book review, books

A Year of Summer Shadows by Alice Orr

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Alice Orr was a workshop leader at the International Women Writers’ Guild when I attended annually for ten years. Her book No More Rejections was a fine non-fiction book that I offered to my writing groups. Now she has some top selling fiction under the heading of Romantic Suspense. These books are in a series settled in the North Country, a small town of Riverton.
After reading The Wrong Way Home it was only natural that I would want to follow up with Book 2, A Year of Summer Shadows. These are Alice Orr’s romantic suspense stories on the Kalli family in the North Country. The first book covered the romance of oldest brother Matt, Book 2 is all about Mark and Hailey.
Her childhood friend is in trouble. Even though they have been estranged for years, Hailey is there to help her. Mark comes back into the picture, yet he has no idea that Hailey wants him there. He, in turn thinks she despises him.
The mother in the Kalli family is wise in the way of womanhood as she looks out for her boys, welcomes their loves into her home and does her own to tighten family bonds. A good read for romantic suspense lovers.

book review

CASSANDRA AND THE GI P.I. A Dupont Circle Mystery Volume I by Meriewether Shipley

DSCF3541The words jump out at you, pull you in, and make you part of the story. A refreshingly new narrative that reads like it is happening now even though it is set in the late 60s. Cassandra, frustrated with her college art classes of interior design, hops down to Dupont Circle in Washington D.C. and sits onto a bar stool next to a quiet guy. She strikes up the conversation. This begins the adventure of meeting someone you’ve shared other lifetimes with, in past centuries.
The GI P.I. is Harry Shields of Eastern Shore, Maryland, a Korean War vet who still suffers, at unexpected times, from shell shock 15 years after he has been discharged. Obviously the man has class and style, even though he wears khakis each time she sees him, at least in the beginning. They connect quickly and deeply moving along at a fast pace as they run into serious problems arising from his years as a soldier. Cassandra refuses to leave his side, watching over him like a mama bear, bringing fresh ideas to help that come from her youthfulness.
A highly recommended read that will keep you turning pages, until you uncover what comes next.