started reading it, I couldn't see that it was going anywhere at first. What I did see was a daughter who needed to grow up and a father who needed to open up. If you're in this same spot, stick with it. Suddenly, the book turns into an amazing look back at love, loss, and family dynamics. As a child, Beth Lowe's relationship with her mother, Marika, and father seemed solid. Summer vacations in Hungary provided Beth with memories she'd never forget. When Marika suddenly announces that Beth is to return to England with her father and that Marika is not joining them, Beth's world is shattered. Instead of family vacations, she's shuttled off to Hungary for one or two weeks a year and that's all she sees of her mother. Things go well until she discovers a long-hidden

Released June 2009 Luanne Rice Bantam Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth In a follow-up to Beach Girls , Luanne Rice returns to Hubbard's Point, Connecticut. Nell Kilvert wants answers to the murder of her boyfriend Charlie. While Charlie's mom, Sheridan Rosslare, seems content never touching her music again and shutting herself off from most of the world, Nell isn't willing to do nothing. She hires Gavin Dawson, Sheridan's former beau, to investigate. Gavin agrees to look into Charlie's murder, and perhaps reunite with the woman who broke his heart.  Last Kiss is a few years old now, but every now and then I'll hit a book sale and stock up on oldies that I missed. This is part mystery, part romance, and a powerful look at how different people handle their grief. I loved the story, loved the outcome, and now need to go read Beach Girls and see if author Luanne Rice has returned to Hubbard's Point again because I really want to see what becomes of th

Susan Mallery's shared a couple of fun news tidbits we me last night. First, congratulations on Summer Days hitting #5 on New York Times! The book is available in hardcover, paperback, and the Kindle edition listed below. Second, a copy of one of Susan's previous releases has a quote from Roundtable Reviews on it. That's always fun, but it's that this is the Dutch edition that really brought a smile to my face. The quote translates to: This is the best book I've ever read."

Released January 2012 Divertir Publishing Tears for the Mountain is a touching, emotional look at the efforts by both the author and his travel partner Dr. Stephen Schroering shortly after Haiti's 7.0 earthquake. The pair set off to get necessary medical supplies to the New Life Children's Home, and this was not an easy mission. With very desperate Haitians looking for anything they could steal to save themselves and their families, the author and his friends faced some harrowing moments. At the same time, he also saw some things that would forever touch his heart. Tears for the Mountain starts with the author having to defend his use of some short sentences. I find it sad that he had to include that. For me, the writing flowed perfectly capturing the tense encounters and the rush to get medical supplies to children and adults who were in desperate need of medications and bandages. Some of the stories in this book will stick with me forever. A six month old who weig

Released August 2011 Telemachus Press Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Larry Abrams' The Philosophical Practitioner is a short mystery involving a philosophical practitioner - -think counselor who uses philosophy instead of psychology. Eric is used to a variety of clients coming into his office, but he never expects one of them, a mysterious woman, to announce she's seeing him because she plans to kill someone. When he learns he's the person she plans to kill, she gives him a name and says that when he remembers that woman, he'll know why he's about to die. Eric races to figure out what he's done - if he's even done anything - and to figure out how he can prevent his death. The premise for The Philosophical Practitioner is unique and certainly caught my attention. I had to keep reading to find out what Eric had done.  Despite this, I also found flaws with the writing that seemed to be more of a distraction. One is the obsession between the main ch

Released April 2012 Fox Chapel Publishing Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Two authors of Camp Cooking in the Wild either work or own Black Feather Wilderness Adventure; the other is a former instructor for Canada's Outward Bound program. Using their understanding of being out in the wild, they've created a cookbook that is perfect for campfire cooking and touches on more than the heated canned foods that many campers rely on.  The book covers everything you need to know about getting ready and cooking in the wild. It covers the equipment you need to bring, planning your menu, packing your food items, and basic cooking skills. There are loads of helpful tips in here that cover creating your fire, finding the best place to set up your cooking area, setting up a fire if it's raining, using a propane or alcohol stove, if you have one, and even how to properly clean and filet a fish. The authors also cover cleaning up when you're done and safely disposing of waste

Released August 2012 Susan Mallery Harlequin Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth I couldn't wait. After finishing Summer Nights , I was dying to read Charlie's story. Fool's Gold's firefighter is an amazingly strong woman, but her past definitely influences her present. In All Summer Long , Charlie knows she must move beyond events from her past if she's going to be a good mother. Her goal is to adopt or go through in vitro in order to have the child she longs for, but after she's come to terms with her college years. She decides that Clay Stryker, former underwear model and complete hottie, is just the man to help her. Clay is honored and a little amused that Charlie's turned to him. He'll do whatever it takes to help her, yet neither of them expect for a casual agreement between friends to blossom into love. As both have been hurt in their past, love is out of the question. I've specifically written this review so that no spoilers from S

Released May 2012 Eileen Goudge Open Road Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Welcome to Carson Springs introduces the town of Carson Springs, California. The book shares the story of how Sam's parents (Sam is from Stranger in Paradise ) met. It's the 1950's and Cora Delarosa is questioning if her husband really loves her or not. When a movie is filmed in town, the temptation of Hollywood may threaten to steal Cora away. This is a really short story, it's just over 30 pages. Given that, it's a complete novella that draws you into the town and the characters within it. I immediately felt at home and wish I lived there. Eileen Goudge's story is followed by snippets from Stranger in Paradise and Taste of Honey , books one and two in the Carson Springs Trilogy. The goodies don't stop there. The author also includes some of her decadent recipes. Enjoy recipes for Heavenly Triple-Decker Delight Brownies and Pina Colada Cake. My goal this rainy weekend is

Oceanview Publishing is giving away another free Kindle book. Details follow:  One Day Only! Saturday June 2, 2012   The Kindle Deal: FREE Click Cover for  Free Kindle Download! The Deal by  Adam Gittlin About the book: Everything about Jonah Gray screams success - expensive clothes, a Park Avenue penthouse, and a seven-figure income. A cutthroat, rainmaking New York city commercial real estate broker, Jonah craves opulence and power. He beds models, romps the globe on the weekends and sees the world as his for the taking. Jonah Gray has it all. Or at least he had it all. When a friend presents Jonah with the deal of a lifetime, Jonah jumps at the chance. All Jonah has to do is act quickly, invest half a billion dollars in prime NY office buildings, and collect a huge payoff.  But this golden opportunity is anything but. Within days of signing on, Jonah is mysteriously thrust into the epicenter of an international an