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When he looked at her, he didn’t see a target or a mission. Only an exquisite woman, tender and sweet, ready to open herself. She was giving him the precious gift of her trust— a miracle and a mistake inextricably tangled.

The first half of this has been superb romantic suspense, been on the edge of my seat a couple times.

Reading Update: Page 1

Monday nights call for key lime cookies and romantic action :)

Nothing to Fear by Juno Rushdan purchase link

Key Lime Sugar Cookies recipe

I added lime juice to the sugar to roll the cookies in for more of a tart taste. Delicious!

Review: The Bewildered Bride

The Bewildered Bride by Vanessa Riley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Adam and I had been kicked out, were running for our lives, and the morning sun hadn’t even risen.

Ruth and Adam had a whirlwind romance that had them going to Gretna Green to get married. Adam hasn't been completely honest about who is and plots involving his uncle stealing money that have him in danger, so before they can fully enjoy their happily ever after, evil snatches it away.

Fourth in the Advertisements in Love series, The Bewildered Bride gets the story rolling right away, almost too quickly for me. I haven't read the others in the series and for the first twenty or so percent I felt like I was missing some background or key information. There is some lying by omission going on from Adam and he isn't completely honest about how much danger his uncle is, leaving Ruth in the dark in a way that completely hamstrings her. I felt even more lost than Ruth with the plot about Adam's evil uncle, I'm wondering if there was some information about this in the previous book or if Adam and Ruth's relationship starts there, as they're getting married when we first start the book. The middle was a still a bit muddled for me but towards the end, the author untangled everything to make things clearer.

“I have to believe the good in him. He did not take me to Gretna Green just to have at me. We married. I was a bride. I was loved.”

The star of the show was definitely our heroine Ruth. Since no one in her family ever met Adam, they don't believe she was married, making her family having to rescue her from a brothel and then delivering a baby nine months later, a dark mark on her reputation. Ruth's mother and sister don't believe her story about marrying Adam either, letting their friends say hurtful things to Ruth. I felt for her and her pain was palpable on the pages, it was just the construction of the story plot that I couldn't completely get on board with.

On their way back from Gretna Green, they are attacked by men possibly sent by Adam's uncle and it ends up where Adam thinks Ruth is dead and Ruth thinks Adam is dead. Ruth doesn't have any proof that she was married to Adam and Adam has a tough road to travel before he can get back to being in control of his own life again. This is a great set-up for some drama but when our hero and heroine meet back up again, Ruth doesn't recognize Adam (the first time because she doesn't have her glasses on). Adam proclaims some weak excuse for not telling her and for the vast majority of the story, we have Adam lying to Ruth again and some unreliability that she can't recognize him. I just didn't feel the romance between the two.

Ruth was a strong and heartbreaking character with all she had to deal with, while I felt like I couldn't connect with Adam and his lying. The evil uncle plot was a bit hard to follow but the author did a great job of portraying the emotional and historical feel of the times; classism and racism. I could have missed some information starting with book four, if you're a reader of the series you'll definitely want to read this for Ruth and if you're starting here, be prepared to maybe be as bewildered as Ruth.

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Reading Update: 20%

Rainy cloudy day here, perfect for reading and a crock pot meal

The Bewildered Bride by Vanessa Riley purchase link

Crockpot Ranchero Chicken recipe

Added green chilies, extra cayenne, and spicy guacamole. Ate mine in a bowl but bf did tacos with sour cream and loved it.

Review: Eat Happy, Too: 160+ New Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made from Real Foods for a Joyful Life

Eat Happy, Too: 160+ New Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made from Real Foods for a Joyful Life by Anna Vocino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A cook book for more experienced people but definitely one that you could incorporate into your everyday life with some specialty meals.
Probably a little more expensive and have to search for a little hard ingredients but eating healthy is worth it.

I've made the following recipes so far,

- Grilled Finished Artichokes w/ Lemon Garlic Dill Aioli
An app that was easy to make and common ingredients. Was easy to make and had a great lemon fresh taste to it.

- Baked Cauliflower Gnocchi w/ Pumpkin Marinara
Loved this one, so good! Again, pretty common ingredients but more time consuming and you probably don't want to be a novice in the kitchen to try. I will definitely be making this one again.

- Lemon Orange Chicken
Almond flour gives this one a little bit of a different taste but the lemon and orange flavoring carry the dish.

- Coconut Mango Cauliflower "Rice" Salad w/ Grilled Shrimp
I'm a sucker for mango and shrimp and this dish did not disappoint! Easy to follow instructions and use fresh mint for this delicious recipe, I'll probably be making this one over and over.

- Coconut Lime Broccoli
Probably the one I liked least but I've had problems with broccoli soaking up too much in recipes before. Broccoli lost some of its crunch and the flavor combinations weren't doing it for me.

- Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad
Easy to make but can come off impressive. Burrata is not found at some grocery stores so be prepared to try more high end or out of your usual one. Was a great meal with some white wine.

- Red Velvet Cupcake Tops
With the use of beets, these intrigued me. I'm not on any special diets but I like trying different healthy ways of cooking, these were good, for using beets, lol. Takes a little finess to form correctly and you'll need a stocked pantry with items like flax meal, coconut flour, and almond flour.

- Sweet Potato Hash w/ Poached Eggs
Loved this breakfast one! This allows you to add or subtract favorites and a recipe that you can play around with more. Easy and probably one of the more cheaper ones to make.

- The Pinki Tuscadero
Yes, there are even some alcoholic recipes in here :) This was a fun, pretty, fancy, and tasty cocktail.


I hope I've given some idea to the types of recipes in here, I do think if looking for gluten free, healthier options these are great everyday meals. With almost 200 hundred recipes she offers apps, entrees, deserts, drinks, and a plethora of types of meals to try out. The instructions are shorter and to the point, you might want to be comfortable in the kitchen.

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Review: Her Deadly Secrets

Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Kira had no idea that meeting up with her boss and mentor Ollie at high priced lawyer Brock Logan's house would turn her life upside down. As private investigators hired by Logan's firm to help find information on their current trial involving a surgeon supposedly killing his wife, they've been working around the clock. Ollie claims he's found out something that will win the trial but before he can tell Kira, a masked and hooded man murders him.
Jeremy is just getting off a plane after a botched mission and wanting some rest and relaxation but Wolfe Security needs him on another protection case. Protecting lawyers seems easy but when Jeremy gets assigned to Kira he knows he's in trouble.

What had started as a straightforward PI job had spun out of control, and Kira felt as though her life had been hit by a tornado.

This is second in the Wolfe Security series but easily read as a standalone, you'll recognize some Wolfe Security members but the author takes the reader on a completely new murder case. The murder mystery is more of the focus than the romance, the lead detective on the case, Charlotte Spears, gets multiple povs throughout the story. This helped to develop and involve the reader in the murder case but definitely took time away from the romance. Kira was a fun heroine to follow along with at times, with her, somewhat, unconventional job as a PI. I struggled with her stubbornness and frustration with her protection detail, though. Her boss and friend Ollie was murdered right in front of her and she is obviously in danger because of what she might know or have in her possession but she still tries to skirt Jeremy and others assigned to her safety. She defers to them later in the story but in the beginning, it wasn't so much showing me how independent Kira was as how foolish she was.

This was going to be a hell of a case, Jeremy had suspected it the instant he'd seen the client, and it had taken about two minutes alone with her to confirm his suspicions. This woman was headstrong and sneaky as hell.

For being a lead, Jeremy wasn't a character that I felt I got to know well. We get some canned former military, PTSD, alpha, and still struggling with last mission that went wrong, background but I had no idea who this guy really was. He seemed nice, smart, and capable but five minutes after finishing the book I could never pick him out of a lineup. As the story seemed more focused on the murder mystery, Kira and Jeremy's relationship development was severely lacking for me. Their first kiss felt completely adrenaline fueled than deeper attraction. I appreciated how the author kept Jeremy focused on his job, as lives were on the line, but it also made Kira's seemingly bewilderment as to why Jeremy wanted to keep things professional even more glaring.

Her bossy voice turned him on, which was the dead-last thing he ever planned to tell her, bit it was true.

Towards the middle, the case meandered a bit and then the end had a bunch of information revealed fast, which gave a bit of anti-climatic feel. There was also some details added, multiple scenes of people having to stop talking because something like a coffee pot was too loud and secondary character traits like Logan being an alcoholic, that felt useless, unless Logan and others show up in the series again. I think romance readers will miss more romance and relationship development and murder mystery readers will miss a more gritty and whodunit feel. The writing is good and the outline is there but the details and relationships that make a story memorable for me were missing from this one. Wolfe Security still has some bachelors and I'm going to look forward to more romance to go along with their gun toting.

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Reading Update: 20%

Today feels like such a Thursday, aka not Friday. A spin on a classic sandwich with a side of murder and mayhem.

Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin purchase link

Blackberry Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe

I used turkey bacon and I’m telling you, the way the blackberry, jalapeño, and Swiss combines is heavenly. So quick and easy to make but tasty af

Review: Highland Jewel

Highland Jewel by May McGoldrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“Cinaed Mackintosh is my sister Isabella’s husband. I can’t let you do it. I’ll not let you kill him.”

Highland Jewel is the second in the Royal Highlanders series that follows three women. In the first, readers learn that Isabella's husband was killed by British soldiers as they ransacked their house thinking it was a den of traitors. While the first is more of an after the fact, this story brings us back to the beginning and follows Isabella's sister Maisie. We learn about the build up to the impetus that led to the three women (the daughter of Isabella's husband) having to run for their lives. While I wouldn't say it would be absolutely necessary to read the first before this one, like I said, this story gives us the background story glossed over in the first, having knowledge about Cinaed (Isabella's love interest) would certainly help as the connecting thread between the series is not only the women's connection but the tumultuous time period in Scotland and how Cinaed is tied up in it.

Lieutenant Campbell was far too bossy and interfering for her to harbor any illusions about.

Niall is the brother of Maisie's bestfriend Fiona and comes into the picture as he rescues Maisie during a public protest that gets broken up by British soldiers. Niall was a solider in the Black Watch, so Maisie is distrustful of him at first but Niall does a sweet job of breaking down her walls. He listens to her and admires her will and mind, which her family has no idea about as they just look upon her as a pretty empty headed girl. I was a little confused by Maisie and Isabella's relationship as I thought they read to be closer in the first but here we see them as pretty distant and not knowing one another at all. Maisie purposefully keeping her actions, like starting a chapter of the Female Reform Society, from Isabella didn't competently feel true to me. As Fiona becomes the catalyst for angst between Niall and Maisie and they are kept apart, I missed that friendship, too.

The back of their hands brushed. Her fingers were cold, his hand was warm . She wondered what it would feel like to entwine her fingers with his, to absorb the heat.

The majority of the story takes place in the past, with going back to explain how Maisie is at the place she is and why she distrusts Niall. Around the 60% mark is where the story catches up and we get to the present time. I liked this as it helped fill in a lot questions I had and we get to actually see Maisie and Niall fall in love. However, I did think the romance took somewhat of a backseat to the political drama going on. The authors do such a great job melding true history with their fictional story. The intrigue with Cinaed, the Scots wanting freedom, spy rings, and a Queen, were absorbing. The placement and tie-ins with the three women are very well done and although you have to pay attention and keep some characters straight in your mind, I thought how everything and everyone was brought together was inspired.

He stared into her face, and for the first time, Maisie felt like he was seeing her, who she really was. Not the outer shell of a young and reasonably pretty woman. And she saw him too. Niall Campbell was a man who wasn’t intimidated by talk of equality or of women fighting for their rightful place in society.

This series is shaping up to remind me of Grace Burrowes' Captive Hearts and Marsha Canham's Highland, the historical intrigue can eclipse the romance at times but it's interesting and still highlighted with sweet and sexy moments. I can't wait for Morrigan's story, the daughter of Isabella's husband, and to read about her hardened heart captured by a hero.

What duty did a man owe to a king and a government that had forgotten the people, he thought. Not only forgotten. Conspired against, stealing their rights under the pretense that their actions were for the good of all.

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