FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends!

I thought we'd kick October off with a fluffy orange kitty. I'm sure a black cat will show up later in the month ;-)

Pixabay - orlizasa-autumn-2703940_640

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Pumpkin To Talk About

 Good morning!

I have a spicy read for you this week.

AMAZON

BLURB:

Mike Page fled Ironwood Flats, Texas the moment he tossed his high school cap in the air and never looked back. But when his little sister, Annie, is suddenly left raising two kids on her own, one desperate call brings him right back to the one place he swore he’d never return. Now, stuck playing uncle, Mike’s in for more than he bargained for, especially since it means surviving the town’s infamous Halloween celebrations—his personal nightmare.

Belle Allen has always been a bit eclectic. As Ironwood Elementary’s quirky part-time librarian by day and bartender by night, she has finally found her rhythm. That is, until Mike, her high school nemesis, walks into the bar bringing painful memories back with him.

Old wounds run deep, but so do new sparks when they keep bumping into each other. As they’re pulled together by chance encounters and unexpected chemistry, Mike and Belle realize they’re not the same people they were in high school. But just as they start falling harder than autumn leaves, reality hits—Mike’s heading back to Indiana after Halloween.

Can they admit they’re bewitched with each other? Or will the spell of their romance be broken?

Notice, the blurb gives no indication of actual sex taking place in the story. I've been really careful about catching those ahead of time. The only indication is in one of the keyword categories. Pumpkin To Talk About hit #182 in the Love/Sex/ Marriage. 

However, the author does open up by telling us there is sex and where we can find it in the book, you know in case you're a teen just looking for the dirty parts 😉. She even tells us we're welcome to skip over that part and keep reading.

Well, I didn't skip. I could have. I could also have decided those parts were not what I signed up for when I borrowed the book. The story kept me sliding pages and wanting to see these two work things out. The parts weren't that bad and didn't detract from the story. Instead, they enhanced the fact that Mike and Bella had some unfinished business and needed to work through things. I am glad I didn't. As you know, I'm all about second chances. They're the theme I follow when telling my own stories. 

I'm glad I kept reading. Aside from Halloween being my favorite holiday and I love a storyline that includes kids. What made this interesting is why the story had two kids, they weren't part of the relationship between Bella and Mike. The kids were Mike's neice and nephew. They added a fun aspect to the story I wasn't expecting. 

I'm giving PUMPKIN TO TALK ABOUT...

.8

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Allie Samberts

 Good morning, everyone!

I woke up to 55*F this morning. I think Autumn is officially here. Great time for your favorite beverage and a good book. I have what I hope are some great reads lined up for the month.

Let's start the month of with author, Allie Samberts.

Allie Samberts is a romance writer, book lover, and high school English teacher. She was voted funniest teacher of the year for 2023 and 2025 by her students, which is probably her highest honor to date. She fuels her writing with a ton of coffee, and in her free time she is also a runner, and enjoys knitting and sewing. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids, and their dog. You can follow her on Instagram, Substack, or TikTok.

I'll be reviewing PUMPKIN TO TALK ABOUT tomorrow. In the mean time, please check out the links below to learn more about Allie.

Website   FB   FB Fan Page   IG   Tik Tok   YouTube   Audible   Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning, friends!

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends!

As I post today's inspiration photo, I hope the weather has begun cooling down.

Pixabay - commander05-croatia-3182810_640

All my bests!

~Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Pumpkin Spice Everything

 Good morning, readers!

After waking to 58* F for the first time in months, the sun is shining and we're in for a delightful fall day in the Ozarks. Perfect for today's review:

AMAZON

BLURB:

After calling off her fall wedding, horror novelist Amy Fox is left with a broken heart, a mega case of writer’s block, and a serious aversion to all things pumpkin spice. When she receives news that her grandfather has broken his wrist driving through a Dunkin Donuts—literally straight through the front windows—five hundred miles away, in her hometown of Autumnboro, New Hampshire, Amy has no choice but to return to check on him. If she doesn’t make sure that he’s back on his feet, Grandpa may be moved into assisted living, and Amy’s beloved childhood home will be put on the market.

Knowing she must return, Amy worries about the only thing worse than pumpkin spice—a reunion with Kit Parker—her childhood best friend, first love, and entire reason for skipping town in the first place. As the two reconnect, a second chance seems possible...if only Kit weren’t holding on to a secret that just might unravel everything.

For me, a true testament to a book scoring high in the quills is a book I can't put down. In the beginning, I had a problem staying in the story. I found myself putting the kindle aside and doing other things around the house. Not until bedtime last night was I able to get into the book. I was still unable to stay in the story (at 25% in) before turning out the light. 

I tried again this morning and the story improved drastically. Stretched out in the recliner with my lemon water on the side table and a cat sleeping in my lap did I finally find something to keep me reading.

Senior Citizens!

Yes, Grandpa and all his friends, including a girlfriend, finally had me involved in the story. You'll love these characters.

I found Amy to be a bit whiney. I am still not sure if crossing AMY with AME was an endearmant from Kit and Riley, or simply a spelling issue that was never caught. 

I still have about 25% of the book to read and I will do that today. But I'ver read enough to know that while this book started out slow (for me), you will enjoy the story.

Now a Hallmark Channel Original Movie starring Taylor Cole and Corey Sevier! Set against the scenic backdrop of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, Pumpkin Everything is a small town, sweet romance, and the perfect way to kick off the fall season! A pumpkin spice latte wouldn’t hurt, either.

One thing I've never done is both read a book then watch the movie, or vice versa. I'll be searching out the Hallmark movie this weekend to see how things changed. 

I'm giving PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING...

. 8

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Beth Labonte

 Good morning, everyone!

We finally got rain in the early morning hours. Good news is the repair in the office seems to have worked. On the other hand, the dining room still has a drip ::: sigh ::: We'll get there. 

Shining the spotlight on Beth Labonte. Here's a bit about Beth:

After working as an administrative assistant for fourteen years, Beth turned to writing silly romantic comedies as her creative outlet in a mundane corporate world. She wrote full time for several years, until a pandemic drove her out of her mind and she gleefully returned to work as a legal assistant. Beth lives in Massachusetts with her husband, son, and cat.

While you wait for the review tomorrow, take a look at her social media links below.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   X-TWITTER   IG   BOOK BUB

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

Angela