Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Her Amish Christmas Memories by Patricia Johns

Her Amish Christmas Memories

Book Summary

A Christmas to remember

Could bring back everything she’s forgotten.

After a terrible accident, Millie Zook can’t remember anything: not her family, not her past, not even her best friend, Jonah Yoder. But the kind, Amish bachelor has been a devoted presence…and Millie finds herself developing feelings for him. Jonah has loved Millie since childhood, but she’s never wanted anything more than friendship, so he’s certain that once she regains her memories, these newfound feelings will fade. As Millie fits the pieces of her life together this holiday season, she’ll need to decide if the friend she always overlooked is the answer that her heart’s been searching for…
Amish Chocolate Shop Brides



Making candy at Shipshewana Candy Store

My Thoughts

Christmas brings the promise of fresh beginnings in Her Amish Christmas Memories by Patricia Johns, a sweet story of hope and healing. The author’s engaging writing style and relatable characters drew me into Millie Zook’s journey. I felt for Millie as she faced the uncertainty of losing her memory and having to rediscover her life, family, and friends while hoping her memories would return. 

Her special friendship with Jonah Yoder was a touching part of the story, and I appreciated his kindness in helping her even when doing so was difficult for him. Themes of second chances, self-reflection, forgiveness, personal growth, love, and faith give this tale its heart. The epilogue wrapped things up beautifully and left me smiling. Although this is the third book in the Amish Chocolate Shop Brides series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. Her Amish Christmas Memories wraps hope, healing, and holiday warmth into a lovely Christmas reading treat.

A little Christmas cheer, a touch of chocolate, and a good book—now that’s a recipe for a cozy afternoon! Her Amish Christmas Memories is available on Amazon, along with the first two books in the Amish Chocolate Shop Brides series. There’s another treat to look forward to: Patricia Johns’s Amish Country Christmas, the third book in the An Amish Antiques Shop Romance series, arrives November 24. Follow the author on Amazon to receive notifications about her new releases. I’ll be back on Thursday, October 29, with the thrilling Montana Christmas Target by Terri Reed. Until then, may your reading nook be cozy, your chocolate stash plentiful, and your next chapter a little gift to your heart!


Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Secrets in Amish Country by Mary Alford

Secrets in Amish Country

Book Summary

The truth could cost her everything…

even her life.

Eve Lantz’s life takes a deadly shift when her return home after her brother’s sudden death is met with gunfire from an unknown assailant. Still haunted by her father’s unsolved murder, Eve is determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedies surrounding her family. Joining forces with her childhood friend, Assistant Police Chief Casey Masterson, she plunges into a dangerous investigation. Casey vows to protect Eve and expose the secrets linking these crimes, but the deeper they go, the more perilous their search becomes. The shadowy perpetrator will stop at nothing to keep his dark secrets hidden—and Eve may be the next victim.

My Thoughts

Clear your schedule before opening Secrets in Amish Country by Mary Alford—this gripping story is difficult to put down! Another tragedy strikes Eve Lantz’s family, bringing her and Casey Masterson together once again. I enjoyed following the pair as they battled danger, uncovered clues, and fought to keep Eve’s family safe. The action-packed plot delivers plenty of suspense, intriguing twists, and a satisfying conclusion that neatly ties the threads together. Faith is woven naturally throughout the story, with forgiveness at its heart. Even as Eve and Casey dodge bullets and bad guys, sparks fly between them, adding a sweet second-chance romance to the excitement. With danger, faith, and romance on every page, this Amish-country suspense is one thrilling ride!

Your next chapter pairs nicely with apple cider—grab a mug, claim your comfiest chair, and settle in with Secrets in Amish Country by Mary Alford. There’s more to add to your reading wish list: Mary Alford’s new romantic suspense, Guarding the Amish Child, arrives February 23, followed by Justice in the Bones on May 11. This fifth installment in the Justice Reclaimed series takes readers to Montana, where newly unearthed bones may resolve a cold case. 

Meanwhile, today’s releases offer plenty of reasons to make room on your bookshelf! Cozy mystery lovers can unwrap a delightful Christmas mystery with A Classic Case of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber (I will be featuring on November 3) or puzzle their way through the cleverly crafted The Liars' Book Club by Ellery Adams. In the mood for romance? Choose from the charming second-chance romance One Last Shot at Christmas by Heidi McCahan, the heartfelt Thanksgiving with the Firefighter by Tanya Agler, the sweet Her Amish Christmas Memories by Patricia Johns, or the eventful The Best Christmas Ever by Sarah Morgan. For a little suspense with your seasonal reading, Montana Christmas Target by Terri Reed promises edge-of-your-seat moments, while Cold Case Arson Investigation by Kerry Johnson may tempt you to read well past bedtime. 

I’ll be back on Wednesday, October 28, with Her Amish Christmas Memories by Patricia Johns. Until then, keep your cider warm and your bookmarks handy—your next great read is waiting to whisk you away!


Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Thursday, October 22, 2026

One Last Shot at Christmas by Heidi McCahan

 One Last Shot at Christmas
Book Summary

When old loves face off,

A holiday wish will break the ice.


When Jenna Sharpe unexpectedly finds herself the guardian of her five-year-old nephew, her plan is to pack his things, return to Tulsa for her long-awaited promotion and leave Opportunity, Alaska, for good. Her plan is certainly
not
to get involved with former professional hockey player Wyatt Morgan—the man whose heart she broke. But when the town—and little Henry—pressure Jenna to take over the traditional Christmas lights festival, Wyatt jumps in to help. With feelings reigniting and her job on the line, Jenna will be forced to ask herself where her home—and her heart—really belong.
Opportunity, Alaska



My Thoughts

Grab a mug of cocoa and settle in—One Last Shot at Christmas by Heidi McCahan delivers a delightful second-chance romance wrapped in heart, hope, and holiday cheer. The author’s warm writing style makes it easy to feel at home in Opportunity, Alaska, where the residents and Wyatt Morgan’s family welcome Jenna Sharpe when she arrives to take guardianship of her five-year-old nephew, Henry. The neighbors’ willingness to lend a hand adds to the story’s cozy small-town charm, while Jenna and Wyatt’s interactions bring warmth and tenderness to the pages. As a fan of second-chance romances, I especially enjoyed watching their story unfold. 

My heart went out to Jenna as she struggled to choose between staying in Opportunity and returning to the career opportunity, she had worked so hard to earn—partly in hopes of finally gaining her father’s approval. The picturesque snowy setting, twinkling Christmas lights, and festive activities create a lovely seasonal backdrop for a story about learning to trust again after heartbreak. With themes of healing, forgiveness, and family, the novel offers plenty of uplifting moments. Although One Last Shot at Christmas is the third book in the Opportunity, Alaska series, it can easily be read as a standalone. This cozy holiday tale will have you humming Christmas carols, reaching for the cocoa, and feeling ready to deck the halls!

Grab your coziest reading spot—Christmas romance and a playful kitty are ready to brighten the season! One Last Shot at Christmas arrives October 27 and is available for preorder from Amazon. While you wait, you can catch up on the first two books in the Opportunity, Alaska series, Her Alaskan Family and Lost Alaskan Memories. Heidi also has His Alaskan Comeback, part of the K-9 Companion series, coming January 26. I’m tickled pink that we’re finally enjoying a smidgeon of fall weather in Florida! It’s not quite cool enough to trade my shorts for capris, but at least I no longer start sweating the moment I step outside. My eighteen-year-old cat, Dickens, seems to approve of the change, too—she’s acting like a kitten, zooming through the house and discovering all sorts of places to explore. I’ll return on Tuesday, October 27, with Secrets in Amish Country by Mary Alford, so get ready to curl up with another paws-itively delightful holiday read!


Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli

 A Bookshop for Christmas

Book Summary


Seven estranged cousins. One ambitious project. A hundred ways it could all go very wrong.

When Brooke’s beloved grandparents die unexpectedly, their final wish brings her scattered family back to Hope Creek, including Jeremiah, the boy she once loved—the same boy who abandoned them when the Chilton clan disintegrated years ago. Despite the long-held grudges and awkward secrets that kept them all apart, Brooke and Jeremiah convince the Chilton cousins to help honor their grandparents’ last request: to take the old church they saved from destruction and turn it into a bookshop that will serve their beloved community.

And to do it all before Christmas.

But repurposing the church building may be easier than healing the deep wounds that tore their family apart. Secrets, both old and new, threaten to destroy Brooke and Jeremiah’s hope that this project could be a new beginning for all of them. With the bookstore’s opening day fast approaching and everyone’s lives upended, each cousin must discover for themselves that the greatest inheritance their grandparents left behind wasn’t a building—it was the gift of forgiveness, the power of second chances, and the enduring hope of Christmas.

Leakey's Bookshop in Inverness (church to bookshop)

My Thoughts


A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli wraps family, forgiveness, and hope in all the cozy charm of a small-town Christmas. The author’s warm, inviting style draws readers into a heartfelt story of reconciliation and second chances. The redemptive journey unfolds beautifully, while the gentle romance complements the family narrative without overshadowing it. Well-developed characters experience meaningful growth and emotional healing, and it is especially satisfying to see each piece fall into place by the end. Tender, uplifting, and full of heart, this is the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page.

Pour a cup of tea, claim your coziest chair, and get ready to unwrap the uplifting charm of A Bookshop for Christmas! Want a sneak peek before you settle in? Read a sample of A Bookshop for Christmas and enjoy a little early Christmas cheer!  On October 22, step into the seasonal sparkle of Christmas in Chestnut Crossing by Heidi Chiavaroli, Amy Clipston, Tia McCollors, and Shaen Layle. This delightful collection of four heartwarming novellas blends forgiveness, hope, faith, and small-town charm into one festive package. I’ll return on Thursday, October 22, with One Last Shot at Christmas by Heidi McCahan—because there’s always room under the tree for one more merry read!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.


Tuesday, October 20, 2026

The Ghost and the Dead Librarian by Cleo Coyle

 The Ghost and the Dead Librarian 


The Ghost and the Dead Librarian (A Haunted Bookshop Detective Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in the Series - Spinoff of the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries
Setting - Rhode Island
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 29, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496749332
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496749338
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496749352
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GDS6KY2P
Audio CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228951006
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H55H66KS
Audiobook
ASIN B0H2NLG2YP
goodreads badge

A LIBRARY JOURNAL "MYSTERY PICK OF THE MONTH" In an utterly charming new mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle, a small-town Rhode Island bookshop owner investigates the death of an eccentric librarian with the help of a wisecracking, 1940s gumshoe ghost.

As a young widow, Penelope moved back to her quaint Rhode Island town to give her young son a safer home and her aunt's dying bookshop new life. Using her late husband's insurance money, Pen polished the store into a local treasure. But her updates did more than attract new customers. They roused a dead private eye from his big sleep.

With Pen's affection for hardboiled detective stories, it's no surprise she's developed a fondness for the wisecracking yet oddly likeable spirit. Sure, Jack's cold spots are exasperating, along with his proclivity for putting noir fiction in the cozy section. But murder was Jack's business in life, and his PI skills come in awfully handy when the body of an eccentric librarian is found amid the bookshop's aisles.

For years, Dory jokingly called herself "The Dead Librarian" because of her hobby of collecting and writing local obituaries. Now, in death, she's discovered with her own eerily pre-written obit. Was it a suicide note? Jack and Pen say no and their certainty takes them from a ghost town's ancient cemetery to a posh Newport mansion. When another body drops, a mysterious stranger makes Pen a shocking offer, one that may change her life—and Jack's afterlife. But unless Jack can help Pen prove who "checked out" the librarian, a ruthless killer may close the book on her.

"This spin-off of Coyle's 'Haunted Bookshop' series blends cozy mystery, supernatural intrigue, and classic noir influences into a suspenseful small-town murder mystery....Combining humor, literary references, ghostly interventions, and layered community drama, the novel explores how hidden truths from the past continue to haunt the present." —Library Journal (*Starred Review)

About Cleo Coyle 

Cleo Coyle - Alice Alfonsi - Marc Cerasini

Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating more than 20 years in print, and the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. With more than one million books sold, their works have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; received multiple Best of Year selection honors from reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, wrangle their rescue cats, drink a lot of java, and cook like crazy. Connect with Cleo at CleoCoyleBooks.com

Author Links

Webpage: https://www.cleocoylebooks.com/

Free Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cleocoylerecipes/newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleoCoyleAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleocoyle_author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CleoCoyle

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cleocoyle.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cleo-coyle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51488.Cleo_Coyle

My Thoughts

Step into this haunted bookshop and prepare for a mystery with plenty of ghostly charm! The Ghost and the Dead Librarian by Cleo Coyle is a warm, entertaining debut in A Haunted Bookshop Detective Mystery, a spinoff from A Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. Jack Shepherd, the gruff ghost private detective, and Penelope Thornton-McClure make an endearing sleuthing duo, surrounded by quirky secondary characters who add extra sparkle to the story. Coyle’s friendly writing style blends charm, wit, mystery, and just a smidgen of suspense into an engaging whodunit. Penelope is a smart cookie and watching her unravel clues with a little spectral assistance is a delight. The humor is nicely sprinkled throughout, and the paranormal element adds fun without overshadowing the mystery. With its satisfying mix of clever clues, lighthearted humor, and ghostly guidance, this cozy mystery is a spirited good time from start to finish!

Giveaway

The author is giving away two (2) autographed copies of The Ghost and the Dead Librarian (A Haunted Bookshop Detective Mystery) by Cleo Coyle.  You can click here to enter,  enter via the form below, or click on the badge in the lower right hand corner of the screen.  Good Luck!

Calling all book lovers—The Ghost and the Dead Librarian is ready to haunt your TBR in the best possible way! Pick up your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple, or Bookshop.org. Be sure to follow Cleo Coyle on Amazon so you’ll receive a notification whenever a new book is released. You can also visit Cleo Coyle’s website to learn more about the books, find a handy series checklist in reading order, and sign up for the author’s newsletter. I’ll be back on Wednesday, October 21, with A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli. Before you dash off to your next great read, don’t forget to enter the giveaway—your bookish treat may be just a click away!


Kris

The Avid Reader

Tour Participants


October 19 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Carla Loves To Read - REVIEW

October 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 20 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - REVIEW

October 21 - Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW

October 22 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 23 – Sarandipity's – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – deal sharing aunt – SPOTLIGHT

October 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 26 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW

October 26 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 27 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 28 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

October 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 30 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

October 30 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 – The Editing Pen -REVIEW 


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*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.