This story picks up where the first one left off – Elizabeth and Danny are reveling in the throes of new love with one notable issue. Elizabeth was with Danny when he was brutally murdered, and it appears that the amulet he was wearing (and that she took to wearing upon his death) has brought him back to her. After her amulet is stolen, the ghost version is pulling him away every morning at sunrise, and the only thing holding him to Elizabeth is the love they share. Every morning at sunrise they cling to each other, holding onto each other’s soul.

Elizabeth and Danny’s former partner are determined to find Danny’s killers, even though Scotland Yard is conspiring against them. Elizabeth is taken into custody and, after hours of questioning, released to a stranger who locks her up without a key. She’s too close to finding the answers and the bad guys can’t risk being exposed.

I want to start with the plusses of this novel. The characters are well drawn, and the love affair between a “ghost” and a living, breathing person is touching. Danny and Elizabeth have compelling personalities that draw you into their unique story. The struggles (conflict) are also well done and keep you on the edge of your seat. On the down side, as mentioned in my review of the first in this series, I’m disappointed that this series couldn’t be presented in one (albeit long) book. This book does not stand on its own and, like the first, there is no resolution. You’ll need to read the third in the series to get to “the end.” Having read the first installment, I was invested in the story when I started it, but the first 25 percent of the book was a bit slow moving for me. From that point on, the action takes off and held me firmly to the end of this installment. The foreshadowing is well done – I can guess who the killer is, but I won’t play the know-it-all and complain that the characters are not paying close enough attention. Who knows? I might be wrong. In the end, the author leaves us with a brilliant crisis of conscience and a true-to-her-nature decision for Elizabeth. There is no “easy way out,” which leads us cleverly into the third installment. My recommendation? If you want a book with a beginning and an ending, this is not for you. You will need all three of the books in this series to accomplish that. If you don’t mind being pulled into separate books for the complete story, it is well worth the read.

This book would have been worth five stars for me if it had an ending. Continued in two more books, Ghostbound tells the story of Danny, a policeman, and Elizabeth, a journalist, who meet one fateful night and discover they are kindred spirits. Right before he is murdered. The author writes excellent character studies and action packed adventures as Danny's ghostly presence manifests itself to Elizabeth and they assume the relationship they would have had if he'd survived. What relationship doesn't have it's problems? They team together to solve his murder, along with Danny's partner, against a corrupt police force and a slew of suspects.

I very much enjoyed the read, but when I realized toward the end that there would be no resolution, either to the murder or to Danny's ghostly dilemma, I was disappointed. I have seen a trend in books like this - a series that doesn't finish in order to draw you into the next one or two, which almost certainly don't end until you reach whatever predetermined number of books to tell the complete story. Unfortunately, this concept annoys me to the point that I am not inclined to continue the series, in spite of the fact that it was well written and enjoyable up to that point. If you can get past that annoyance, this series is probably worth your time and energy.

Addendum: Author has informed me that the publisher is the culprit in splitting the story and in publishing this side of the ocean, it was potentially cost prohibitive to combine them. She has also expressed that they may be bundling the series when they are all translated.

This book wandered a bit, and the uncertain POV was distracting. I struggled a bit, but I did find the Spinster engaging. Would have liked it better if it was written in deep POV to give us better insight into the earl. Would have liked it better with sharper focus on the story at hand instead of, for instance, what was happening back in England where the story was not taking place and where the relatives who were not attending were.

This book was very well plotted and written. I was determined early on not to like it, i have a personal distaste for the billionaire hero type books, but this author did a great job of making the bigger-than-life hero relatable. From the Jerry Maguire beginning, to the implausible shot gun wedding premise, this story sucked me in. Kudos to Ms. Novak for drawing a strong female lead that we'd all like to be. She has her vulnerabilities, but she has a strong base to stand on which allows her to be stronger than she could be on her own.

What's a girl to do when her fiance is pulled away for an extended period of time right before the wedding? For Sarah, the answer is easy. As a loyal, caring woman, she's determined to wait for him, even when she's not happy that he didn't consult her about his decision. Or when he calls his mother more often than he calls her. What Sarah doesn't count on is the new man in her life.

What could easily be a "flighty girl who can't make up her mind" story is much deeper and much richer. A "sweet" story, the author deftly navigates the emotions of loving the "wrong" man while trying to resist the "right" man. Sarah's moral compass is right where it should be, drawing the reader into her dilemma. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and that is the moral of the story, front and center. Great story, easy read. Recommended.

Jill Shalvis has the uncanny ability to dig deep into the emotions of damaged characters and take you along for the ride. Aftershock was an emotional roller coaster, from the beginning where the characters face their mortality to the aftermath, when they realize they've stumbled onto something much bigger than a moment of impulse. As always, Ms. Shalvis delivers a heart-wrenching, soul-baring, emotion-jerking story that leaves you yearning for "the perfect man" who can see past the damaged facade into the woman hiding inside.

Reviewed By Natasha Jackson for Readers’ Favorite
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/return-to-hoffman-grove
While Return to Hoffman Grove is a love story, it is also a story of friendship. The story opens with Cinda meeting with her closest friends from childhood to get over yet another broken relationship. This scene is very telling and lets us know a lot about Cinda, which also gives us a clue about how she will act in certain situations. After the weak attempt at a girls' night out, Cinda runs into her high school best friend Brody, who has returned to revive an old crisis center. In this one moment, author Karla Brandenburg is able to set the scene for the entire book. There is history between Cinda and Brody, not necessarily romantic, but definitely full of tension and even some anger. Brody promised not to leave Cinda stuck with her fighting parents, but he left without her. Without an explanation.

Very early into Return to Hoffman Grove, we learn that it will be much more than a tale of friendship and second chance love. It is also a bit of a mystery as Cinda returns home after the so-called girls’ night out to find her house on fire. As these acts of violence increase, Cinda reverts to form and attempts to handle it all on her own. But Brody is there, trying to win her over and regain her trust. Unfortunately, his boss questions his loyalty and he loses the one thing that has held him together the past decade: his job. Karla Brandenburg has created a wonderful world in Hoffman Grove, full of old friends struggling with personal demons while trying to hang on to those relationships that helped them through the most tumultuous times of their lives.

Reading a Jill Shalvis book is like eating chocolate chip cookies. Once i start, i can't put it down, as much as i want to savor the experience. Another book with deliciously alpha men and a heroine so damaged and yet so tenacious that she's willing to take the chance that this time it might be different.

Still the One is everything i've come to expect in a Jill Shalvis novel, humor, angst, poignant moments and steamy collisions between two highly charged people.

The reading of a will and the demands of a controlling grandfather lead Micah to ask Sky an impossible favor after he's been jilted by the woman he loves. While he nurses his broken heart, Sky sees a chance to show Micah their friendship can be so much more . . .

After burying her alcoholic mother, Sky is embraced by Micah's family and becomes a catalyst to face down the hurts and secrets of the past - except for Micah, who is lost in his own drama, but trusts his friend to pull him through. The story turns when Sky calls him out for taking her kindness and unconditional love for granted. This story has great depth of emotion. The journies of these characters through a convoluted life have you rooting for them, crying with them, cheering for them and ultimately leaves you hopeful. An inspirational novel, it reminds you that God is there to help, to carry your burdens, without being preachy.