Mary Metcalfe

Burt is bored with retirement. Through a few chance circumstances, he ends up making the decision to begin his own private investigation company. The first case is easy. The second brings him face to face with a dead girl, a business owner with a shady past, and a doomsday cult. Will he figure out who the killer is or be put out of business for good?

There were so many relatable moments in this book that I absolutely adored the main character. I think my favorite line was “The whole purpose of paying at the pump was to avoid human interaction.”

There were a lot of goofy moments like this that really made the main character, and supporting characters feel real. This entire storyline was fantastic. While I’ve read/listened to a lot of detective murder mysteries, I’ve never come across one with such a unique angle before.

Narration was perfect.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
… (más)

Carol Brock is a forty-three year old successful real estate agent who has sworn off men after a series of bad relationships. Carol is determined to take back control of her life and career, that is until she meets Devin Elliott, Boston's most eligible bachelor and restoration specialist. Devin puts in an offer for a Victorian house that Carol has listed, there is mutual attraction and a chance at a new beginning for both of them. But there is just one little problem ... Devin's psychopathic ex-girlfriend Allison, who is hellbent on stopping Devin from buying her mother's house and his growing relationship with Carol. Can Carol and Devin overcome the complications and obstacles that arise from their budding relationship and get a chance at a new beginning?

In New Beginnings, the second book of the Look To The Future series, author Mary Metcalfe weaves an intriguing tale of romance and suspense that will captivate the reader's attention. The reader is transported to picturesque New England as they follow Carol Brock and Devin Elliott's budding professional and personal relationship that is wrought with past emotional baggage, complications, and one seriously psycho ex-girlfriend.

This fast-paced story has a good mixture of romance, drama, tension, intrigue and suspense that easily draws the reader in and keeps them turning the pages. The characters are realistic and well developed with witty dialogue and engaging interactions; the author provides a richly detailed description of the setting; and a fascinating storyline that flows seamlessly as it builds momentum with unpredictable developments and suspenseful twists and turns until the dramatic conclusion.

I enjoyed watching the development of Carol and Devin's relationship, and how they both had to let go of their past emotional baggage, overcome unpredictable obstacles, re-evaluate their lives and take a risk in order to move forward and get a second chance at a new beginning.

New Beginnings is an enjoyable romantic suspense thriller that is simply hard to put down!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-beginnings-by-mary-metcalf...… (más)

As usual, this book came to me via a GoodReads drawing and, as it is a romance, I wouldn't have normally bothered with it if I'd read the description more closely. That aside, never let it be said that I don't cast the net for my reading material far and wide.

Metcalfe's book is simple and readable with no great complications. This is mind candy at best. I generally try to look back on a book and make note of at least one thing I've learned while reading it but this book completely fails to supply anything. I suspect that this trait is one held commonly by the romance genre but it was notable to me as one who does not wander into that field with great regularity. The author's technical execution of the book was sufficient but not exemplary.

As the story goes much of the dramatic element was wholly implausible and left me rather horrified at the leisurely way in which the authorities executed their jobs. The overly-privileged characters bounce through their bubble-gum lives and while there is some brief and unrealistic drama, all returns to sunshine and rainbows wrapped up with a nice little bow in the end. Again, it's worth pointing at that this criticism is probably directed more at the genre than this specific work. This seems to be the very definition of "romance" but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

The work did beg the question of exactly why anyone would read novels of this sort. The characters depicted are far from normal people and rather unrelatable to the masses so why is literature of this type so eagerly sought out? I can only speculate that like the fantasy genre it boils down to simple escapism. Personally, the lives depicted seemed rather vapid and shallow so who would want to bother? At any rate, I'm philosophizing needlessly now.

In summary, this book was four hours of mild amusement. I would put it on the aching bloody fringe of recommending it to readers of the female persuasion with the understanding that they should seek little substance from it and make moderate efforts to suspend disbelief.… (más)

As usual, this book came to me via a GoodReads drawing and, as it is a romance, I wouldn't have normally bothered with it if I'd read the description more closely. That aside, never let it be said that I don't cast the net for my reading material far and wide.

Metcalfe's book is simple and readable with no great complications. This is mind candy at best. I generally try to look back on a book and make note of at least one thing I've learned while reading it but this book completely fails to supply anything. I suspect that this trait is one held commonly by the romance genre but it was notable to me as one who does not wander into that field with great regularity. The author's technical execution of the book was sufficient but not exemplary.

As the story goes much of the dramatic element was wholly implausible and left me rather horrified at the leisurely way in which the authorities executed their jobs. The overly-privileged characters bounce through their bubble-gum lives and while there is some brief and unrealistic drama, all returns to sunshine and rainbows wrapped up with a nice little bow in the end. Again, it's worth pointing at that this criticism is probably directed more at the genre than this specific work. This seems to be the very definition of "romance" but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

The work did beg the question of exactly why anyone would read novels of this sort. The characters depicted are far from normal people and rather unrelatable to the masses so why is literature of this type so eagerly sought out? I can only speculate that like the fantasy genre it boils down to simple escapism. Personally, the lives depicted seemed rather vapid and shallow so who would want to bother? At any rate, I'm philosophizing needlessly now.

In summary, this book was four hours of mild amusement. I would put it on the aching bloody fringe of recommending it to readers of the female persuasion with the understanding that they should seek little substance from it and make moderate efforts to suspend disbelief.… (más)