"The Blue Dolphin" by Kathryn Gauci

Nefeli and her daughter live on one of the greek islands. Life has been difficult since the start of the war and the death of her husband, but they have been getting by. One night after a very bad storm, while walking along the shore, she came across an unconscious german soldier who had been washed ashore after the ship he was on was sunk by the andartes (greek resistance fighters). He was gravely wounded and would surely die without help. Yet, if the other villagers were to find him, they would kill him and likely anyone who aided him. But still, Nefeli couldn't just leave him to die.

I will be the first to admit that this story was not what I expected when reading a WWII novel. This was not a tale focused on combat or spycraft, but instead it was about how the war affected those living through it.  It was the backdrop for the story of Nefeli and what happens when she attempts to save an enemy soldier's life. She is aware of the risk she takes, but cannot bear to see more unnecessary death.

This was a story I greatly enjoyed. It did not try to hide the difficulties faced during the war, nor did it glorify the actions of one side or the other. This was a personal story of one woman, a man who was considered an enemy soldier, and what can happen when kindness is shown to someone who is helpless and injured. It is a story of life versus death, as well as the story of greek culture during a time that is quite different from what many of us know today.

I would definitely recommend this book. Anyone who enjoys WWII stories, tales of greek life during the war, or historical fiction. It is very definitely worth reading and one that you won't want to put down.

"Fries and Alibis" by Trixie Silvertale

When a strange older gentleman knocks on Mitzy Moon's apartment door one morning to deliver an envelope containing a large amount of cash and notice of her inheritance from a previously unknown grandmother, to say that Mitzy was shocked would have been an understatement. Of course, being accused of murdering a man she'd never met, who just happened to be her grandfather, shortly after arriving in town was an even bigger surprise. Just as big of a surprise was meeting the ghost of her deceased grandmother who lives in the bookstore Mitzy had just inherited.

This was the first book in the Mitzy Moon series, and was a wonderful beginning to this series and the vibrant and fascinating characters of Pin Harbor. Watching Mitzy navigate her way through clearing not only her name, but her father's as well was a great introduction into the personalities of these townsfolk. I had previously read some of the later books in this series and am very glad that I went back to see how it all began. (And if you’re wondering, I will be reading the rest of the books in this series.) I greatly enjoyed reading this book and believe that anyone enjoying cozy paranormal mysteries will enjoy it as much as I did.

"Forgotten Faces" by Florence Linnington

Sarah Smith has come to the small town of Stillwater as a mail order bride to marry the pastor, Stephen Tyler. Each is surprised that the other is young & attractive, as they both expected far less in a mail order spouse and neither had seen a picture of the other.

As expected in this type of story, each of them has secrets about their pasts that will likely cause problems as the plot unfolds. In Sarah's case, the issue is that she is unable to recognize the faces of anyone she meets, no matter how long or short of a time she has known them. She has been using other small tricks to keep that fact hidden as she believes that it means there is something fundamentally wrong with her that would make no one want her around.

Like Ms. Linnington’s other mail order bride tales, I greatly enjoyed reading this one. We get to see Sarah grow from a scared and unsure young woman into a stronger and braver version of herself than even she thought she could ever become. And as always, seeing the journey of how she gets there and who she would become is what I felt was the best part of the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mail order bride romances as well books that allow the characters to grow and to overcome unexpected hardships and other challenges.

"Amish Mercy" by Samantha Price

In this book we are introduced to the Baker family. They are an Amish family living and working in their apple orchard. The sisters are all unmarried, and Mercy is convinced that Stephen, the young man who is coming from another Amish community to help with the harvest, is the man she is destined to fall in love with and marry.

Her older half sister, Florence, isn't so sure. After all, the two have never met, so how could Mercy be so sure that Stephen is the right man for her? Is it merely a  sisterly concern? Or could it be that Florence is a bit jealous that her younger sister might find love before she herself does?

I enjoyed this nice relaxing tale of the "Bonnet Sisters" (as they are referred to by a new, non-amish neighbor). He seems to be someone who, though unsuitable to be considered for an amish girl's husband, might have caught Florence's interest. I am very interested in seeing how this relationship, as well as the rest of the Baker family’s future adventures, continues in the following books in this series.

"Shortbread and Sorrow" by Agatha Frost

When Julia's mother, Dot, wins a free 5 day trip to a spa & resort in Scotland for 3, Dot, Julia, and her sister Sue are off to enjoy a relaxing vacation  at a Scottish castle. But shortly after they arrive, the owner of the property is murdered. Naturally, Julia can't just sit back and leave things to the authorities to solve, she needs to try and figure out who killed him and why.

This was another fun cozy mystery involving the feisty baker from Peridale. This was the 5th book in the Peridale cafe series, and every bit as enjoyable as the first 4. It was a quick read and a fun one. The characters are just as amusing as they were in the first part of the series. 

Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries or any of the other books in this series would likely enjoy this book as well.

"A groom for Claire" by Patricia PacJac Carroll

After losing her husband in a freak blizzard that had killed almost all of the men from the town of Last Chance, Claire, like most of the town's women, had placed an ad seeking a husband to come and help keep their town alive. Ethan Freemont was the librarian who had answered her letter.

He arrived on Christmas day, bringing gifts and much needed supplies that Claire had not asked for, but greatly appreciated nonetheless. But in her heart, Claire was not yet truly ready for a new husband so soon after losing her beloved  Thomas. Can she find a way to start over again with someone else? Or would it be better if he were to take her away from the farm to live in a city?

I have been enjoying this twist on the traditional mail order bride genre. It gives a unique perspective on a situation that many faced at one point. Marrying someone you had barely met is rare in today's world, yet at one point in our history it was all but a necessity to survive. This tale shows a great sensitivity towards both those who needed but didn't really want a new spouse, and those who wanted nothing more than to start a completely new life.

I think this book would appeal to anyone who enjoys mail order bride stories as well as to those seeking something similar but with a bit of a twist on the basic storyline. I have definitely been enjoying this series and am looking forward to reading more of the mail order husband tales.

"Castaways & Longer Days" by Trixie Silvertale

It's time for the Summer Solstice festival in the town of Pin Harbor. The tourists are many, the floating Casino is operating on the lake, and Mitzy Moon is ready to enjoy the celebration just like everyone else in town. But things take an unfortunate turn when an unexpected tornado hits the lake, crashes through the boats, and into town.

During the devastation, the owner of the casino boat is killed, and Mitzy Moon is on the job, trying to solve the murder of a woman she doesn't really like.

Like the previous book in the series, I enjoyed this one. The characters are fun and amusing to read about. And seeing the town pull together to help each other get through this disaster was a great example of a small but very friendly town. Watching Mitzy  follow the clues in a puzzle that seems to be missing a few key pieces at times to try and catch the murderer all while dealing with continuing in her search for a way to free her "ghost ma" from the cursed gem trapping her spirit within it was well worth the short time it took to read this book.

The interplay between the characters was great. At times it reminded me of family & friends teasing each other while at the same time lifting them up when they needed a helping hand. All in all, it was a fun story with a great cast of characters.

Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist should enjoy this book, especially if you've enjoyed any of the other books in this series.