Roberta Reads

Well Dressed to Die by Kate P. Adams My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve really enjoyed the Charleton House series, since I first read Death by Dark Roast. So I couldn’t wait to read Well Dressed to Die. It was such a joy to be back at Charleton House again, and to spend time with the characters I love from the series. Sophie (as usual) stumbles across a dead body, and can’t resist asking questions… This story was a lot of fun, and I didn’t guess who the murderer was until the very end (though I suspected Sophie had got it wrong). None of the suspects seemed to have sufficient motive. One of the things I love about this series, is the cosy scene after the big reveal. It makes me feel right at home again. As well as Well Dressed to Die, this edition includes three short stories, which are all intriguing in their own way. I liked the fact that the stories focussed on characters that are normally supporting ones. I particularly enjoyed Key to a Killer. Overall...

  Review - 4 out of 5 stars: I’ve very much enjoyed the previous books in this series by Lydia Travers, so I was looking forward to reading Mystery in the Highlands. I wasn’t disappointed! This time around, Maud and Daisy are off to Fort William, to investigate some mysterious deaths that have been written off as accidents by the local police. More “accidents” soon follow! I really enjoyed reading this story. The murderer was really inventive, which made it all the more interesting trying to track down who was doing it. Maud and Daisy are gaining in experience, and, of course, they eventually succeed in solving the crimes. It’s one of the aspects of this series that I enjoy - having detectives that are not already brilliant at it, and watching them improve. However, I did feel they should have consulted Clara more. She might have had valuable local knowledge. I loved the setting of this story. With the mountains and the loch, as well as the buildings that Maud and Daisy visit, the ...

  Review - 4 out of 5 stars: Having thoroughly enjoyed The Love Theorem and Love Quest, I was eager to read The Love Proposal. I thought it was an interesting choice to focus on Summer, who was the “villain” in The Love Theorem. I enjoyed reading her reasons for acting as she had, and she’s definitely a character I feel sympathy for. This story puts her in a very uncomfortable position. The male lead was also a character I was less fond of. He’s pretty arrogant (at least in his dealings with women), and I was expecting his character to change more, sooner in the story. He’s also kind at heart, and he definitely does become a more rounded character by the end.  I really enjoyed this book, as always with Camilla Isley, it was a total joy to read, full of funny moments and generally easy and fun to read. I absolutely loved the epilogue. So often, I wonder if a couple will make it for the long haul, so it was lovely to see. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. ...

  Review - 5 out of 5 stars: I absolutely love Jessica Redland’s books, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest, The Start of Something Wonderful. I wasn’t disappointed. I really loved this book. I loved Autumn, she’s had such a tough time recently, but she has persistence and keeps working on getting her artistic mojo back. I loved the fact that she’s an illustrator, I’ve not read many books with one as a main character, so it makes a refreshing change. I loved reading about the progression of her artwork, as well as the character development. It made a lovely intertwining story. I really liked Dane too, he seemed honest and kind, to character traits. He treats Autumn with respect and kindness, and is willing to talk about any issues, which is also an excellent thing. I also loved Alice and Rosie. It’s lovely to see their relationship and how they support it each other, though I think it’s a huge shame that Alice won’t get help for her PTSD. I hope that we’ll get to see m...