Donna Mumma: The Women of Wynton's

By Kelly Bridgewater

Mid-Century Glam Meets Murder Mayhem

 

Get swept away to the glamor of a 1950's department store where four women's loyalties, vanity, friendship, and detective skills are put to the test.

Audrey Penault once led a glamorous life as a model but now works as devoted secretary to Mr. Wynton. To her fellow employees, she is too vain and uppity.

Mary Jo Johnson, a wife and mother, longs to find her worth in the cosmetics department, but it may take a while for the shy housewife to discover her voice.

Vivian Sheffield owns and runs the bridal salon within Wynton's. She is proud of her accomplishments and won't let anyone take them away.

Gigi Woodard dislikes her job as waitress in the store's lunchroom, but she is determined not to let her secret shortcomings cause her to lose the position.

These four women have much to dislike about each other, but they unanimously agree that Mr. Wynton is the best of employers and must be protected at all costs from someone who seems determined to see him gone for good. When other employee deaths occur, can the women band together to solve the murders, or will they discover it is one of their own bent on destroying Wynton's from within?

 

My Thoughts:

The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma is a cozy mystery set in the 1950’s in a widely popular Florida department store. The historical and suspense element drew me into wanting to read this story. Mumm crafts a historically, what I believe, accurate view of the time period. She placed women in the workforce who struggled with leaving their families, colored women, educated women, beautiful women, and an older lady. It is a unique, colorful cast of characters. I loved seeing them interact and develop into reliable, trustworthy friends. Because of the suspense element, it took a while for Mumm to dive into each individual instance to make the mystery occur. Also, the mystery had a little bit of distrust woven in. Gossip. Rumors. Evidence against one of the characters. Not really much spirituality in the novel. I don’t even think it was important to the characters. This would be categorized as a clean read for the general market. Safe. Mystery. Hints of real life in the 1950’s. Overall, The Women of Wyntons by Donna Mumm was a fun historical mystery to read.

I received a complimentary copy of The Women of Wynton's by Donna Mumma from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Women of Wynton's

It's My Money, and I Need it Now

By Kelly Bridgewater

I know everyone has seen J. G. Wentworth’s commercials about getting their money now. The popular phrase, “It’s My Money, and I Need it Now” is important when talking about settling a long-time payment.

However, I see this occurring more and more in this generation. And it is not just the students that feel this way. It is the parents too.

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My daughter has worked hard and earned a 3.8, but I want the college to pay 100% of her bill. When someone tells me no, they throw a fit, and throw up accusations about the meeting that makes the employee look bad by lying, which did not happen at all.

Or they claim that the employee is being rude when they refuse to waive their late fees because they have not paid their bills by the time those fees went on.

Or claiming that the school needs to offer more scholarships when the student did not apply for any when they were open. Now they have loan options, but they do not want to take them. Even though one loan has no interest, which can be paid on when the student attends school and be paid by the time they finish school.

Or asking for a product that is not even on the menu, then throwing a fit at the employee.

CALM DOWN PEOPLE.

The world is not out to give you a free ride. You need to work for it.

If you cannot afford the bill, then maybe find a cheaper place to live, attend school, or shop.
No one is required to attend college.

You are not required to live in a penthouse suite in New York, overlooking Central Park.

You are not required to shop on Rodeo Drive in Las Angeles.

Live within your means.

If not, please don’t take your anger out on the employee who, honestly, wants to help you by providing solutions to your current situation.

Have you ever had to work with an Anger Entitled person? If so, how did the situation go? Any suggestions to help keep them calm.

Nancy Mehl: Cold Vengeance

By Kelly Bridgewater

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Cold Vengeance
Series: Ryland & St. Clair #3
Author: Nancy Mehl
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: July 16, 2024
Genre: Romantic Suspense

When a renowned crime podcaster vanishes without a trace, former FBI behavioral analysts turned private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are called upon to track her down. As they wade through the evidence she left behind, they unearth a startling connection--she may have discovered the existence of an unknown killer, and he will stop at nothing to carry out a deadly plan.

As the pair delves deeper, they soon find themselves the targets of a relentless enemy determined to silence them. With their lives--and hearts--on the line, can they confront the evil that threatens them before it consumes them both?

Nancy Mehl presents pulse-pounding suspense with . . .

 

My Thoughts:

Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl continues the story of Tony St. Clair and River Ryland. Behavioral Analysts who have turned Private Investigators. This time around, they are asked to search for a missing cold case podcaster who has been gone for about seven months. Mehl takes the readers through the journey of their thoughts and their process to solve the mystery. Along the way, Tony and River want to solve more cases that the podcaster was working on when she went missing. Also, the overarching mystery that has plagued River since the story began starts to unravel a little more, coming to a conclusion. While the action is not non-stop and heart pounding, it does take readers into the world of private investigators and the work that they do to solve a mystery. A little bit of romance between the two that has been hinted at since the series started. Mehl does include more spiritually than some of her other suspense writers in the Christian book series. Nothing too preachy. A little bit more of a vocal perspective from Tony and River as they tried to deal with what is going on around them. Overall, Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl will keep readers focused and engaged if they are introduced in the procedural type of suspense story. Not that there is not a mystery or two that does get solved, but the main characters are not being shot at and chased by the bad guys.

I received a complimentary copy of Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl from Bethany House Publishers through JustRead Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop

More Books from this Series:

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About the Author

Nancy Mehl is the author of more than fifty books, a Parable and ECPA bestseller, and the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson.

Connect with Nancy by visiting NancyMehl.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive the complete paperback set of the Ryland & St. Clair series and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight July 24, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on July 31, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Amanda Cabot: Into the Starlight

By Kelly Bridgewater

After more than a year in Europe, Joanna Vaughn returns to Sweetwater Crossing, her dreams of becoming a concert pianist shattered. As if that weren't enough, her husband, whom she married after a whirlwind courtship, has died. The only thing sustaining her on the journey back to Texas was the thought of her childhood home. But to Joanna's dismay, she's changed so much that the place she once loved no longer feels like home.
 
After his fiancée married his partner and both blamed him for a patient's death, Dr. Burke Finley believes it's time for a change. A quick trip with his almost-aunt Della Samuels to Sweetwater Crossing turns into an extended stay to discover what happened to his uncle and her would-be husband. But the beautiful and musical Joanna makes it more than bearable.
 
As the two join forces to help Della, there is no denying the attraction felt on both sides. But ghosts from the past are coming to call--and threatening to destroy any chance at happily-ever-after.
 
Get swept away by this emotional tale of family, friendship, and the kind of love that overcomes every obstacle.

 

My Thoughts:

Into the Starlight by Amanda Cabot returns to the town of Sweetwater Crossing, Texas. I enjoyed reading the first two books in the series, and I couldn't wait to see what the third sister had been up to. I love returning to familiar faces in the town. I loved seeing the two sisters again, and what they have been up to. Sweetwater Crossing has become a vibrant little town filled with a variety of people who would be nice to meet in real life. Cabot included a mystery that Joanna works on trying to solve. No, this was not the whole purpose of her journey when she returned home. Once in a while, Cabot will bring it back up into the story, and readers will want to know the solution to the plotline. A sweet romance brings out the best in Joanna and Dr. Burke. There romance is not a romance of convenience. Instead, it grows nicely as the story moves along. Overall, Into the Starlight by Amanda Cabot was a sweet story that I actually enjoyed reading and spending time with. Definitely recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of Into the Starlight by Amanda Cabot from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Into the Starlight

Psalm 40

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

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¹ I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

⁴ Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.^[b]
5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
    but my ears you have opened^[c]—
    burnt offerings and sin offerings^[d] you did not require.
⁷ Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.^[e]
8 I desire to do your will, my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

⁹ I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.
¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
¹² For troubles without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
    and my heart fails within me.
¹³ Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

¹⁴ May all who want to take my life
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
    be appalled at their own shame.
¹⁶ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    you are my God, do not delay.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2040&version=NIV

Jen Turano: Meeting Her Match

By Kelly Bridgewater

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn't expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen's proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she's ever made--her own.

 

My Thoughts:

I love Jen Turano’s stories. I have read all of them and enjoyed majority of them. However, Meeting Her Match was different than her previous series. It does fit well into her Matchmaking series. A lot of dialogue explaining the feelings and what has occurred in the past to convince Camila to help Owen’s sister become proper enough to enter society and be presented into the Four Hundred Society. There were funny moments with a pig, a dog, and a cat. There were funny moments with whitewashing a fence. I did enjoy the cast of characters in Owen's families. With their help, Camilia learned that what others think of you is not that important as what you think of yourself. Near the end of the novel, the action did pick up, and became more of what I expected from Turano’s stories. Speaking of the romance, Owen and Camila did not like each other and pretended to be betrothed to help his sister, but then of course, sparks began to fly, and the romance was off to the races. Overall, Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano captured the wild wealthy world of West Virginia and brought into falling literally into the world for the Four Hundred in New York City. I can’t wait to read her next series.

I received a complimentary copy of Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Meeting Her Match

Too Hot

By Kelly Bridgewater

Summer is miserable. I know I have talked about this a million times.

But it is so true.

Is it climate change? Is it a cycle for the seasons?

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Who knows except God.

I, personally, feel like it is a cycle and eventually, the Earth will go back to normal. Plenty of data to back that up.

Can we be more responsible and grow plants, vegetables, and recycle?

Of course.

It is our duty to help keep the environment clean and better for future generations.

However, my complaint is about winter. Where I live in Central Indiana, it is not really winter anymore.

From December 1^st, 2023, through March 21^st 2024, I kept track of the highs for each day. Only 10 days were below 32 for the high.

10 DAYS!!!!

That is all the winter that we had. We had two days of dusting snows and one day of 4.5 inches of snow.

Most days were in the fifties. Even had seventies in February.

Not good!

Yes, it is good for my paycheck because I do not have to fill up the propane tank as much, but I like to spend time in-doors, all cozy and comfy.

With it being seventy in February, then I have to mow grass sooner.

I have to pull weeds sooner.

I have to spend time with bugs and be miserable.

I hibernate more in the summer, then the winter.

Summer means more chores outside.

What about you? Do you like Summer? If so, WHY??????

Rachel Hauck: Meet Me at Starlight

By Kelly Bridgewater

"I was fully invested in these memorable characters who are as colorful as the iconic Starlight's neon sign."--Nancy Naigle, author of The Shell Collector

"A charming story set across three generations. . . . Themes of forgiveness, trust, second chances, acceptance, and love will leave you grinning at the last page."--Katherine Reay, bestselling author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Printed Letter Bookshop

1987. Supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight--a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation--who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.

The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday's determination even protected her beloved rink from her husband's shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday begins to wonder if an era has come to an end.

As Matt and Harlow strategize to save the rink, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love.

 

My Thoughts:

Meet Me at Starlight by Rachel Hauck brought back many memories of spending tons of time as a young child and a teenager at my local skating rink. Our parents would drop a van full of us teenagers off when they opened and picked us up when they closed. They gave us pocket money, and we would spend all day with our friends. A free baby-sitter and all the kids were tired when they arrived at home. Anyways, Meet Me at Starlight is a timeslip novel, but they bounce off each other pretty well. Readers will see the story in the past as it moves forward to present day. The characters had deep stories that needed to be told. Hauck has brought back some familiar characters and a familiar setting if readers are familiar with her previous stories. Of course, there is romance in the later time period, but nothing too distracting from the plot. The plot kept me interested, but there were moments when the story was a little light on the action, but overall, the plot did capture my interest. I would recommend this story to others who enjoy a good feel good story with a spiritual truth to the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of Meet Me at Starlight by Rachel Hauck from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Meet Me at Starlight

4th of July

 

By Kelly Bridgewater

A great holiday to celebrate our freedom.

Sadly though, I have been raised by a military father, and I know tons of people in my family or friends who have served in our military.

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They fought for our freedom.

With the culture today, most Millennials and Generation Z do not have any American pride. They go with the flow. They are not taught our American history and learn to be proud of why they live here.

Migrants are flowing through our borders, and they are living better than American citizens are.

We are giving money to Ukraine over and over again when we should NOT be giving them any money.

I keep learning history and remembering how hard the founder fathers worked to help us become a country of dreams and freedom. Within 250 years, we are watching this slip away.

If you are a young American, learn your history. Yes, American has made mistakes. BUT be proud of what you are and work hard to stand up against the crowd that is ignorant and has no understanding of what a great country they live in.