Book and Product Reviews by Roundtable Reviews

 Release Date - October 26, 2021 Naima Simone's Christmas in Rose Bend was my introduction to Rose Bend. The charming town drew me in and made me wish I was there. It's a quintessential New England village filled with characters you want to become friends with. Nessa Hunt takes a leave of absence from her work as an ER nurse. The only man she's ever known for a father is dead, and she's now the guardian to a pre-teen sister she's spent little time with. Ivy isn't happy to be with Nessa, and it's proving to be challenging from the start.  For Nessa, his death is equally bittersweet as her mother's death a short while back also left her reeling. She learned during her mom's death bed confession that the man she thought was her father isn't her father at all. Despite the internal and sibling conflicts, Nessa is going to do what her "dad" asked of her and take Ivy to a small town called Rose Bend for the holidays. Upon arriving at the inn,

 Release Date - September 28, 2021 Enjoy a two-for-one romance novel that's set during the holidays, but it's really a fantastic read for any moment that you need something positive and uplifting. The Christmas Wedding Guest is about sisters, one local and one who moved away. They're spending the holidays helping their parents get ready for their wedding. Reggie hasn't been back in a year. She left town with no plans to return after her fiance dumped her the same weekend he proposed. Dena's given up finding Mr. Right and decides to have a baby on her own. Both sisters are in for surprises. Reggie's former high school love is also back in town and can't deny the attraction between them is still strong. Dena has a celebrity guest at her inn, and it's hard to ignore their attraction. While they're supposed to be focused on their parents' vow renewals, romance is in the air. The holidays could lead to more joy than anyone had planned. I loved this st

 Release Date - October 31, 2021 Many years ago, Sonny Dunes traded her life in Michigan for a new one in Southern California. She's never looked back. That is until her job is taken from her and she's replaced by a virtual meteorologist. Her drunken meltdown on the set goes viral. With that, Sonny's former college friend-of-sorts offers her a job back in their hometown. Sonny has no choice but to return. After all, she's in her 50s now, which isn't exactly a desirable age in the world of TV. In Michigan, Sonny moves back in with her mom and does what she can to start over. Meeting a widower, a very handsome one at that, is not what Sonny has in mind for a fresh start, yet she can't help herself. Her heart has set its sights on Mason, and maybe the chilly Michigan weather isn't as unappealing as she first thought. Maybe it's time to give herself a chance at love and family. The Secret of Snow is penned by Viola Shipman, a pseudonym for Wade Rouse. Like

 Release Date - November 2021 When I was pregnant for the third time, my mom introduced me to Goldie Bear, Diane Mott Davidson, and the world of culinary mysteries. I've loved them ever since. The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder is new for me, though there seem to be many more books in the Christmas Cookies series.  Mel O'Rourke was injured on the job and is now in a new location with a brand new career. This former cop and her siblings bought an inn in a snowy mountain town, and Mel will become an innkeeper. Things get off to a hairy start when one of her guests turns up dead. She's not delighted by the sheriff's announcement that he'll get there when he can. Roads are impassable, and it's up to Mel to keep the body in a freezer for now. As his death appears to be of natural causes, she's okay with waiting, but then another guest ends up dead. Again, it looks like an accident, but she's not convinced. As a former cop, her job skills have her diving in

 Release Date - October 2019 I have a folder of books that I tried to get into and just couldn't. Every now and then, I like to circle back to them and see if I have better luck. Right After the Weather is one of those books. Chicagoan Cate is a Chicago set designer ready for a change. Her ex-husband currently lives with her, she's designing the set for a production she cannot see being a success, and she's trying to make the most of her current relationship. She's ready to stop depending on her parents and finally grow up, even if she's in her 40s.  Neale is Cate's best friend. She's a yoga instructor with a teen son and a life Cate would love to have.  And then the unimaginable hits and Cate is forced to do things she never imagined doing. She arrives at Neale's home to find Neale being assaulted. She takes immediate and drastic actions, actions that leave a man dead. Cate and her closest friends now realize she's capable of extreme violence. It s

 Release Date - October 26, 2021 One Christmas Wish is the fifth book in the Catalina Cove romance series. I've read a couple other books in this series. I adored Vashti and Sawyer's rebudding romance. I loved watching Ashley get to know her husband all over again. I had high hopes for the latest book for that reason.  Vaughn Miller's been released from prison following a wrongful conviction. He's back in Catalina Cove to start over. Two years in prison taught him who his true friends are.  Sierra Crane suffered two blows at once. At the same time, her best friend was losing her battle against cancer, Sierra learned her husband was unfaithful. Worse, he wanted nothing to do with Sierra's goddaughter, a young girl Sierra vowed to take care of when her friend died. After her divorce, Sierra moved herself and Teryn back to her hometown, Catalina Cove, to start a new life running a cafe.  It's at her cafe that Sierra meets Vaughn. She knew of him as he was a few y