Roberta Reads

  Review - 5 stars: I really enjoyed the first book in this series (The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency), so I had no hesitation in picking up Murder in the Scottish Hills. This time, Maud and Daisy are investigating various mysterious occurrences in a highland village. I loved watching them investigate, and getting to know them a little better. They are both excellent characters, and they complement each other well. The setting was just lovely, both in the village and on Maud’s walks. Seeing the lochs and mountains through the characters’ eyes was delightful. I really enjoyed the plot, it wasn’t easy to guess who was behind everything. There was also one particular scene that was very entertaining and made me laugh - the one involving the King. Overall, this was another highly enjoyable murder mystery from Lydia Travers. I can’t wait to read the next one!  I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. Book Description: When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid Daisy...

  Review - 5 Stars: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The setting was well drawn, I could practically feel the summer heat, and imagine the old buildings. I loved the hotel, with its slightly faded (though still lovely) air. The characters were also well written. I really liked Ursula, with her asymmetric hair, and resilience. I loved the Tringali family too, and the way they all helped each other through the tough times.  The plot was very enjoyable. I was very quickly sucked into the story, and couldn’t put it down. The romance was great, and I enjoyed the other subplots with the hotel, the pottery studio, and Ursula’s parents. If you’re looking for a summery escape, full of romance and family, this book is the one for you. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. Blurb: An Italian Island Summer Will one summer in Sicily change her life for ever? After her marriage falls apart,  Ursula Quinn  is offered the chance to spend the summer working at a hote...

The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve loved reading stories about flying since I read Biggles as a child, and I love Jenny Colgan books. So I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of The Summer Skies. I really enjoyed this book. I liked Morag straight away, and of course I loved the descriptions of flying. I liked the way we were inside Morag’s head, feeling her worries. It made the story very immediate. Gregor was a more remote character (not surprisingly, as we’re not inside his head), but I too love ornithology, and falconry, and taking things slowly. Once we started getting to know him, I liked him a lot more. I found his interactions with Morag in the second half of the book were often very entertaining. I loved the setting too, the beautiful islands of Scotland come across well, you can almost smell the freshness of the air, and feel the rain. There was romance too, but it didn’t seem, to me, the main point of th...

The Wedding Dress Repair Shop by Trisha Ashley My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’m a big fan of Trisha Ashley’s books, and have been for many years now. I was so excited to be offered an early copy to review. I loved the concept of a museum of wedding dresses from weddings that have gone awry. I loved both Honey and Garland, they’re both such great characters. Garland is lovely, and I honestly was delighted by her “berserk rage”. Honey is an unusual character, but very fun. She writes gory crime novels, and I love her sense of humour and determination. I wasn’t so keen on Thom, though I warmed up a little towards the end of the book. Other than his disappearance 6 years prior to the story, I didn’t really get a strong sense of his character. He just seemed to be in the background, generally being helpful (which is a good trait, after all). I loved Golightly too, especially his faces and noises. He definitely added plenty of humour to the story! Overall, this...

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa My rating: 5 of 5 stars Liana De la Rosa is a completely new author to me. I love historical romance, and the cover is so beautiful, I decided to give it a try. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters. Ana María and her sisters are strong, and support one another, in spite of the their father’s efforts to undermine them (which happened before the start of the book). Gideon Fox is also a great character, and admirable in trying to make positive changes via the government. The mix between the romance, and the other, more political, aspects of the plot was very well done. I do not enjoy reading about politics in general, but this never felt like they were intruding on the plot. Rather, it felt as if they were an intrinsic part of it. The various aspects of the story were seamlessly woven together, leading up to the very exciting ending. The romance was excellent. It was a slow build up to start with, ...

Review - 5 out of 5 Stars: ~~~ review contains slight spoilers for the previous books in the series, but not for this book ~~~ The Miss Underhay Mysteries are one of my favourite cosy crime series, and I was very excited to get my hands on Murder at the Beauty Pageant. It was lovely to return to 1930s Devon, and catch up with how Kitty and Matt are getting on since their marriage. I always enjoy the mixture of mystery and personal life that is expertly blended in this series, and this book is no exception. I very much enjoyed the mystery. There was a plethora of excellent suspects, all with their own secrets and motives. The story was well paced, and kept me guessing until the dramatic conclusion. Overall, this was another excellent mystery in this great series. I’m so looking forward to the next one! I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. Book Description: Kitty Underhay is awarding first place… to murder. Spring, 1935. Newlywed Kitty Underhay has been enlisted by he...