Tag Archives: cozy pet mystery

A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A woman struggling during the holidays after a year of hardship finds old family secrets and a mystery brewing in her small Georgia town in author Barbara Barth’s “A Wingman for Christmas”.

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The Synopsis

The annual Sweet Water, Georgia, Christmas parade is nearing but relationships are fractured on Wild Rose Lane. Antique dealer Cheryl Calloway’s holiday spirit has tanked. It’s been a horrible year with her divorce, her ex marrying younger and perkier Miriam across the street, and Mama moving into Cheryl’s Victorian cottage with her Amazon parrot right before Thanksgiving. A party girl in her eighties, Mama smokes up a storm, likes her nightly vodka, has a hankering for men, and now a wingman named Nigel. If that isn’t enough, the Historical Society wants Cheryl to clean up all the projects on her porch waiting to go to Spivey’s Antique Mall for their Christmas Open House. Her desire to work her booth is as dead as her marriage. Miriam, President of the Historical Society, chastises her, “If it ain’t pretty don’t put it on the porch.” Then there’s Alice, her strange neighbor with the six-foot fluorescent light bulb cross nailed to the huge Magnolia tree in the middle of her rose garden. Alice watches all the neighbors too closely. Just when Cheryl thinks things can’t get worse, an incident shakes her to the core, and a mystery follows revealing family secrets long forgotten. Cheryl wants to believe in miracles and love again, and Dr. James may just be the man of her dreams as he helps her and Mama sort things out.

Filled with quirky characters, mystery, family secrets, and sweet love, all set in a hot Georgia small town.

The Review

This was a perfect feel-good cozy mystery meets holiday romance novel. The author did a fabulous job of capturing both the holiday spirit with the rich dynamics of the Georgian setting that felt just as much like a character in the novel as any of the people. The heartfelt tone and moving ways in which the author brought the themes of relationships and the complexities of life were so engaging and showed just how much there are multiple sides to people in any situation.

The character arcs were the biggest highlight for me. As a bird parent myself, I felt instantly for the connection the protagonist, her mother, and practically everyone had for the parrot Nigel. The emotional connection that they had with this beloved bird and how it impacted the relationships they had with one another brought both the cozy aspect of this subtle mystery and the heartwarming nature of a holiday novel.

The Verdict

Captivating, thoughtful, and entertaining, author Barbara Barth’s “A Wingman for Christmas” is a must-read cozy mystery and holiday romance novel for 2022. The unique setting and relatable cast of characters will keep readers hooked, and the emotional journey that the protagonist goes on and the engaging conclusion will have readers eager for more of this author’s work. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Barbara Barth turned to writing and adopting dogs to heal after her husband died fourteen years ago. Known as ‘Writer With Dogs’, Barth currently lives with four Chihuahuas in a charming town forty miles outside of Atlanta. She is Literary Arts Chair at a small art center where she promotes writing activities, author events, book launches, and hosts an online group Walton Writers. Inspired by the wonderful artists around her, Barth started painting and has won several awards with her whimsical art. Her books are available on Amazon. Visit her Instagram page Barbara Barth Studio.

You can also check out her website.

Blog Tour Calendar

November 28th @ WOW! Women on Writing

Join us at our blog The Muffin to celebrate the launch of A Wingman for Christmas. We’re interviewing the author and giving away a copy of her book to one lucky reader.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

November 30th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Join Anthony as he reviews A Wingman for Christmas. A perfect novella for the holiday season!

http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com

December 1st @ Deborah-Zenha Adams

Visit Deborah’s blog where she shares a guest post by author Barbara Barth about how many editors you really need.

http://www.deborah-adams.com/

December 3rd @ Pages and Paws

Kristine shares her review of the charming holiday novella A Wingman for Christmas.

https://pagesandpaws.com/

December 5th @ One Writer’s Journey

Join Sue as she reviews A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth.

https://suebe.wordpress.com/

December 6th @ Michelle Cornish’s Blog

Join Michelle as she reviews A Wingman for Christmas. A must-read novella for the holiday season!

https://www.michellecornishauthor.com/blog

December 7th @ The Frugalista Mom

Rochie shares her review of A Wingman for Christmas and gives away a copy of the book to one lucky reader.

https://thefrugalistamom.com

December 8th @ Knotty Needle

Visit Judy’s blog as she features a guest post by Barbara Barth about starting a writing group.

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

December 9th @ A Storybook World

Visit Deirdra’s blog for a spotlight on A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth.

http://www.astorybookworld.com/

December 10th @ Michelle Cornish’s Blog

Visit Michelle’s site as she features author Barbara Barth’s guest post on encouraging others to write.

https://www.michellecornish.com/blog

December 12th @ Storeybook Review

Leslie shares her thoughts about this fun novella A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth.

https://storeybookreviews.com

December 13th @ Bring on Lemons

Join Crystal as she shares this fun holiday novella A Wingman for Christmas.

https://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

December 14th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Visit Beverley’s blog as she reviews A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

December 14th @ Avonna Loves Genres

Join Avonna as she reviews A Wingman for Christmas by Barbara Barth.

https://avonnalovesgenres.com/

December 15th @ One Writer’ Journey

Visit Sue’s blog where she features a guest post by Barbara Barth about finding inspiration around you.

https://suebe.wordpress.com/

December 15th @ Knotty Needle

Visit Judy’s blog again as she shares her thoughts about Barbara Barth’s fun holiday read A Wingman for Christmas.

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

December 16th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Join Beverley as she features a guest post by author Barbara Barth about writing fiction versus memoir.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

December 18th @ Life According to Jamie

Jamie will be reviewing a fun novella for the holiday season: A Wingman for Christmas. 

https://lifeaccordingtojamie.com/

December 19th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews

Join Lisa as she interviews author Barbara Barth about her book A Wingman for Christmas.

https://lisahaselton.com/blog/

December 20th @ Word Magic

Visit Fiona’s blog as she features a guest post by Barbara Barth about researching your topic as well as your time frame.

https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

December 21st @ World of My Imagination

Visit Nicole’s blog as she reviews A Wingman for Christmas.

https://worldofmyimagination.com/

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Ascot and the Stolen Shrubs: Book One of the Fern Valley Fur Family Mysteries by J. Traveler Pelton

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

After a series of robberies in which flower bushes were stolen, the race is on as a group of pets must see if they can catch the thieves before their owners in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Ascot and the Stolen Shrubs”, the first book in the Fern Valley Fur Family Mysteries series.

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The Synopsis

Fern Valley, a few miles down the road from Lyonsville, is a quiet little town, the kind of place you’d like to visit or retire to someday. Every yard had flower gardens along Main Street and the annual Gardening Festival competition and Home Tour drew crowds from miles away. Ascot and his pack at the Sinclair Dog Rescue live a serene life next door to Lillian’s Cattery, and they’d formed a truce. When someone starts stealing flower bushes, Ascot and his friends stage nighttime forays while their masters search for clues in the daytime. Who will find what was hidden under all those bushes first, the professional detectives or a pack of lonely pets?

The Review

This was such a fun and entertaining mystery read. The author instantly transports readers into this cozy and tight-knit small-town setting, bringing a real sense of community and the emotional bond of a pet parent and their fur babies. As a pet parent myself, I can attest not only to the intellect of these incredible animals, but the love and bond we share with one another, and the author captures this perfectly in this novel.

The tone and atmosphere that the author created really reminded me of the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books of another era. The mystery and seriousness of the building crimes and the thirst for the truth mesh well with the adorable cast of characters and the cozy mystery genre that the author has found in this book. 

The Verdict

A shocking, fun, and engaging mystery read, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “Ascot and the Stolen Shrubs” is the perfect start to this brand new mystery series. A shocking series of twists and turns that elevates the mystery to heights that will take readers by surprise, the thought-provoking story and balance of characters between the humans of the small town and the pets that shadow them make this such an entertaining read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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J TRAVELER PELTON REVIEWS

About the Author

J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She is active in her home church; enjoys having theological disputes with her friends, loves to cook a big meal and then takes a walk, discussing the ideas of what her friends/family are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 45 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She is a cancer survivor. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.

Her co-author of the fantasy series is her grandson T-bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a student of Kenpo, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.

Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!