The Girl on the Bathroom Floor by Amber Emily Smith

Losing a child is devastating. Watching my son Jonathan battle cancer and die inch by inch was the hardest thing I have walked through. But, on top of losing your child you have aftershocks. How do you go on and parent your other children, keep your marriage strong, and relate to friends whose lives are so different from yours now? The Girl on the Bathroom Floor is the book that I wish I would have had five years ago when my son passed to work through these questions.

The author writes with such raw honesty about what it is like to lose a child. She does not gloss over the hard questions like where was God, this is not fair, and how do I get up tomorrow? The author shares her journey, points you to scripture and gives you hope for the future.

I very highly recommend The Girl on the Bathroom Floor: Held Together When Everything is Falling Apart Hardcover by Amber Emily Smith. I consider this one of the best books on grief, hardships, and understanding child loss that I have read. (I have read many)

PS I think this is great book to read if you have a friend who has lost a child. The author shares her story in such a relatable way as she opens up her heart on the pages. It will help you be a better friend.

I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review.

A Secret Infatuation by Jennie Goutet

 A Secret Infatuation by Jennie Goutet is a sweet Regency romance that is book number two in the Earl’s Sisters series, and it can be stand-alone novel.  Lady Sophia Rowlandson is very shy and works very hard to keep her composure.  Once at an event she was unable to speak up when confronted and is saved by Felix Harwood after her neighbor is unkind.  Sophia remembers his kindness and when she sees him years later cannot help but think what might be.

This is a charming dual POV story.  I rooted for Sophia and Felix to get together from page one.  Felix is strong, honorable, and kind which and pairs well with Sophia’s sweet, thoughtful and giving personality.  I loved watching their delightful relationship unfold throughout the story.  It brings me joy when kind-hearted people find each other in books and in real life.  The Regency setting of London is always a favorite especially when there is a masquerade ball, a picnic, and presentations at court.  The themes of finding your voice, family, and caring for others resonated with me. 

A Secret Infatuation is a wonderful story with engaging and thoughtful characters, a wonderful setting, and sweet romance.   It is always wonderful to be transported into such an enchanting story.  I highly recommend A Secret Infatuation by Jennie Goutet.

I was given a complimentary copy and not required a positive review.  

Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson

Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson is a delightful Christmas novella filled with Christmas charm. Carol Langstrom hates Christmas which is a problem since she shares her birthday with the holiday.  To avoid Christmas, she is on a flight to the Bahamas until she is redirected to the Grand Rapids, Michigan airport.  Luckily, she remembers she has an aunt nearby who happens to be all about Christmas and is up for a visit. 

I was enchanted by this sweet story that was filled with sweet romance, faith themes, and a lovely Christmas setting.  The characters were very engaging and I loved meeting Carol.  It was inspiring to watch her as she navigated a challenging life and was able to grow, change, and become a healthier person.  I enjoyed entering the world of small-town Miller’s Creek, Michigan to celebrate Christmas with Carol, her family, and friends. 

This is a delightful novella that will remind you of the beauty of the Christmas season, the joy of serving others, and that we can change.   Once Upon a Christmas Carol by Melody Carlson is a joy to read and is a great way to celebrate the Christmas season. I very much recommend reading any time of the year you need to remember what is important. 

I was gifted a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review. 

Murder in Matrimony by Mary Winters

 

Murder in Matrimony is a wonderful Regency romance and mystery by Mary Winters and  is the fourth book in  A Lady of Letters Mystery series.   You could read this book alone, but it is truly better to read the series. 

Countess Amelia Amesbury is trying to keep everything in balance.  She is trying to plan her sister’s wedding, she is the advice columnists, Lady Agony, and someone is trying to blackmail her.  She is trying to solve a murder. When her close friend the local vicar, Mr. Cross, is murdered her world is turned upside down as she tries to find the murderer from some clues Mr. Cross left her.  Simon Bainbridge her close friend is trying to keep her safe, assist with her with her family, and help solve the murder.  Will they finally find true love?

I was so thrilled to be swept up the world of Amelia Amesbury again.  It was fascinating to walk with Amelia as she tried to solve the murder of Mr. Cross and interpret the clues he left behind.   I enjoyed how each chapter starts with a letter to Lady Agony and hearing Amelia’s interesting response to the letter.  Amelia’s double life as Lady Agony brings intrigue to the story.

It was great to connect with Amelia’s London friends and meeting Amelia’s family brought depth and humor to the story.  Simon Bainbridge is always a gentleman and I have enjoyed watching his love for Amelia grow through the series.    

Murder in Matrimony  by Mary Winters is a great read that you do not want to miss.  I enjoyed the sweet romance, the intriguing mystery, and the engaging characters.  This will be a 2025 favorite for me.  I highly recommend. 

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review. 

Although I have degrees in Literature and Creative Writing, my love affair with Victorian fiction didn’t start in the classroom but with a monthly book club. I was a young eighteen years old, working a job I didn’t particularly enjoy, when I made the fortuitous decision to join a subscription service. From the moment I received my first chunky paperbacks and pink wine glass, I was hooked. I loved coming home and delving into my historical romances. They were the gateway to other historical fiction, including mysteries, like the Amelia Peabody series.

When I enrolled in college, I had already written my first novel, not surprisingly a historical romance. I saw the heroines as nonconformists, constantly challenging the conventions of the time. Their fortitude inspired my own writing a great deal.

By the time I entered graduate school, I put away my romance novel and wrote a literary novel for my thesis. Then, when I graduated, I put away my literary novel and started a mystery series with an amateur sleuth professor (see my cozy series at MaryAngelaBooks.com).

But always my love for Victorian literature remained, and in 2019, when my family and I took a trip to England, it was reignited. Seeing Regent’s Park, Piccadilly, Grosvenor Square—all those places I had first read about so many years ago—I knew I wanted to write another book, a mystery, set in the time period. That book became Murder in Postscript. I’m thrilled to see this first dream come true.

Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander

 

The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander is a sweet romance set near the seashore in Portneath, England.  Jules Capelthorne comes back to town to  help her Aunt Flo  run Capplethorne books which is not doing well.  Roman Montbeau returns from America to open up a bookstore across the street for the Montbeau family.  Their families have been enemies for many many years.  Can they even be friends?

This was a delightful romance for me.  It was interesting to learn about antiquated books, I found the characters very engaging, and loved the literary references to Romeo and Juliet.   I enjoyed getting to know both families through the story and was rooting for Poppy and Roman to have a happily ever after.  There were several twists that made the story fun to read and held my attention.  

This was the perfect read for me with the Shakespeare references, the bookshop setting in England, and characters I connected with.  I highly recommend The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander.  

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox is a wonderful story. Ana Leigh Watkins decides to spend her summer in Bitter End, Tennessee to help her great aunt prepare her house for retirement. It has been a trying year and she is hopeful that Bitter End will be a place to rest and reset. While hiking nearby she meets a group of bird-watchers who include her on their adventures. Ana learns more about bird watching, herself, and her family.

 The story seamlessly moves between the present day and the 1958 as we learn the about Ana and the backstory of her relatives. The author writes such engaging, thoughtful, and believable characters that I connected with. I was so pulled into the story as I tried to put together all the pieces from the past. The story had just the right amount of humor to keep it moving forward and I appreciated the depth of the story with themes of forgiveness, redemption, and truly being free.

 This beautifully written book with wonderful characters will draw you into the story and change your heart for the better. I highly recommend the Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox. This will be a 2025 favorite for me. 

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Amanda Cox is the author of the 2021 Christy Book of the Year, The Edge of Belonging and the 2022 Christy Book of the Year, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery. She is a Carol Finalist for her 2023 ECPA bestselling novel, He Should Have Told the Bees. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She resides in Tennessee with her husband and three children.

Let's Make A Scene by Laura Wood

 

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted ALC.  

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood and read by Heather Long and Sam Stafford was such a fun book. Cynthia Taylor just had a PR disaster in her life and is open when her agent tells her about an opportunity to make a sequel to her vert first movie. The hitch is that she must also make a documentary about her “pretend” love life with Jack who is her nemesis from years ago. But she really needs this film to work and so does Jack.

This was a fun story with all the feels for me. Cynthia and Jack had great chemistry, banter, and I found them endearing. It was a pleasure to get to know Cynthia and Jack, and I was rooting for their happily ever after. The dual time-line allowed me to see their relationship, friendship and how they matured throughout the book.

The two narrators did an excellent helping the story to come alive for me. I felt very engaged as I listened to both and it helped me to keep everything straight in the two time-lines. The audio made the book for me.

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood read by Heather Long and Sam Stafford is a great listen with a lovely ending. I was very invested and sad for the story to end. I highly recommend!

Thank you, Simon audio, for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own. 

Laura Wood is a bestselling author whose first novel won the Montegrappa Scholastic Prize for New Children's Writing in 2014. She also has a PhD in nineteenth century literature from the University of Warwick.​

Her middle-grade novels have been shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards and the Blue Peter Book Awards, while her YA novels have been shortlisted for the YA Book Awards, the Books are My Bag Awards and the Romantic Novelist's Association Awards.Her debut adult novel, Under Your Spell, published in 2024 and has sold into seventeen languages.

Laura lives in Warwickshire with her husband, and their dog, Bea. Her favourite things include: Reading romance novels, Fred Astaire films, cups of tea, fancy cocktails, recipe books, poetry, cosy woollen cardigans, crisp autumn leaves, Rufus Sewell's cheekbones, Being near