I didn’t read as much in November as I normally do because of my work schedule, but the books I read were fantastic!


MY REVIEW:
The oil boom in the early 1900s brought men flocking into the Texas panhandle to make their fortunes. But along with them came riff-raff, corruption and crime. Lawlessness prevailed and for women especially, it was a dangerous time.
In this story, the author takes the reader into the lives of women spanning generations. It is a dual timeline story except the past is revealed through journal entries written by the main character’s grandmother.
Imogene Good knows little about her family other than they are all women. It’s through her grandmother’s journal entries she finds secrets that change how she views all she’s known until now. The Good women had some strong beliefs that drove every decision they made. This story is loosely based on historic accounts of the Women’s Commonwealth in the Belton, Texas community in the 1800s. It was a community comprised only of women who had either been abused by their husbands, or who chose not to ever marry. Instead, they formed their own family. The women in this story all changed their surnames to Good.
I loved the characters in this book. Told in first person through Imogene Good, it’s plain to see what a strong woman she is. While she has a college education, she chooses to continue her mother’s business of feeding the men who work the drilling rigs. In the book, these men are referred to as Boarders, but none of them live in the house. They come daily to eat and pay Imogene for homecooked meals.
When Imogene’s cousin, Sue Ellen shows up unexpectedly, Imogene is quite sure she’s running from some sort of trouble. I enjoyed how these two women began to get to know each other and how Sue Ellen plays an important role in the unfolding of the story.
Other side characters, Ben and Sam, are both honorable men who develop a fondness for the two ladies. Then, there is a dog who shows up at Imogene’s back door, and stays. Big Dog is loyal and does his best to protect his owners.
But it’s R.B. who intrigues me the most. It took a while to figure out the reason he tries so hard to protect Imogene when situations with the roughnecks get out of hand.
Things are rough in Borger, Texas. As oil flows from the ground. corruption and greed prevail. At one point in the story, there is even an intervention from the Texas Rangers and National Guard. While this is a fictitious story, I feel quite sure these boom towns experienced everything from good and decent people to a strong criminal element. This author took me through all of it. She is visual in her descriptions of the landscape, the fires that burned on the derricks at night, and the characters who help unravel this twisted tale. If you have a fondness for history, especially the early oil boom days, you will no doubt enjoy this story.

MY REVIEW:
I read the first book in this series and loved it, so couldn’t wait for the second one, and I was not disappointed.
Knife’s Edge, Alaska, is a small remote town. Everyone knows everyone. Four brothers, Brock, Ace, Christian and Damian Osprey are all high level military trained and all carrying scars from time spent on the battlefields.
In the first book, the focus is on Brock. In this book, it’s Christian. While I met all the brothers in the first book, the second books dives deeper into each of them. Christian prefers to be outdoors, regardless of the harsh weather Alaska is known for. Amka has slipped him bowls of soup out the back door of her restaurant for a long time. And Christian has never stopped watching her from a distance.
But Amka is now engaged to be married to Jarod, and he is a huge jerk. Still, Christian won’t interfere. Until an explosion almost ends Amka’s life. He braves the flames to save her.
A large group of social media influencers are in town and video the rescue, which goes viral. But danger doesn’t end with the explosion. A series of events soon lets Amka know that someone wants her dead. And Christian is determined not to allow that. There are some surprising twists in this story and secrets that surface which change everything. I loved this story. I loved all the characters and can’t wait to revisit Knife’s Edge in the next book! Hurry it up, Ms. Zanetti. I hope the next story is about Ace. Guess I will have to wait and see. If you love great suspense stories with a steamy romance, you will love this series. I highly recommend these!

MY REVIEW:
I received an early copy of this book via Netgalley and I’m glad I did. Dahlia aka Dolly Devine is a character I won’t soon forget. Her life is fraught with so many tangles, it’s dizzying.
The story is told in first person, and I enjoyed that bird’s eye view from Dolly. She’s had a rough go in life and as the story unfolds, it gets more difficult and complex. Abandoned at a young age by a mother addicted to drugs, she’s left with Alex McPhee who is battling his own addiction. Then she’s put into the foster care system to live until she comes of age.
When the story opens, she is carrying a plastic trash bag of her belongings and catching a bus to the only safe place she knows, McPhee’s Pub and Alex. The things she has to face are overwhelming but all necessary for her to begin to unravel a past she can’t understand.
One of the things that drew me to the story is Dolly’s love for music. She performs every Wednesday night at the pub and has a regular audience. She dreams of a big break, of performing on big stages and winning the highest of accolades.
What a journey and what a cast of characters this author has created. I got to watch Dahlia finally grow up and come to grips with who and what she is. The drama is heavy. The action is riveting and the danger is palpable. If you love diving deep in the the human psyche and just happen to love music as well, you will enjoy Dahlia’s journey. The book releases January 6, 2026!

MY REVIEW:
What a treasure! This book is filled with recipes for wonderful holiday edible creations, poetry as well as fascinating history.
I enjoyed the introduction, as it shows how this author started developing her creative talents at a young age and how she had some wonderful teachers and supporters.
The Christmas cakes Etheree which starts the journey is almost more like an ode to all the delicious foods that grace many tables during the holiday season, with a special emphasis on fruit cake.
rich
fruit cake
delicious
Christmas fragrance
smells of happiness
family gatherings
around tables laden with
roast turkey and all the trimmings
smiling faces, full glasses. good cheer
rich fruit cake, delicious Christmas fragrance
I look forward to sharing this book with my granddaughters as we try out some of the recipes for ourselves. As I said at the beginning, it is a true treasure.
That’s all I have for my November reads. As the year winds down, I’m starting to think about my top ten list. It’s going to be really hard this year. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something new to heighten your reading pleasure!
Great reviews, Jan! I enjoyed Something Fancy, especially learning the historic backgrounds of different desserts. The other books sound like terrific reads (plus Wreck Your Heart has a fun cover).
I agree about Something Fancy, Priscilla. I learned some history I did not know. And I loved the poems as well as the amazing photographs. Thank you for stopping by. Yes, Wreck Your Heart has a fun cover and it’s a compelling story. Thank you for visiting!
You read and reviewed some great books, Jan. Thanks. Robbie’s book looks wonderful and is on my list.
Thank you for stopping by, Darlene. You are going to enjoy Robbie’s book! I will look forward to reading your review.
Jan, I loved A Family of Good Women! That was such a good story. These other books are intriguing as well, especially the Thaw of Spring. I’ll check out that one and the others as well. Thanks for the reviews. Good job, Sister.
You are most welcome, sister! I loved Thaw of Spring and the one in the series before that one. Rebecca Zanetti is an author who has never disappointed me. Thank you for stopping by and adding your recommendation for A Family of Good Women!
Just finished Robbie’s book. I really enjoyed the videos that accompanied her book, which demonstrate how she constructs her gingerbread houses.
Awww, I missed out on that, Pete as I got a paperback copy. Now you have me intrigued. Thank you for stopping by and adding a recommendation for Robbie’s book!
All of these sound good. Thank goodness I have extra time over the holidays to read!
Extra time sounds like a luxury, Jacqui! Happy Reading!!
Ive been reading my bible… but really taking my time ( this time around). I read a verse or story. Then try to really get into it and absorb it. I read in am…devotionals, word of day.get my day going. At night I go to bed earlier and read my bible and a book that I am interested in.boy do I sleep well.
Great reviews, Jan. Congratulations to Teddy, Rebecca, Lori, and Robbie
I’m glad you enjoyed the reviews, John. Thanks for stopping by!
So nice of you to share your great reviews, Jan.
I always enjoy sharing great reads, Tim. Thanks so much for stopping by!
My pleasure, Jan. 😊
Nice selections, Jan! I’ve seen wonderful reviews for Robbie’s book, and I need to read it before Christmas. Congrats to the authors!
Honestly I always enjoy 😍😍what you post here. You have an interesting timeline and your exciting posts caught my attention. You seem like a nice woman. we’re not friends yet, I’ve tried to send you a friend request but it’s not going through, so I decided to drop a comment here, please send me a request so we can be friends. Thank you. Best wishes🌹🌺🌹🌺🌹🌺🌹🌺🌺🌺
Great reviews, Jan, and I loved Robbie’s book. Congratulations to all the authors, and thanks for sharing.
Great reviews, Jan 🙂 I loved Robbie’s book and of course found some to add to my reading list!