Thursday, December 4, 2025

The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston

The Lighthouse at the Cove

Book Summary

Sometimes the road home isn't on a map.

After a painful breakup and a stalled career, journalist Kaiah Ross sets out on a reporting road trip down the East Coast, hoping the miles will help her find her way again. But when car trouble strands her in the postcard-perfect town of Coral Cove, she's forced to stop running--and unexpectedly finds herself drawn into a life that feels like something out of a dream.

Reid Turner has spent years putting others first--his career as a firefighter, his spirited young daughter, Piper, and the small town he's always called home. The last thing he's looking for is a relationship. But from the moment Kaiah arrives, her kindness, warmth, and quiet strength stir something in him he thought was long buried.

When Kaiah agrees to help promote the town's annual "Light the Dark" Festival--a celebration meant to save Coral Cove's historic lighthouse--what begins as a simple arrangement quickly turns into something more. Late nights of planning under string lights, shared laughter over coffee, and quiet, heartfelt moments with Piper begin to weave Kaiah into the fabric of Reid's life . . . and into his heart.

But just as love begins to blossom, Kaiah is faced with an offer that could relaunch her career and take her far from Coral Cove. Now, she's forced to choose between the life she thought she wanted and the unexpected love that's given her a glimpse of home.

My Thoughts

The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston is a sweet story. There are great characters in the story that include Kaiah, Reid, and Piper. I also like Reid’s family and Kaiah’s sister, Kam. Coral Cove is a charming town with friendly, caring residents (for the most part). I loved the lighthouse with its rich history. I like that the romance between Kaiah and Reid progressed slowly and included Piper. Piper was a cutie pie and a scene stealer. The story does touch on some deeper topics such as grief, a broken heart, and the gravity of a bee allergy. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story along with the cute moments between Piper and Kaiah. The epilogue provided a satisfying conclusion. The Lighthouse at the Cove is part of the author’s Coral Cove series, but it can easily be read as standalone. The Lighthouse at the Cove is an appealing tale with a car in need of repair, an inviting town, an enticing lighthouse, an energetic girl, a bothersome ex-boyfriend, a fun festival, and figuring out the future.

The Lighthouse at the Cove is available from Amazon*. You can read the first chapter of the book here. The View from Coral Cove is another book in the Coral Cove series. You can find Amy Clipston's other novels here. If you follow Amy Clipston on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release. Thank you so much for popping by today. I will be back on Tuesday, December 9 with The Cold Case and the Corpse by Debra Sennefelder. It is the 8th A Food Blogger Mystery. I am off to decorate my next door neighbor's yard for the holidays. I have a cute snowman display in mind. I hope that all of you have a wonderful weekend. Take care and Happy Reading!

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.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

All My Bones by P.J. Nelson

All My Bones

Book Summary

Madeline Brimley, new owner of a bookstore in a small Georgia town, finds herself playing sleuth when a friend is charged with the murder of a much-disliked woman.

Madeline Brimley recently inherited a bookstore in Enigma, Georgia, is embarking on her second career, after her first one (acting) founders upon the metaphorical rocks. Settling in, Madeline recruits her friend Gloria Coleman, the local Episcopal priest, to help her plant azaleas in the front yard of the old Victorian that houses the bookstore. Turning the soil, however, uncovers the body of one Beatrice Glassie, a troublesome woman who has been missing for the past six months.

When her friend Gloria is arrested for the murder, Madeline is determined to prove her innocence and, as she quickly finds out, there aren't many people in town who hadn't wanted to kill Bea Glassie at one point or another. And the very expensive and rare first edition of a particular volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales—ordered by the victim and her sister is somehow tied to the grim death. With the help of her not-quite-boyfriend, a local lawman, and her deceased aunt's best friend, Madeline plans to set a trap to catch the real murderer—before she becomes the next victim.

My Thoughts

All My Bones by P.J. Nelson is the second book in Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery series. We get to catch up with Madeline, Gloria, Philomenia, David, and Billy. I wanted to like this story, but I found it to be predictable with slow pacing. The final third of the book was particularly sluggish (helpful if you suffer from insomnia). The body is discovered in the first chapter which makes for a lengthy story. The mystery can easily be solved early in the book, which is a disappointment (it was so obvious). There is a lack of suspense, but I enjoyed the conflict, humor, and secrets (they always come to light during a murder investigation). The romance between David and Madeline is sweet. I like the opinionated bookshop cat (I can envision the haughty cat). All My Bones can be read as a standalone, but I believe it is helpful to have read Booked for Murder. All My Bones is a southern cozy mystery with a murdered woman, a charged priest, rampant rumors, helpful friends, a toffee-nosed cat, a fairy tales first edition, and a maturing romance.

All My Bones is available from Amazon*. The first book in the Old Juniper Bookshop Mysteries is Booked for Murder. Thank you for dropping by today. I know how busy everyone is during the holiday season. On Thursday, December 4, I am sharing my thoughts on The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston. I have been busy this week decorating my front yard for the holidays (and enjoying every minute). After I am done with my yard, I get to decorate two of my neighbors yards. I am hoping that all of my neighbors will decorate in the future (a girl can dream). I hope that you have a wonderful day. Take care and Happy Reading!

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.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

A Daughter's Choice by Kelly Irvin

A Daughter's Choice

About the Book

Book: A Daughter’s Choice (The Heart of the Amish Book Ten)

Author: Kelly Irvin

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release Date: November, 2025

Henrietta Is Set Against Love

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

Henrietta Miller loves animals—especially her goats. She wants to marry and have children someday, but right now her goal is to have her own business selling snacks made from goat’s milk and goat’s soaps. Against her the wishes of her father–who’s also the bishop—she applies for a job as a veterinary assistant to earn money. Then newcomer Nicholas Byler snatches the job out from under her—or so it seems to Hen. Now Nicholas is treating Hen’s beloved animals as if he knows more than her. Hen turns her frustrations toward expanding her business to include wool-producing goats, even while her aunt hatches matchmaking plans—with Nicholas Byler, no less.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Kelly Irvin has published more than 30 novels and a dozen novellas. The bestselling novelist worked as a newspaper reporter before spending 22 years in public relations. She now writes fiction full time. She and her husband live in Texas. They are the parents of two kids, four grandkids, and an ornery senior cat.

More from Kelly

Research for A Daughter’s Choice leads to goats nips and cow cuddles

By Kelly Irvin

Each time I come up with a new story concept, I’m super excited about it. When a publisher lets me know the “pub” committee has approved a contract for the story, I get even more excited. Then I sit down at my computer, open a document, and zoom, my fingers take off on the keyboard . . . . nope . . . not exactly.

What really happens is that I suddenly realize this fabulous story idea will require a ton of research. In the case of A Daughter’s Choice, featuring goat lover Henrietta “Hen” Miller, I needed to be an “expert” on raising goats and tending to a horse with colic and making candy from goat’s milk, and delivering a foal that isn’t positioned correctly (and treating a crotchety cat!). The story also required a deep dive into several other kinds of livestock, veterinarians’ clinics and vet assistants, and facets of the Amish faith that I wanted to make sure I addressed properly.

Much of this information is easily available on the Internet and in the many reference books about the Amish I’ve acquired over the years. But on-line research doesn’t allow me to get up close and personal with key characters in my story—the animals. I especially wanted to hang out with some goats. To my surprise, I had trouble finding a place in the San Antonio area where I could interact with these frolicking creatures.

Then my daughter-in-law came to the rescue. She found Cavalry Farm, a nonprofit organization that takes in and cares for all sort of livestock animals in little Adkins, Texas, just south of San Antonio. They have frequent open houses where—for a nominal fee—the public can visit, pet, feed, and yes, cuddle some of the animals. My response? ROAD TRIP!

The farm is home to a small herd of pygmy goats as well as larger dairy goats. I have never been close to a goat, so I didn’t know what to expect. They were as curious about me as I was about them. They crowded around me, climbed up my rollator, chewed on my purse strap, nibbled at the zipper on my shorts’ pocket, and prodded my hands with their noses. I had a fabulous time!

The volunteer who stayed with us in the goat pen shared all sorts of tidbits about the care of goats. My grandson, who’s two and a half, chatted with them. I took lots of photos for marketing purposes. Most importantly, I gained an understanding of why Hen is so enamored of goats. They’re lively, friendly, and determined to learn all about their visitors.

Of course, Hen isn’t simply a “goat whisperer.” She also loves horses, which leads to her first encounter with vet assistant Nicholas Byler, a newcomer to Smicksburg, PA, and many other animals, including cats and dogs. At Cavalry Farm, I also was able to visit with horses, pigs, donkeys, alpacas, chickens, turkeys, and cows. I’m from Kansas so I’ve had my share of livestock sightings. However, I’ve never been offered an opportunity to snuggle a cow. Who knew that is a thing? My farmer family members will find it humorous, I’m sure.

The cows lounge on the grass just waiting for a visitor to come along, sit beside them, and snuggle up. It’s so stinking cute!

No cow snuggling occurs in A Daughter’s Choice. However, I can assure readers there is plenty of fun with a runaway puppy up for adoption, goats on the loose tearing through a wedding prep tent, and more. The story also moves beyond the humorous as Hen overcomes past losses and grief , allowing her to make important choices about her future. Nicholas too has to make hard choices about his occupation and his life as a faithful Amish believer. What they decide will determine if they find their happily-ever-after!

If you’d like to know more about Cavalry Farm and their mission, check out the website at www.cavalryfarms.org.

My Thoughts

A Daughter’s Choice by Kelly Irvin has two unique main characters for an Amish story. Henrietta “Hen” Miller prefers spending time with her goats than keeping house. Her father, the bishop, would rather she spend her time doing household chores like the other women in the district. Nicholas Byler along with his sister, Lenora, have come to town to take care of their grandfather who has dementia. Nicholas obtained the job with the local vet that Hen had applied for, but her father nixed it. I felt for Hen. She has a wonderful spirit, and she is a natural with animals. Her father did everything he could to discourage her. I found him to be very harsh, and I did not like that he was punishing a twenty-two-year-old woman like she was two. I also understood Nicholas’ desire to study to become a veterinarian.

The story is well-written with steady pacing. I like that the story is told from Hen and Nicholas’ point of view because it allows readers to see each of their perspectives on the various issues. The themes in A Daughter’s Choice are God’s will, faith, family, and community. A Daughter’s Choice is the tenth book in The Heart of the Amish series. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story and the heartfelt ending. A Daughter’s Choice is a poignant tale with energetic goats, an animated animal lover, a job robber, a cute canine, strained ankle trouble, matchmaker mess, and rampant rumors.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kelly is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a copy of the book!! Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter. Good Luck!

A Daughter's Choice is available from Amazon*. The eleventh book in The Heart of the Amish series is Plain Jane's Secret Admirer and it will be out on January 1, 2026. You can find Kelly Irvin's other novels here. Thank you for stopping by today. On Wednesday, December 3, I am featuring All My Bones by P.J. Nelson. I hope that you have a terrific Tuesday. Don't forget to enter the giveaway. Good Luck! Take care, stay warm, and Happy Reading!