The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What could be more fun than The Blonde Identity? I loved it! It was Ally Carter's writing style and storytelling with a bunch of action thrown into it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A woman wakes up in the snow in the middle of the night in the middle of Paris. Who is she? How did she get there? She doesn't know, and those who do are treating her like she is some kick-a-** spy. So maybe she is. She has no id and no money, just a keycard. As she tries to figure it out, she is hunted and harassed across Paris. She gets to put those skills to the test. She is lucky enough to run into someone who seems to be another agent on her side, and he is a big help in determining why all these people are trying to kill her.

One of the things I love about Ally Carter's writing is her sense of humor. As soon as I saw the title and the cover, I knew I would love this book. It is fast-paced. The action scenes just keep coming and coming. Now, do not get me wrong. I am not saying she is just this weapon cutting her way across Paris. I have to admit that I was thinking more in terms of amnesia and that she just doesn't remember who she is and what she can do. She did a pretty good job of just "throwing" herself out there and doing what she needed to do to survive. I like to think that I could do as well and maintain that level of humor and wit as it is done. Her thoughts, which sometimes made their way out of her mouth, were, at times, just hilarious. Interestingly enough, I did not think much about the book title. I recommended the book to a cousin, who saw it immediately as he read the synopsis. He is looking forward to reading it. I wished there was a way to stay in touch with these characters, as I love a good action book combined with witty characters.

Best Served Cold by David P. Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is no secret. I love this series and pretty much drop anything else I am doing outside of work to inhale these books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Rick Montoya leads a really interesting life. He spends most of his time in Roma, Italy unless he travels to serve as an interpreter. His business is taking off, and his current job takes him to Assisi to help a college friend who needs a replacement interpreter quickly because the hired interpreter disappeared after arriving in Assisi. A group has come over from New Mexico, Rick's home state in the US, where he attended college. Unfortunately, the missing interpreter is found dead, and Rick is in the right place to help the Italian police as they appear to need the help of an interpreter to interview the tour group from New Mexico.

Interestingly, Betta, Rick's girlfriend, had a different role in the storyline. I enjoyed the methodology but do not want to spoil the change for other readers. Of course, his Zio Piero is his usual self, a bit cantankerous but still a loving uncle. Rick is always a good proxy to Piero and seems closer to him than he is to his own parents. It could just be proximity. However, we get to meet another family member in Best Served Cold. That is another area of the book I will leave for the reader and not spoil. The reader can count on the author's excellent armchair travel and food descriptions, as Rick provides vivid descriptions of parts of Umbria and the food he ate throughout his travels in Italy. The mystery is more cozy but still a good addition to the Rick Montoya Italian Mysteries. I look forward to Book 9 and Rick's next case and Italian location.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Killers of a Certain Age was an exciting read. I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I saw the title. I was hoping that I was not assuming a great title would mean great content, and I was not disappointed. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I, of course, was expecting a story about older killers; however, Killers of a Certain Age zeroed in on women over the 55 to 60 years old range. Possibly, it is more like the 60 to 65 range, and honestly, I have heard people in their 20s refer to people in their 40s as being too old for this or that, which is quite shocking. They expect older people to get out of the way so they have room for jobs, etc., which is quite odd. People do not lose the need to eat and pay for their homes, cars, and other bills because they have reached the age of 40. If anything, they have increased costs because they tend to have children that need help as well (speaking as once being one of those children). But I digress.

These four friends/previous co-workers are trying to come to terms with being forced to require because of their age. They have been given a cruise as a retirement gift by their employers, which starts with an assassination attempt. They dig into their repertoire to determine who has ordered their assassination and why which leads to an exciting trek across the world that allows the Killers of a Certain Age to show that they still have it. I love that this might be a series, and I hope to see more.

It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades


What a wonderful story! It combines armchair travel with a bit of family mystery, all in a region of Italy that I was able to visit last year. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Natalie has done what so many have thought of doing when seeing the advertisements for the $1 homes in Italy. We ask ourselves questions. Is it too good to be true? In some ways, because the rules for purchasing the homes are quite stringent, i.e., earnest money has to be put down and the updates/repairs have to be made within a specified amount of time which requires ready money to pay builders and contractors. Another thing to consider is timing as Natalie found out. Italy and much of Europe are on vacation typically for one full month in the Summer. Permits for the building have to be purchased and there are rules that must be abided by for some of the homes that have historical value to them. That historical value dictates the type of update that must be completed. This of course is just the minimum of what a buyer is signing up for when they purchase a $1 home, especially if they do not have the ability to do any of the work themselves.

Natalie is an intelligent, quick learner who can follow videos she has found on the internet. She had grand plans for purchasing one of the $1 with her grandmother. This property is not just a typical home. It was a much-beloved hotel in a city that is counting on these renovations to draw jobs and visitors to this beautiful region of the Amalfi Coast. The creation of jobs is also another requirement of the purchasers of these homes, so it does draw buyers with dreams of opening their own businesses also. Things really start going wrong for Natalie from the time she lands in Italy, some of which relate to not speaking Italian. Some of the property is in pretty good shape, but, there are things that require update that she is not prepared for either physically or financially.

She is lucky enough to start crossing paths with Pietro, who decides that Natalie needs help and he wants to ensure the renovations to the hotel bring the property back to the standards that are required. Pietro is very knowledgeable and he is also purchasing and renovating many of the properties in their town. Natalie does not want to accept help, but, as she meets others in the renovation program, she realizes that she is one of the few that are working alone and she needs help to meet the deadlines. Pietro, who is also part of the committee responsible for the renovation program, is also butting heads with others on the committee who are more concerned with bringing jobs, money, and people into the area than they are about the renovations being done properly. All of this makes for a great story with a sweet romance, not just between Natalie and Pietro, but, also between the reader and the Italian town on the Amalfi Coast.

A Secret About a Secret by Peter Spiegelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Secret About a Secret is a slow-burn thriller based in Europe. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I became totally enamored of this book because it contained one of my favorite things, which I will call contentious repartee. Normally, I love witty repartee, but, somehow this book has surfaced another subgenre of conversations that I confess to loving.

Myles an agent with what is called Standard Division is assigned to investigate the murder of a Brilliant scientist who at first glance is loved by everyone she comes in contact with, from her co-workers to her running club. But, there are secrets upon secrets, and some go back to the history of the building where the business, Ondstrand Biologic, is located. Something else key here is that what turns out to be a brilliant investigator is pitted against multiple brilliant scientists, who seem to be backed by a sister agency of Standard Division.

Despite Allegra being gone, her personality and history with the local towns and the company shine through as if she is still living. Myles has a way of investigating that puts everyone on edge, just with him walking down the hall or coming into the cafeteria. Just as interesting is how he has a room on the campus of the company which ratches up the tension as it is akin to sleeping with the enemy. A Secret About a Secret had a few good action scenes, but, some of the conversations between Myles and the suspects were so fraught with tension that I kept expecting a slap or something thrown at any time. Myles is very driven and focused and his relationship and conversations with his director drive so much of this story in how he responds to her directives and how he finds a way to rebel against her wishes, sometimes to his detriment. I did get the hint that this may be a series and if I am correct, it is welcome!

Alias Emma by Ava Glass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alias Emma is a wonderful, action-packed chase from one end of London to the other with two lives at risk. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Emma Makepeace is tasked with safely escorting a physician whose life is at risk because of his mother's previous relationship with the Russian government before he was born. His mother has warned him all of his life, but being raised as a British citizen, he has trouble believing that after all of these years, the Russians would care about his parents being Russian dissidents, almost to his peril.

Emma is well aware of what the Russian agencies are capable of, even with only a short time as a British agent under her belt. She knows the danger and is ready to face it head-on. Despite only being an agent for a short time, she does have some surprises and a serious determination to get him to safety within twelve hours. More than just his life is at risk if the Russians reach him. Unfortunately, they have more than just experienced, ruthless agents on their side. They also have serious hacking power and have managed to take over London's extensive CCTV network to monitor Emma and her charge as they cross London on foot. Things get even more serious when Emma learns that she has no help from her agency.

Emma Makepeace is a very well-written character who understands her limitations but definitely has courage. I kept wondering how an agent with no weapons would match up against multiple Russian agents who have no shortage of weaponry. Alias Emma demonstrates how an author can turn a location into one of the characters of a book and make that location stand out as the reader recognizes locations or is even drawn into conducting research to get to know London better. Emma is a character that the reader wants to get to know better. The reader definitely will sit on the edge of their seats, pulling for her to make it to safety. By the end of Alias Emma, I was hoping that this book was the first in a new series, and it looks like I will get my wish. View all my reviews

Finding Love in Positano by Lucy Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finding Love in Positano is a wonderful travelogue as well as a story. There was also a bit of mystery thrown in there. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Marci is extremely close to her Godfather, Richard, as is her mom and brother. But they talk and share what is occurring in their lives more often. Marci's family owns an antique auction business and Richard has an antique business in Positano, Italy. Richard suddenly makes a major change in his life and seeks out his Godchildren to request one of them help him close up his antique shop and ship everything back to the UK. It makes more sense for Marci to go since she travels more for the auction house, and she has spent more time in Italy on behalf of the business. Richard has described the work to be done as pretty simple but, when Marci gets to Positano, Richard's business is anything but simple, and the changes he has made in his life appear to be anything but simple and Marci is quite concerned.

Marci arrives in Positano to find that Richard has made a family there of the family that owns the Italian restaurant down the hill from his shop. Oddly enough, Nico and his family, treat Marci as if she is family and she is not familiar with them at all, which also concerns Marci. The entire situation has Marci questioning her relationship with Richard, what has caused Richard to change so drastically, and even looking more in-depth at her entire family's relationship with Richard.

As Marci spends more time with Nico and his family and exploring Positano, she starts to question more about her life and why Richard really wanted her to go to Positano to handle closing out his business. Positano is amazing. I only saw a very small part of it during a visit of only a few hours. I realized from reading Finding Love in Positano and mapping different parts of it while reading, that I had missed so much which warrants a much longer visit to that part of the world. It was great experiencing Italy through Marci's and local Italian's eyes. Remembering the beaches along the Amalfi Coast and the beautiful, blue water is great. What really stood out for me is how Lucy Coleman makes Positano another character and draws out the character development so well. The relationships between the characters and the development of the friendship between Nico and Marci were well-developed and draw the reader in, for example spending time with the family as they run the restaurant. If you read Lucy Coleman for the travel and characters then you will love this newest book, Finding Love in Positano.