The Big Kahuna Book Review

I love the books by Janet Evanovich and they are always a quick and amusing read.  I requested this new book as soon as I saw it at the library although I was 165 or so down on the list.  I also requested the audio book which had less of a wait because I thought that might be fun if I was in the car by myself to get to listen to an adult book instead of the children's books that we are normally listening to as a family.  I started on the audio book and got through the first disk in one day running errands without my son and I went back to the library and found the book!!  The Big Kahuna (Fox and O'Hare) by Janet Evanovich was sitting right on the library shelf so I grabbed it so that I could read the book.  Now the hard choice to start at the beginning or where I left off in the car!!

Straight arrow FBI Agent Kate O'Hare always plays by the rules.  Charming Con Man Nicholas Fox makes them up as he goes along.  She thinks he's nothing but a scoundrel.  He thinks she just needs to lighten up.  They're working together to tackle the out-of-bounds cases ordinary FBI agents can't touch.  And, their relationship?  Well, there hasn't been so much explosive chemistry since Nitro was introduced to Glycerin.

Next on the docket: The mysterious disappearance of the Silicon Valley billionaire, known as the Big Kahuna.  Kate's been assigned to find him but no one seems particularly keen on helping.  His twenty-six year old adult actress wife-turned Instagram model wife and his shady Czech business partner are more interested in gaining control of his company.  For that they need a dead body not a living Kahuna.

The only lead they have is the Kahuna's drop-out son, who's living the dream in Hawaii - if your dream is starting your day with the perfect wave and ending it with a big bowl of weed.  To get close to the Kahuna's son, Kate and Nick go undercover as a married couple in the big wave, bohemian, surfer community of Paia, Maui.  Living a laid back, hippy-dippy lifestyle isn't exactly in Kate's wheelhouse, but the only thing more horrifying is setting up house with Nick Fox, even if he does look pretty gnarly on a longboard.  If they don't catch a break soon, waves aren't the only thing she's going to be shredding (or bedding).

I thought it was an amusing book.  I have trouble not picturing the actors from Castle as the main characters sometimes but other times it is more of a James Bond look. Either way the books are filled with action and lots going on all the time.  Nick and Kate are headed off on another adventure and this time it is in search of the Big Kahuna.  They are looking for this missing executive and chase down every lead to make sure that he isn't dead.  There are many people that want him dead so it is a rough trip with people shooting at them and others around and there might be damage to more property than you can calculate with cars, boats and helicopters all getting destroyed.  Kate's job is on the line because of the amount of damage that she has racked up but as long as she finds the man, all will be forgiven....or so she hopes.  You have to to pick up the book and find out what happens with this chase and if they find their man.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the series of books about Fox and O'Hare.  They are super funny and hard to put down so be ready to read all night....I know that I did.

Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes (Or Less) Book Review

I was excited to see this cookbook when I looked at the library website when I was looking for new cookbooks.  I was even more excited when I read the cover after I got it home to realize that it was the blog that I loved to read!!  Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less: Fresh, Fast, and Flavorful Home-Cooked Meals, with More Than 200 Recipes by Jessica Fisher was a good cookbook that had lots of interesting recipes.

In over 200 recipes, Jessica Fisher shows time-pressed cooks how they can eat remarkably well without breaking the bank. Good Cheap Eats serves up 65 two-course dinners, consisting of a main dish and a substantial side, salad, or soup, all of which take 30 minutes or less to prepare. And as a mother of six and a busy parent, she shows home cooks how to get dinner on the table quickly and inexpensively without relying on heavily processed shortcuts or artificial ingredients. Great for time-pressed couples, families with picky eaters, or singles that need a quick solution to dinner tonight, Jessica's two-course pairings are artfully conceived and perfectly complementary.

The best part of the book are the stories that go with each recipe and along the side.  There is also an amazing beginning with lots of information that is helpful to have meals on the table in 30 minutes.  I think that my favorite ones include Out of the Box Rice Pilaf, Loaded Potato Soup, Garlic Herb Mini Breads, Creamy Mushroom Pilaf (without the mushrooms) and Cilantro Lime Rice.  Although there are many other recipes that I think that I would eat if someone served them to me, I don't know if I would go out of my way to try them for my family.  I hope that you check out this cookbook and see if there are any recipes for things that your family might love and try them for yourselves.

The Cliff House Book Review

I didn't know anything about the book when I put it on reserve but I like the author so I figured that I would like the book.  I wasn't wrong!!  The Cliff House by RaeAnne Thayne was a great book that lived up to the beautiful cover art.

Three women—two sisters and their aunt—and the cliff house on the northern California coast that served as a beacon to them all…

After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from them—a secret that will change their family forever.

Bea thought she’d sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she’s beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea’s ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down.

Then there’s Daisy—sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She’s never taken a risk in her life—until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances.  In this heartwarming story, Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home.

I hope that you check out this book and enjoy it as much as I have.  It had some serious and some little moments with a little mystery that had you wondering what was going to happen next.  I enjoyed the wonderful characters.  The thing that made this book different was that each chapter was written by a different characters so you got to know them all through the book and a little from each perspective made it interesting.  Sometimes those are hard for me to get into because I like to pull for the main character from the beginning but this had so many characters that you all wanted to come out on top because you were in the middle of their lives so it was like a few books rolled into one.  Daisy and Bea are sisters that came to live with their aunt so they are the main three females and they all have something interesting going on in their lives.  There are three male characters, Shane, Cruz, and Ed, that are also introduced and they all have something different going on in their lives.  I felt like the book followed the women's lives more but there were chapters from almost everyone's perspective which lead to a very different book.  It was unique and I can't wait to read more great writing by this author.

Menu Plan Monday 6/24

Monday- Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade fries
Tuesday- Chicken and Asian Spicy Pasta
Wednesday- Pasta
Thursday-Grilled Chicken and Rice
Friday- Maybe Pizza at the Pool
Saturday- Leftovers
Sunday- Taquitos

Last week started off fine even though I didn't post my menu..oops!!  I did everything that I was planning through the week until Sunday when we just decided to have pasta with my son instead of making another meal for us.  It was a long week but we got dinner on the table every night and used up lots of leftovers!! Here is hoping that this week goes well too!!  I know that I need to do another inventory of the freezer to get things in order and make a plan for the rest of the month...maybe next week!!

Sweet On You Book Review

I was excited to see this in the library because I have read others by this author and missed getting to read this book.  I was excited to get back into it and it quickly reminded me of all the previous books and I was interested to find out what happened with this sister.  Sweet on You (A Bradford Sisters Romance) by Becky Wade is the third book in the series of the Bradford Sisters.

Britt Bradford and Zander Ford have been the best of friends since they met thirteen years ago. Unbeknown to Britt, Zander has been in love with her for just as long.  Independent and adventurous Britt channels her talent into creating chocolates at her hometown shop. Zander is a bestselling author who's spent the past 18 months traveling the world. He's achieved a great deal but still lacks the only thing that ever truly mattered to him--Britt's heart.

When Zander's uncle dies of mysterious causes, he returns to Merryweather, Washington, to investigate, and Britt is immediately there to help. Although this throws them into close proximity, both understand that an attempt at romance could jeopardize their once-in-a-lifetime friendship. But while Britt is determined to resist any change in their relationship, Zander finds it increasingly difficult to keep his feelings hidden.  As they work together to uncover his uncle's tangled past, will the truth of what lies between them also, finally, come to light?

I was ready to read this book and it got moved to the top of the pile when I accidently left a book in the pool bag in the car.  After starting, I had a hard time putting it down.  I was immediately drawn into the friendship between Britt and Zander and realized that they both had more emotion but didn't want to ruin their close friendship.  Zander has been traveling the world after selling his book and just came home.  He realized that it is harder to be home then he thought because it was painful to watch Britt with other men and his feelings were getting harder to ignore.  There are a lot of things that happen in this book but you have to pick it up to find out for yourself.  I promise that it is a page turner and it will be hard to put back down.  Make sure you read the others in the series as well!!  I hope that you enjoy this as much as I have.

Menu Plan Monday 6/17

Monday- Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade fries
Tuesday- Chicken Parm and Pasta with garlic bread
Wednesday- Grilled Beer Can Chicken with white rice
Thursday-Fried Rice and Egg Rolls with Edamame
Friday- Tacos
Saturday- Leftovers
Sunday- Taquitos

Last week we had my son's favorite dinner on Monday night like we normally do.  We have leftover tacos and other leftovers on Tuesday and some rice to eat with them.  Wednesday was pasta night and I also made a chopped salad.  Thursday was raining so we were going to have pizza at the pool but ended up with chicken and rice at home that my husband got from work from a local restaurant with a ton of leftovers.  Friday was then Pizza Hut take out at the pool.  Saturday we met up with family so it was a busy day and we ate out and got pizza.  Sunday was Grilled Asian Chicken with leftover pasta made into Spicy Asian Noodles.  

Discovering You Book Review

I went online and found that there was one more book in the Whiskey Creek series so I quickly reserved it.  Discovering You (Whiskey Creek) by Brenda Novak came in on my reserve shelf quickly and I got to read it right after finishing the rest of the series. 

Can she ever trust another "bad boy"? India Sommers once had the perfect family—until an ex-boyfriend broke in and shot her husband. Not only did that cost her the man she loved, a respected heart surgeon and the father of her child, but she also feels responsible. Charlie died because of the people she hung out with before she had the strength to change her life.

Just after moving to Whiskey Creek with her little girl, Cassia, to start over, she's learned that her ex-boyfriend's trial ended in a hung jury. He's getting out of jail; he could try to find her again. And that's not all that scares her. She's extremely attracted to her next-door neighbor, but Rod Amos is the handsome "bad boy" type that's given her so much trouble in the past. If she got involved with him, her in-laws would sue for custody of Cassia. India has to keep her distance from Rod—but the more she gets to know him, the more difficult that becomes.

This book was very interesting and a little different then the others because a lot of it happens outside of the small town.  India is trying to get over the death of her husband because it was a brutal murder in front of her eyes.  She did everything to distract the killer from going after her daughter and protect her at all costs.  She is living with the nightmares and fears since then so she moved to a new town and while getting settled in, her daughter is living with her grandparents who India is afraid are going to fight for custody.  In Whiskey Creek she meets Rod who quickly gives her the bad boy image because he is caught fighting and has tattoos but she feels comfortable and protected around him.  They quickly fall into a relationship and he wants to protect her as his feelings grow.  This book has some serious action that keeps you on the edge of your seat so I hope that you pick it up and find out what happens for yourself.  I hope that you check out the book and the rest of the series. I think that you will enjoy them as much as I did.

First Love Book Review

I reserved this book at the library and was excited when I saw it come in.  I had gone searching for new books to read and found First Love by Beverly Lewis.  I hadn't read it and I loved the author so I put it on reserve immediately at the library so that I could check it out. 

It's the summer of 1951, and Maggie Esh is in need of some hope. Sweet-spirited and uncommonly pretty despite struggling with chronic illness, she is used to being treated kindly by the young men of her Old Order Amish church district. Yet Maggie wishes she were more like other courting-age girls so she could live a normal, healthy life.

To make matters more complicated, Dat has recently remarried, less than a year after her mother died. And while her stepmother is kind, Rachel is much younger than Mamm, and she simply doesn't understand Maggie or her illness the way Mamm did.

When tent revival meetings come to the area, Maggie is curious, and the words of the Mennonite preacher challenge her to reconsider what she knows about faith. Can she learn to trust God even when hope seems a distant dream?

I hope that you read this and you are as inspired as I was.  It is great to watch a person overcome so many physical problems that the doctors couldn't help with that affect her every day life.  Maggie is always positive and trying to do the most of her family that she can.  She is feeling like no one would want her for their spouse because she can't do the things that other wives do because she tires easily.  She is at home with her family and her father has recently remarried a short time after loosing his wife so there are a lot of things going on with the family and Maggie is being supportive of all of her family members while dealing with pain every day and having a question of what she should do to fix it.  She decides that she is going to pray and take a new medicine that is suggested by two people in her church.  You have to pick up the book to find out what happens but this story is filled with a lot of things going on and you will be amazed at the ups and downs in this book.  I hope that you check it out yourself.

A Winter Wedding Book Review

I have been reading though the whole series of Whiskey Creek books and this was the last one in my pile.  A Winter Wedding (Whiskey Creek) by Brenda Novak was the last book that I had gotten out of the library and I was finally finishing it.  Super glad that after I finished it, I found out there was one newer book in the series.

One night can change your life… 

Kyle Houseman believes he'll never find anyone he could love as much as Olivia Arnold, who's now married to his stepbrother. Not only did he lose her, he's been through one divorce and has no desire to go through another. He's determined to be extra careful about the next woman he gets involved with—which is why he fights his attraction to the beautiful stranger who rents his farmhouse for the Christmas holiday.

Lourdes Bennett is a country music artist. She's only planning to stay in Whiskey Creek long enough to write the songs for her next album—the album that's going to put her back on top. Her dreams don't include settling in a town even smaller than the one she escaped. But as she comes to know Kyle, she begins to wonder if she'd be making a terrible mistake to leave him behind…

This book was super good because we finally got to know Kyle more after his horrible divorce and being supportive of all his friends in the other books.  It was great to see Lourdes come into town and finally find someone who Kyle could relate to and help.  Lourdes was a famous country music artist who was planning on staying at Kyle's rental property while she recovered from her failing career by writing her next great album.  She ends up moving into Kyle's house with him when the heat doesn't work at the rental and she stays there through her stay.  Kyle is going through a lot of things at the time and she is supportive of him while he supports her and helps her to write some music.  They have an unlikely friendship that turns into even more.  You have to pick up the book to find out how his ex-wife tries to destroy that by getting back together with Kyle because she is jealous.  I hope that you check out this book and all of the others in the Whiskey Creek series.  I have really enjoyed reading it.  I thought I was at the end with this book but looked it up and found one more which I reserved at the library so stay tuned for the review of the next book too and look for all the others in the series too.

Menu Plan Monday 6/10

Monday- Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade fries
Tuesday- Tacos
Wednesday- Pasta
Thursday- Pizza Hut
Friday- Asian Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Edamame
Saturday-Leftovers
Sunday- Taquitos

Totally forgot to publish this on Monday again and here it is.  The last week of school and super busy with most of the time up at school so we are getting this one done the best we can make it through.

This Heart of Mine Book Review

I can't believe how quickly I read through these books but they are hard to put down and the added benefit that we have entered the summer television schedule so there is little to watch on TV.  I am getting way more time to read even though the schedule otherwise is super busy.  This Heart of Mine (Whiskey Creek) by Brenda Novak is the eighth book in the series and I am back on track for reading them in order.

First love. Second chance?  As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next.

Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob's father isn't exactly welcoming.  Riley doesn't trust Phoenix, doesn't want her in Jacob's life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he's about to find both!

Another amazing books in the series from Whiskey Creek.  Phoenix came back to Whiskey Creek after getting out of jail.  She served time for a crime she swore she didn't commit but most of the people in the small town of Whiskey Creek believed that she was guilty.  It was a hard place to come back to but she wanted to take care of her mother and get to know the son that was taken away from her while she was in prison. She quickly made a life and showed people that she had changed.  Her son has become a big part of her life and she is doing everything to make sure that he comes first.  She is giving up things so that she can provide the best for her son and that is gaining more attention from her once boyfriend.  They both decide that she is innocent and take her back into their lives.  You have to pick up the book to find out what happens when they work together.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the great series.  I think that you will enjoy this interesting small town with great characters.

Mashed Potato Bacon Cheddar Tater Tots

We had some leftover mashed potatoes and we were running low on potatoes to make homemade fries so I decided to use what I had on hand to make the meal more complete.  I decided that I was going to make the Mozzarella and Parmesan tater tots that I saw online (which I can't find again because I made it so long ago but might be closest to these) and mix up another batch with bacon and cheddar which I was totally making up because that sounded yummy to me.  I started with leftover mashed potatoes.

I added in the bacon and the cheese to try to make it way more flavorful and exciting.  I think that I could have added even more after making them.

Then I added in an egg that was already beaten.

I put some flour in the bowl and formed them into tater tot size nuggets...although I think that mine might have been too big.

After they were coated, I put them on the edge of the plate to wait to fry.

 Once they fried up, I put them on the paper towel to dry.

They ended up being a little bigger then I was wanting but it was hard to work with the sticky potatoes so it was the best I could do for my first time.

They were pretty tasty when they were hot and crispy out of the fryer but I think that they would have been even tastier with the breadcrumbs on the outside that many of the recipes suggested.  I would totally try this again but I might add a little flour to the mixture, make them smaller, add more fillings and bread the outside.  I think it is a great way to use up the leftover mashed potatoes that otherwise wouldn't be eaten.  It was a great quick addition to our meal which is always helpful and used up leftovers that weren't being eaten.  I hope that you try out your own combination for yourself.

Come Home to Me Book Review

I have enjoyed reading the Whiskey Creek series which started with one book that I got off the free shelf at the libraries and has turned into enjoying the whole series.  The bad part came when I thought I had the whole series on the shelf but it turns out I was missing the 6th book!!  I actually went on and read the 7th because I was tired of waiting for the book from the library but I quickly finished that and came back to this one. Come Home to Me (Whiskey Creek) by Brenda Novak was the sixth book in the great series which I just read a little out of order.  It is a perfect fast summer read that keeps you super interested in what is happening so that it is hard to put down.

Home is where her heart is...When Presley Christensen returns to Whiskey Creek with her little boy after two years away, she has completely changed her life. She's made peace with her past and overcome the negative behavior that resulted from her difficult childhood. Now she's back in the small town that was the closest thing to "home" she ever knew—the town where she can be with the sister who's her only family.

There's just one catch. Aaron Amos still lives in Whiskey Creek, at least until he moves to Reno to open a branch of the Amos brothers' auto body shop. And no matter how hard she's tried, Presley hasn't been able to get over him. Seeing him again makes the longing so much worse. But she hopes she can get through the next few months, because she can't fall back into his arms…or his bed. She's come too far to backslide now. And there's a secret she's been guarding—a secret she'll do anything to protect.

Presley went through so much in the previous books that I know that I was pulling for her to come out ahead and this is finally her book where she has her life together.  She moved back to the small town of Whiskey Creek when she finds that her child care isn't as reliable as she thought because there were bruises on her son.  She knows that she will be in for trouble but she decides to overcome her past and start a yoga and massage studio so that she can do two things that she has been trained to do in her home town.  She has the support of her sister, Cheyenne, and her husband, Dylan.  The bad part is her ex still lives in town and she is afraid that seeing him will bring up bad times and good times from the past.  She doesn't want to have anything happen to her future and supporting her son by getting involved in the past.  You have to pick up the book to find out what secret she is hiding and if she manages to keep it hidden.  You will also have to find out what happens and if she turns her business and life into a success after moving home.  I hope that you check out this book and all the others in the wonderful series.  The characters and the writing are so good that you feel like you are member of this small town.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as I have!

Menu Plan Monday 6/3

Monday- Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade fries
Tuesday- Spaghetti with Sausage Sauce
Wednesday- Whole Roasted Chicken with potatoes or rice
Thursday-Asian Chicken with Jasmine Rice
Friday- Simple Fried Rice and Egg Rolls and Edamame
Saturday-Leftovers
Sunday- Taquitos

I did pretty well until Friday when I was too exhausted for making dinner and we had mac and cheese with chicken and some of the new McCain frozen potatoes.  It was a tasty dinner and better yet, my husband made most of it.  Saturday my son had a birthday party and then we got to eat at home. Sunday was even busier so we got take out pizza from Pizza Hut.

How is your week going??

Waste Free Kitchen Handbook Book Review

I was going through the library online catalog and reserved a bunch of cookbooks and other things that might inspire me to start making some new meals that are tasty and frugal.  Funny this is that I reserved a book that I had already read before (see original review from 2016 here).  I was ready to return Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook: A Guide to Eating Well and Saving Money By Wasting Less Food by Dana Gunders when I decided that everyone needs a refresher.  I read the book very quickly and I was glad that I did.  I can't wait to start posting some new recipes and actually getting the things that I cook online for everyone to see.

Despite a growing awareness of food waste, many well-intentioned home cooks lack the tools to change their habits. This handbook—packed with engaging checklists, simple recipes, practical strategies, and educational infographics—is the ultimate tool for reducing food waste. From a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council come these everyday techniques that call for minimal adjustments of habit, from shopping, portioning, and using a refrigerator properly to simple preservation methods including freezing, pickling, and cellaring. At once a good read and a go-to reference, this handy guide is chock-full of helpful facts and tips, including 20 "use-it-up" recipes and a substantial directory of common foods.

The book is separated into quick to read sections about the things that you might be most interested in.  I think that the one thing that I forgot from last time is to take stock of the food that you throw into the trash whether it is because you thought you were going to use it as a leftover or just didn't get back to eating or cooked too much.  It is interesting to put that thinking on things but I know that I have this trouble with pasta specifically.  I often think that I have enough when I don't and I ended up way over cooking the next time.  I do a good job of reusing rice, chicken and other items that end up in the fridge but pasta often doesn't get cooked up anymore.  I have turned it into buffalo chicken pasta and spicy szechuan noodles but haven't been doing it as much or I have been drastically overcooking for what we need.  I try to pay attention to the things that I throw away and I often think of the cost associated with getting more of that item but I know I need to do better about putting things in the freezer.  In the recipe section, the main ones that I use is leftover fried rice where it all gets thrown into the mix and sometimes the leftover pasta dishes.  The one that I love is the leftover breadcrumbs which are the best.  I grind up any shred of cracker, chip or pretzel into breadcrumbs which make the best chicken in the world.  I like to stock them up because it often takes a long time to get enough to coat all the chicken.  I also save any bread ends in the freezer to toast and turn into bread crumbs so that we don't have to buy them anymore.  I thought that it was good book to read again and I am glad that I got it out of the library again. I hope that you check out this book and see if it helps you shop better, cook better and use up all those leftovers to make new meals.  Hope it makes you think!!

The Heart of Christmas Book Review

I was missing the next book in the series and too impatient to wait to get it at the library so I moved on to the 7th book in the series and skipped the 6th.  It isn't something that I normally do but it was nice to get another book started in the same series.The Heart of Christmas (Whiskey Creek) by Brenda Novak was the next book that I read.

Just call her Christmas Eve... Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn't have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that's what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages, and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem confining.
Eve's worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. There's no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve's definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve's happily ever after just when it finally seems within reach. And just when she's counting on the best Christmas of her life!"

Another character that has been in all of the books, we finally get to learn a little more about Eve in his book.  She was involved in a relationship with Ted a few books ago because she decided that since they were friends that they could grow to love each other and build a life together but it didn't happen because Ted decided to be with Sophia who he had always loved.  Eve was left alone to have to deal with the embarrassment in the small town.  She just wanted to get married and have a family but she couldn't find anyone to share her life with. She was trying to figure out if she was going to hire someone at the B&B that she runs to take a year off and get away.  During the depressing Christmas season, Eve runs into a handsome stranger and after a crazy night on the town, she ends up spending the night with him.  Then she learns that he is keeping secrets but she can't figure out what they are so she tries to solve the mystery.  I hope that you pick up the book and try to figure out the mystery too because I don't think that you will believe what she uncovers.  At the same time, Ted is trying to solve the mystery of the little girl that was killed many years ago at the home before it was a B&B.  It is another mystery that will shock you.  I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I have!!