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Book Review: When Mikan Road Was Ours by D.K. Furutani

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Published July 28, 2026 by Atria Books

Amidst a sweltering Los Angeles heat wave, Murano, a reclusive high school English teacher, is muddling through life. Reeling from his father’s death as well as his own recent cancer diagnosis, he spends his days grading papers and appeasing disgruntled parents while painstakingly counting down the days until summer vacation.

However, the monotony breaks when he inherits his great-uncle Benjiro’s unpublished memoir. He expects the pages to be a grim reminder of his position as the half-white son of the black sheep of the family. Instead, as he reads, Murano is whisked away to 1930s California, to a time when the Murano family was inseparable, relishing life on their bucolic farmland. As Murano is introduced to family members he never knew existed and confronted with the hidden complexities of the past, he is pulled close to the Japanese identity he’s dismissed all his life.

Ultimately faced with more questions about his fractured family than answers, Murano becomes determined to discover the reasons behind his family’s dissolution following their incarceration in American concentration camps during World War II, no matter what hidden truths he might uncover about his ancestors or himself.

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This story has dual timelines and as the story of Murano’s family in America unfolds, we are shown his family heritage, struggles and their incarceration and experience during World War II. A truly shameful time in our American history to say the least.

I have mixed feelings about the structure of the story. While I’m used to reading slower and reflective literary fiction, I found it hard at times to push on with this book. I’ve reflected on the reason why that is this case, and it’s not because of the culture, because I do extensive cultural background studies, it’s that the narrative’s voice and perhaps the character development was a bit dry to me. Also, I found it difficult to know who was talking sometimes or who was who in the family dynamic. That said, I pushed onward and I’m glad I did because the story has a good conclusion, and I learned a few things.

There are many good lessons that come from this story, and I know many readers will enjoy this book.

I rated this book three stars.

Stephanie

I obtained a review copy from the publishers for an honest review.

Book Review: The Honey Tree Jo Sparkes

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Maggie has always accepted her lot in life that is, until she witnesses a breathtaking moment of liberation of a butterfly that breaks free from a spider’s web. This small, defiant act sparks a fire within her soul to break free from the bonds of slavery.

As her daughter Honey, ascends to the coveted position of personal maid to the Mistress, Maggie’s family is thrust into the intricate dynamics of power and privilege within the House.

But in the shadows, a chance encounter between Maggie’s sons and Preacher, a burly, escaped slave, sets the stage for a risky alliance.

Meanwhile, Lucy, the Master’s lonely daughter, hungers for the warmth and kindness that Maggie effortlessly exudes. The boundaries that separate them are as rigid as the times they live in, but the desire for connection and understanding defies the odds.

Maggie, recognizing an opportunity for freedom, finds herself entwined in a perilous dance between liberation and the relentless pull of her current station.

Will she follow the path of the butterfly?

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Firstly, I’d like to share that I haven’t read too many stories (only a few) that take place in Missouri during this era. However, I have read countless historical stories and nonfiction that take place in the 19th century, and these tellings never get old.

Considering Missouri is in the central United States, it may come to a surprise to some that there was slavery there. It was considered a border state, and the southern parts were influenced culturally, economically, and politically by both the North and South. This in fact was one of the main reasons why I chose to read this story when Sparkes approached me to review her book.

The first half of the story sets the stage for what will be a truly powerful story, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the ending.

Maggie’s family and Lucy pulled at my heart strings. As tensions grew, I found myself holding my breath, hoping for Magie’s family freedom, and for Lucy’s fragile being to be comforted. I was also so thankful for Preacher coming into their lives, and for his influence to break free.

Sparkes portrays vivid imagery of time and place throughout this deeply moving story. Her character’s lives will draw you in for a truly impactful sense of family bonds that tie us, hope, faith, courage and-yes-even redemption.

I highly recommend this story to all, and my hope is that readers will come away with the same experience as I did.

My thanks to Sparkes for sending me a physical copy of this book for an honest review. I have rated this book four stars.

Stephanie

Book Review: A New World for the Irish Daughter by Kate Hewitt

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Publication Date: July 27, 2026 by @Bookouture

San Francisco, 1893: When Maggie O’Halloran steps off the train in California, she knows she must be brave for her friend Brendan and her brother Danny. Having fled both New York and Chicago, they all have broken spirits and fear having to start again. Can Maggie find courage and strength for them all?

Maggie soon finds a boarding house that will take them in. In a lively part of town, and with a colorful clientele, it is not somewhere she ever imagined staying. Until one night when they are woken by a distressing cry, Maggie finds herself assisting a doctor to save a young woman’s life.

Working through the night by candlelight, Maggie realizes this may be her true calling. When the doctor asks if she would consider training as a nurse, she says yes immediately, hopeful she might have finally found her purpose in life. Will this now give her the courage to tell Brendan how she truly feels?

But before she can risk her heart, Brendan reveals that Danny is in trouble once more. They are leaving at dawn for Alaska to mine for gold, and Maggie is both shocked and heartbroken. Should she stay, and continue the work that has given her life such meaning? Or should she sacrifice everything, and follow those she loves even further into the unknown?

My Thoughts:

When Maggie, Brendan and her brother, Danny stepped off the train in San Franciso, almost immediately I knew they were off to a bad start when they discovered Maggie and Danny’s father living at a house of ill repute. With nowhere else to go, and very little money, they were invited to stay by the owner, and before too long, Maggie found herself in an awkward situation with the owner and must find another place to live. The opportunity quickly presents itself, and she begins two years of training as a nurse. When she has two months left of her training, Brendon tells her that he and her father and Danny are leaving for Alaska. My heart absolutely sank when she heard the news! A big part of me wanted her to stay because she finally found purpose, but I knew losing her family and Brendon would have been heartbreaking for her. When they left for Alaska, this is when the story really got adventurous and I felt I was in the wilds alongside them.  

I had the pleasure of reading the second book in this trilogy, but I mentioned in my review for that book that I had not read the first book yet, and I still haven’t! That said, this latest and final installment of Maggie’s adventures is my absolute favorite so far. I will be adding these books to my physical book stack, and my only complaint about this series is that it has ended.

Beautifully historical woven elements blended with atmospheric surroundings, and deeply complex characters that will capture your heart.

Stephanie

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through Netgalley for an honest review.

June Birthday Book Haul!

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Amazon Prime Day(s) this year was just a few days after my birthday, and I loaded up on lots of books! There are quite a few book series I’ve been wanting to start and the gift cards I got were the perfect opportunity to purchase the first books in these series I’ve had my eye on. I can’t wait to get started on them.

After they came in the mail, I was thinking about which one I wanted to start first, and then another thought came to me. There are a ton of series I’ve started-even going years back-and I haven’t kept up with a lot of them-not on purpose-but because there are so many. I need to create a spread sheet or master list-if you will-of the series I’ve started and about to start. It would be great to track them. That said, I’m almost hesitant to begin this project because I know there are more than twenty or so book series I started. Though that would be a good reason for the list! This may be a fun book project to blog about further.

As you can see in the pictures, I got quite a bit of physical books. I also got a few theology books as well, but that will be for other posts. I want to read them first and decide after that if I want to write about them.

I did get a few more ebooks as well because they were such a great deal. Some of you may have remembered I blogged about ones I got on June 19th  and mentioned I may download more.

Did you acquire any books on Prime Day? How many book series are you currently reading, if any? Do share!

Below are the ebooks I bought.

Read a lot, and read widely

Stephanie

The Sky Beneath Her by Mary Ellen Taylor

Published July 1, 2026 by Montlake

It’s been seven years since a tragic diving accident took her mother’s life, leaving Tula Cassidy with a crushing fear of the sea. The ocean she once loved is no longer a part of her. And she can’t imagine it ever will be again.

Until her return to the Outer Banks changes everything.

While clearing out an old beach house, Tula receives a mysterious manuscript about the Oceanus. The passenger ship’s final voyage ended in disaster in 1942, and its underwater wreckage ultimately became her mother’s final resting place.

As Tula unravels the ship’s haunting history, she uncovers not only an unexpected family connection, but also a story of survival that helps her understand her own journey toward healing.

With help from Nathan, the charming dive instructor she left behind years ago, Tula faces her deepest fears to unlock the secrets of both past and present. Sometimes the greatest journeys begin when we find the courage to dive back in.

The Echo of Lost Stories by Victoria Scott

Published  June 28, 2026 by Boldwood Books

1842: London is preparing for Christmas, but Isabelle Burdett wants nothing to do with the world. Grieving her husband, she has withdrawn from work, family, and even her daughter. Yet as Christmas Eve draws to a close, an unexpected arrival at her door shatters her carefully built solitude – and brings a choice that could change everything.

Present day: Emily, a history lecturer still mourning her father, is called to a crumbling house in Cheapside, where developers have discovered a stack of old notebooks. They tell the story of three ghostly visitors on a Christmas Eve long ago. But who wrote them – and how could they have been written before Dickens’s famous tale?

As Emily searches for answers, the past and present collide, and long-hidden truths emerge that will haunt both women forever.

Murder at the Abbey by Irina Shapiro

Redmond and Haze Mysteries #2

Published  June 2, 2020 by Merlin Press LLC

I read the first book in this series and I loved it! You can read my review HERE.

When the body of a young woman is found near the ruins of a haunted abbey, everyone assumes she died of fright. A postmortem examination tells a different story. Not only was Elizabeth Barrett poisoned, but the lethal dose of cyanide must have been administered by someone close to her—someone she trusted, who may have known her secret. As Captain Redmond and Constable Haze delve into the victim’s seemingly ordinary life, they learn she wasn’t the proper, biddable wife everyone believed her to be. With no clear motive for the murder and no obvious suspects, the trail soon grows cold. But the killer is closer than they imagined, waiting to strike with deadly force should they discover the truth.

The Silence by Kendra Elliot

Columbia River #2

Published August 25, 2020 by Montlake

I have not read the first book yet, nor have I read anything from this author. I hope there is not any or a lot of foul language in this one.

A dead conspiracy theorist. A mass murderer. Two cases collide for Callahan and McLane in a pulse-pounding thriller by Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author Kendra Elliot.

A man is savagely murdered outside Portland, and Detective Mason Callahan finds blood-spatter evidence that tells a troubling story. Files reveal the murder victim, Reuben Braswell, was a radical conspiracist. In his home, investigators find pages of diatribes against law enforcement as well as ties to Mason’s fiancée, FBI special agent Ava McLane. The victim was her informant—and had strong reasons to be paranoid.

To Ava, Braswell’s rants were those of a wearying and harmless man…until they collide with her investigation into the murders of police officers and finding the connection becomes urgent. Meanwhile, Braswell’s brother and Ava’s twin sister both disappear, and disturbing acts of sabotage target Ava’s personal life.

For Mason and Ava, the brutal crimes and escalating mysteries create a perfect storm for a terrorist conspiracy that becomes dangerously personal—one that has yet to claim its last victim.

The Blackout Murders by Anna Elliott and

Charles Veley

Homefront Sleuths #1

Published  January 5, 2025 by Wilton Press

I heard this is a great series from a fellow book blogger and they are clean reads.

Five unlikely friends. One quaint village. A killer hiding among them.

It’s 1941, and the village of Crofter’s Green has grown quiet since the Cozy Cup tea shop closed its doors. But when Evie Harris—granddaughter of the shop’s late owner—returns to the village, gossip swirls about her exploits as a London air raid warden. Could she reopen the Cozy Cup? Or is she back for good?

Before anyone can find out, the local air raid warden turns up dead, and the village is left reeling. With the police preoccupied by the war, Evie and four eccentric neighbors form an unlikely team to solve the

Alice A sharp-tongued herbalist who sees everything.

Blake A schoolteacher whose wit is as sharp as his mind.

Harry A retired detective called back into the game.

Dotty Baker: A nosy mum with instincts sharper than her sewing needles.

Together, they uncover secrets that could shatter their little village—and reveal a killer hiding in plain sight.

Book Review: The Museum of Second Chances by Jo Leevers

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Publish Date: July 1, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Every morning, Evelyn Silver walks the shoreline before the rest of Portheast wakes, gathering what the tide leaves behind. Broken cups. Lost trinkets. Objects others have discarded. In her small Museum of Maritime Curiosities, each one earns its place—because to Evelyn, every forgotten thing deserves to have its story told.

At the heart of the museum lies her most precious fragment of Cornish lace, found pinned to her blanket when she was abandoned as a newborn. For over sixty years, she has kept it close, hoping someone might one day recognize it and tell her who she really is.

So, when the local council threatens to close the museum, Evelyn stands to lose far more than her livelihood. Forced out of her solitude, she rallies the community around the museum’s curious collection—and as the objects begin to give up their secrets, lives start to intertwine in ways nobody expected.

My Thoughts:

When I first read the book description about a woman who walks the shoreline to gather what the tide washes ashore, I knew I had to read this story.  That detail alone brought back memories of my childhood combing the sand on the beaches where I grew up.

I love the idea of a museum of maritime curiosities, and the stories the found items tell or secrets they reveal.  

Evelyn is an intriguing character. She is introverted, quirky and eccentric in some ways, and needs help to save her museum. Yet at the same time, she doesn’t want to be intruded on. As the story builds, and a group of individuals come into her life to help her, you begin to see a change in her, and in them as well.

I enjoyed reading about Evelyn and the other characters: Della, Jacob, Allison, Sariah and George. Each of their stories is heartwarming and their friendship is a special one.

There are many lessons to be learned in this story. One of them is when you’re in a bad situation or something bad happens, there is also something good that can come from it.  

A well written story with timeless themes, engaging characters, and found curiosities to spark your imagination of exploring.

Stephanie

I received an ARC from the Publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: The Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. White

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The Island Shop #1

Published May 9, 2025 by Guideposts

When Kennedy Marshall sets off for a prestigious career in the city, she leaves behind the sunlit shores of North Carolina’s Outer Banks—and runs from a love she believes she can never have. With her sister, Lara, managing their grandmother’s beloved island bookshop, Kennedy feels confident she’s escaped the past. But when Lara is suddenly injured, Kennedy is drawn back into the island’s warm embrace—and bittersweet memories she thought she’d buried forever.

For Wes Armstrong, the Outer Banks is more than home, it’s his anchor. Building a successful family business was supposed to bring stability, but life has been anything but steady since his wife’s passing. Haunted by past regrets and facing a life-changing decision, Wes is determined to make the right choice for his family’s future. Yet Kennedy’s unexpected return stirs up old emotions and mistakes he thought he’d put to rest.

As hidden family secrets surface and long-buried truths come to light, Kennedy and Wes must navigate the delicate tides of forgiveness, second chances, and the unspoken love that still lingers between them. Can they find the courage to rewrite their story and create a new future on the island’s shifting sands?

My thoughts:

This is the first book in The Island Shop series, and the story has two dual timelines, which I love. The setting for both timelines is on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and is the perfect location for this series. I love the coast of North Carolina!

I really enjoyed the wholesomeness of this story and the themes of faith, forgiveness, and second chances. Though I have to say, I wasn’t feeling the spark-if you will-with the relationship with Kennedy and Wes. Oftentimes, the interaction between the two felt forced and flat in my opinion. That said, I did enjoy reading about all the characters, the activity at the bookshop, and I liked reading about the sisterly relationship with Kennedy and Lara in the modern story. I do hope there will be a story coming out that centers around Lara!

I was immersed in the story that takes place in the past more so, and I would have liked to have seen that timeline flesh out a bit more. Nonetheless, both stories were engaging and there was a mystery that connects the past to the present that was well written.  

I read the second book The Island Bakeshop first before starting with this one. I recommend starting with this book first for more background.

This story was atmospheric, heartwarming and is the perfect read for the summertime!

Stephanie

I obtained a review copy from the publishers from NetGalley for an honest review.

Side Bar: Be sure to check out my review for the sequel HERE

Book Review: The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi

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Publish Date: June 23, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

When Bess Rollins’s parents die in a tragic accident, she is forced to abandon her dream job overseas. After three years away, she returns to her family’s estate in the Finger Lakes, a veritable monument to her brilliant late grandmother, and a reminder of the wreckage Bess left behind.

There’s the guilt over leaving her younger twin siblings, Casey and Caleb, and she struggles to rebuild a bond that may be irrevocably broken. Amid the grief, resentment still looms toward her reckless and self-indulgent mother and father. And then there’s Luke Monticelli, the devoted man Bess walked out on but never stopped loving.

Haunted by her regrets at every turn, Bess soon realizes that the past is far more complicated than she ever knew. With each secret that she uncovers about her family, Bess comes closer to healing their wounds, seizing a second chance at love, and fulfilling dreams that can lift them all—right here at home, where she belongs.

My Thoughts:

The Museum of Lost Dreams is the second book in a row I’ve read about family, and this story does not disappoint. Christine Nolfi gives the reader a realistic view of a family who is fractured by tragic circumstances, and we are shown the mindset of everyone, and their journey of opening their hearts to understand each other’s experiences, and how forgiveness and healing begins.

My heart went out to Bess and her siblings. They were severely neglected by their parents and when tragic strikes Bess’s younger brother, she goes through extreme quilt for what happened to him and her mother’s blaming Bess was unwarranted, but typical of her behavior. Essentially her drug addicted mother blamed her for many things and there was no self-accountability for the actions of herself, nor from her husband which ultimately, their recklessness and disgusting behavior, and lifestyle was their demise in my opinion.

This story has a dual timeline which really helped the premise and gave me clarity in the family dynamic. There are also historical elements that were intriguing and helped keep me invested in the story even more. I absolutely love dual timelines and when they are done right, it is a guarantee, I’m giving the story a high rating.

A thought provoking, emotional, and moving story of second chances.

Stephanie

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.

Side Bar: I maybe counted three curse words in the entire book? Also, there is low spice in this book, but no actual description of-ahem-spice scenes.

Reader’s Log 074: Amazon Prime Ebook Deals

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Amazon Prime Day is running for four days this year, starting June 23 to 26. This special deal is for Amazon Prime members. Already there are many deals that have started and this post is about the ebooks I have already downloaded. I was able to acquire five ebooks that are on my wish-list. Next week, I will be purchasing a few physical copies of novels, and perhaps more ebooks. My Birthday is this weekend. I can’t wait!

The List of ebooks:

  1. The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson
  2. Where the Sea Lavendar Grows by Kitty Johnson
  3. To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer
  4. To Dance with a Duke by Gabrielle Meyer
  5. Pre-ordered: To Educate an Earl Gabrielle Meyer

I was auto approved to read and review “Where the Sea Lavendar Grows” by Kitty Johnson, published by Lake Union Publishing, but my review stack was full for May. I am delighted to get an ebook copy at such a great price. That said, not all my books come from publishers to review. What books I choose to review from publishers depend on several factors.

The Gabrielle Meyer books are part of her Dollar Princess Sereis. I’ve read two of her books from another series so far, and her story telling is so good. I recommend checking out her books.

“The Mountains We Call Home” by Kim Michele Richardson is the third installment in her series “The Book Women of Troublesome Creek.” This series has been on my to-read list for some time and I’m starting with the third book? I’m not sure yet. It depends on if I can get the first two at a good price.

I love the books covers of all these books!

Stephanie

The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson

Published April 21, 2026 by Sourcebooks Landmark

When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, The Mountains We Call Home explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.

Where the Sea Lavendar Grows by Kitty Johnson

Published May 1, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Elise, an artist grieving the loss of her son and a fracturing marriage, is in North Norfolk to restore Marsh House to its former glory, its walls adorned with the fading murals and paintings of its long-ago owner, Lilias Carter-Brown. Elise makes an immediate connection to the house, to Sam—a carpenter and a comfort—and to history itself when an old photograph draws Elise into Lilias’s heartbreaking past.

In 1939, with war threatening, Lilias and her sister turn Marsh House into a sanctuary for London evacuees—a young boy and his mother. But it’s the boy’s father, Harry, an enlistee soon to report for duty, with whom Lilias forms an unexpected and intimate bond. When Harry suddenly vanishes without a trace, it changes the course of Lilias’s life forever.

Now, as Elise and Sam work to solve the mystery of the disappearance, the restoration of Marsh House is bringing Elise back to life as well—to love again, to put her and Lilias’s past to rest, and to finally move on.

To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #1

Published  January 6, 2026

For fans of My Fair Lady and The Gilded Age

New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.

Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything he thought he knew about love—and about himself.

After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become.

To Dance with a Duke by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #2

Published  June 9, 2026

For those who love The Gilded Age and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

In 1884, Ames Welby, the Duke of Severton, is desperate. His ancestral home is falling apart, his tenant farmers are starving, and his family name is tainted by a mysterious scandal that keeps people away. With no fortune and no time, he does the unthinkable—marries for money. But Lily Parker, the American heiress he weds in haste, is no pampered socialite. She’s practical, passionate, and has a plan to restore Pickering Castle—and the reputation of the five reclusive Welby brothers.

Inspired by her love of matchmaking and her longing for connection, Lily invites four eligible young women to a summer house party, hoping to spark romance and rebuild the family’s future. What follows is a whirlwind of mischief, mismatched couples, and unexpected love. But when Lily’s belief in true love clashes with Ames’s fear of family curses and social ruin, their fragile marriage is put to the ultimate test.

To Educate an Earl by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #3

Expected Publication  October 6, 2026 by

For those swept away by The Gilded Age and The Sound of Music.

In 1886, when a scheming suitor threatens her family’s fragile reputation, Adeline Ranier is sent to England under a false name to pose as a governess for the Earl of Torrington’s five motherless children. Stripped of her title and fortune, she steps into a world of quiet sorrow and stubborn resistance—and discovers a household aching for joy.

George Stafford, the Earl of Torrington, has buried his heart along with his late wife. His children have driven away every governess, and he has no hope that Miss Ranier will be any different. But Addie’s unconventional charm, fierce loyalty, and refusal to give up begin to awaken something long forgotten in all of them, including George.

As laughter returns to the halls of Torrington Manor, Addie finds herself falling for the children—and for their father. But secrets from her past threaten to unravel everything, especially when George chooses a wealthy heiress to be his bride. Torn between duty and desire, Addie must decide whether to protect her heart or fight for the family she’s come to love.

Book Review: Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk

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Storied Sisters Society #1

Published May 19, 2026 by Sea Crow Press

Three hearts. Countless letters. One impossible choice.

Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine’s fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and nineteenth-century life.

My Thoughts:

I know this might sound strange to some, but after I finished reading Dear Missing Friend, written in the form of corresponding letters, I thought, how would I respond if I were to write a letter in the form of a review? You see, a letter would be more fitting, and more worthy because Susan McGuirk has given readers an incredibly personable and thought-provoking experience and as I navigated through the lives of a family and their friends, I have never felt such a deep connection this way before with characters in this format.

19th Century: Catherine McGuirk and her brothers are Irish immigrants who came to America to start new lives in a world full of uncertainties. Through the years, their thoughts, joy, friendships, heartbreak, domestic troubles, loss of children, abandonment, sorrow, loneliness, are shared through letters in such an open way that it’s as if you were part of their family experiencing everything they were going through.

As Catherine’s decisions in life unfolded, years later she was faced with examining the result of her decisions in life, and as a Christian, I felt such a deep conviction of my own choices in life regarding my relationships past and present. Which brought me to Catherine’s dear friend Jane, and a particular letter she wrote to Catherine about “putting things to right.” That letter really moved me. There is much to reflect on with this story about relationships. There were beautiful lessons of mercy, grace, faith and forgiveness.

There were also so many historical threads interwoven with the characters’ lives and one will experience that with these letters. Such as, the whaling industry, the great famine, civil war, the gold rush, immigration of the Irish, the Panic of 1857 and so forth. I also enjoyed reading the poems the author included in the beginning of each chapter by Walt Whitman from his book Leaves of Grass. I am going to buy a physical copy of Dear Missing Friend, and place it next to my copy of Whitman’s book. This is a story I won’t ever forget. This is a story I will always go back to. Even as I wrote this, I wanted to read the story all over again and I will.

I have rated this book five stars and so far, this book is among my five top favorite stories of this year. 

Stephanie

Book Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Tradition and Treachery by Kate Khavari

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Saffron Everleigh Mystery #5

Published June 9, 2026 by Crooked Lane Books

Saffron Everleigh is newly engaged and full of optimism as she sets off on the adventure of a lifetime for any a research expedition. She sails to newly formed Turkey, with her fiancé, Alexander Ashton, and a bevy of fellow researchers under the watchful and reformed eye of Dr. Henry. With only two other women on board, Saffron soon finds she is right back in the same infuriatingly misogynistic environment that marked the earliest days of her career. Only this time, Saffron is determined to show everyone, including Alexander, that she can handle the trials of an expedition.

And trials she has in spades. Before the expedition team has even arrived, Saffron has managed to find an enemy in historian Joseph Clark, who frequently torments the assistant that Saffron has taken under her wing, Martin Neill. But when Martin unexpectedly dies, Saffron is targeted as the main suspect.

Falling ruins, venomous snakes, and mysteriously blocked passages are the least of Saffron’s worries. With unexpected help from a familiar face, Alexander and Saffron have to work fast to prove not only that Saffron is innocent, but that they both have nothing to do with a larger conspiracy at play among the expedition crew.

My Thoughts:

A Botanist’s Guide to Tradition and Treachery is the fifth installment of Khavari’s Saffron Eveleigh Mystery series, and I am delighted I chose to pick this one up. When I read that Saffron Everleigh was finally going on her first expedition and sailed to the newly formed Turkey, I knew the story would be good. I’m fascinated with the history of the land and the archaeological discoveries, and with the blend of a murder mystery makes it all the more mysterious!

The story builds slowly in the beginning-in a good way- and half way through things really picked up and I couldn’t put this book down!  

I really enjoyed all the characters in this story, including the detective Polat, even though he was a thorn at Eveleigh’s and Alexander’s side. Polat was determined to get his man-if you will-with really only speculation to go on.

This story had a wonderful blend of culture, elements of suspense, social constraints that added depth to the mystery and the possible motives of who murdered the young man, Martin Neill. I must confess, I was sad that it had to be him. I really felt his loss in this story.

Stephanie

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.