Tag: Kay bratt

Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Mystery

Instant Karma by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: Instant Karma
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge, GA
  • Genre: Small town mystery
  • Takes Place:  Hart’s Ridge
  • Main Character: Faire, Brian, Taylor, Jo, Corbin, Della Ray
  • Other Characters: Cate, Anna, Eldon
  • Pets: Dog named Diesel and a bird named Baby
  • Stars: 5

This is the 5th book in the Hart’s Ridge Series and it does not disappoint. I loved this book from beginning to end. It kept me engaged and I just had to know how it all turned out.

Faire, a widow in the community, decides to take in a boarder because she is having financial difficulties. Brian, her new border, at first seemed like a really nice guy. Do things really look as they do? How is Faire going to handle this border? What mysteries does he possess? Will Faire lose her home?

Meanwhile, we learn more about Jo’s story. Struggling to be a single mom, Jo just wants what is best for her son. Kyle has some behavior issues, so Jo signs him up for theater. He is not thrilled, to say the least. He ends up doing the best he can and wows everyone, especially Jo. A couple of guys from Jo’s past show up in her life, so she has some decisions to make

Taylor’s family has established an animal rescue, under Cate’s leadership. Even though Taylor is less involved than the others because she is a local police deputy, the entire family is involved.

Taylor stopped seeing Sam until she could deal with some demons from her past that she is battling.

This is a story of family, love, forgiveness, community, and supporting others. It is heartwarming and there is a mystery to solve. I think you will love this book as much as I did.

Happy Reading,

Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Women's Fiction

Borrowed Time by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: Borrowed Time
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge #4
  • Genre: Cozy Mystery
  • Takes Place: The small quaint town of Hart’s Ridge in the Blue Ridge mountains
  • Main Character: Taylor Gray, Anna
  • Pets: Diesel who is shared by Taylor and Sam
  • Stars: 5

This is the 4th book in the Hart’s Ridge series. Once again, we visit Taylor Gray’s dysfunctional family. This time the focus is on Anna, whose husband has left her and has secrets of his own that will begin to unfold. We see a different side of Anna who is becoming a bit more human and relatable. She is learning how to get out from underneath a controlling husband and finding out that she really didn’t know the man she was married too.

While we are visiting Anna, Taylor has a new mystery of her own. Her friend Sissy has disappeared, and no one seems to know what happened to her. I have loved Taylor since book one of this series. She is strong and independent and when she is working on a case, she is determined to solve it. This story is no different except that it involves a close friend so it hits a little to close to home. It has become personal. This story takes a few twist and turns before we reach the climax. I did find the mystery a little too predictable, I kept waiting for another solution but it didn’t happen. Other than this I found the book to be very good.

The ending might have you a bit teary eyed. It is very emotional so have your tissues ready. If you like a whodunit and a family who, through everything, are closer than ever, then you will love this book. I recommend this entire series and I can’t wait until book #5.

Happy reading,

Fiction, Mystery

In My Life by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: In My Life
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge #3
  • Genre: Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Hart’s Ridge
  • Main Character: Taylor Gray
  • Other Characters: Lucy, Sam, Cate, Anna, Jo, Shane
  • Pets: Diesel, Brand
  • Quote: “Make your words sweet. You may have to eat them someday.”
  • Stars: 5

Kay Bratt comes through again with the 3rd book in the Hart’s Ridge Series. I am really loving this series.

In this book, Taylor’s mother, Cate is looking for a job. Even though she has been exonerated, a felony is still on her record so she is having trouble finding someone who is willing to hire her. Taylor has an idea that the people who own the tree farm, just might give her a chance so Taylor drives her over there. When they arrive, the owner’s son, is there to greet them. As he goes back to the house, Taylor hears him yell. They find his brother has been shot to death. Then in the garage, Taylor finds Amos (the owner of the tree farm) has also been shot & killed execution style along with an employee who is also dead.

Now Taylor is dealing with a triple homicide. Who in the little town of Hart’s Ridge could have committed such a heinous crime!!

Shane’s prime suspect in the triple homicide, is the owners other son Danny. He is the one who found his brother shot so Shane’s money is on him. Taylor just can’t believe that Danny would kill his brother, his father and his best friend. There are other unlikely suspects but they continue their investigation to find a killer.

While Taylor & Shane are investigating a triple homicide, Cate finds a job at the humane shelter. She worked with dogs at the prison so this job is a perfect fit for her and she loves it.

There is a lot going on in this story. Besides the murder and Cate’s new job. Against Taylor’s advice, Lucy moves into a houseboat with her son, Cate dognaps an abused dog, & Taylor has 2 men who are interested in more than friendship with her. And could Cate possibly find love.

As will all of the author’s books, she knows how to keep the reader engaged and wanting more. I just can’t put her books down and this one is no different. Each book is even better and I am drawn into these characters.

I recommend this series to anyone who likes a good mystery with suspense, family dynamics, dogs and a little romance thrown in.

When you read this book, there is a link at the end to download a bonus story about Suki and Ian. If you remember, they are the ones that were going to take Lucy’s baby. We never really found out what happened to them after Lucy left that hotel. Read this bonus book to find out.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you liked this book.

Happy Reading!

Mystery

Lucy in the Sky by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: Lucy in the SKy
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge #2
  • Genre: Mystery
  • Takes Place:  Hart’s Ridge, New York City
  • Main Character: Taylor Gray, Lucy Gray
  • Other Characters: Cate, Ian, Sam, Jorge, Suki, Jackson, Anna, Jo, Cecil
  • Pets: Diesel (previously known as Bernard)
  • Quote: “Time is too slow for those who wait and too swift for those who fear”
  • Stars: 5

This is the second book in the Hart’s Ridge Series and I think I liked this one even better than the first. I couldn’t put it down.

In this book, we find out more about Lucy If you remember from book one, Lucy stole $1000 from Taylor’s emergency fund and disappeared. In this book, we find out that Lucy followed her dream to visit New York City and the Diesel building where John Lennon once lived.

While homeless, Lucy is mistaken as a dog walker for a rich family who lives in the Diesel building. She decides she needs a little bit of money so she pretends to be the dog walker. This leads her to meet Ian (his wife is the dogs rich, stuck up owner). After meeting Ian and being offered a job, she thinks her dream has come true since she is now living in the Diesel building. Lucy has a secret that Ian finds out about and he has agreed to help her by offering her $50,000 in return. Lucy thinks she has hit the big time and agrees to let Ian help her. But are things really as it seems. Usually if something looks too good to be true, it usually is. Lucy finds her in a predicament that she isn’t sure how to get out of. Lucy might also find love but will her involvement with Ian destroy this?

In the mean time, Taylor is in the middle of another investigation. This time it involves her family and her past. She finds out that her dad has been sending money to an inmate in a Montana prison. Imagine her shock when she finds out who. Taylor always wondered why they left Montana, now she is going to find out that answer. What she thought was her past wasn’t exactly true. We find out about the backstory of what really happened in the fire that kills her mom and baby brother. She also meets another unexpected family member. Her investigation takes her to Montana. She has asked for time off from work so she could investigate which is causing friction at her Job.

Then there is Sam, the first owner of Diesel. Taylor was determined to track down Diesel’s original owner so she could find out his backstory. She always thought that Diesel looked sad and she wants to try to find out why. Will Taylor lose Diesel to Sam? You will have to read the book to find out.

If you love a good story that includes a great mystery with unexpected twists and turns, then you are going to love Lucy in the Sky. This author really knows how to engage a reader and keep their interest. This is definitely a “can’t but down’ book.

Happy reading!

Mystery

Hart’s Ridge – Kay Bratt

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  • Title: Hart’s Ridge
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: Hart’s Ridge Mystery #1
  • Genre: Mystery
  • Takes Place: The small quaint town of Hart’s Ridge In the Blue Ridge mountains
  • Main Character: Taylor Gray
  • Other Characters: Molly, Shane, Clin
  • Pets: Taylors dog named Bernard
  • Stars: 5

A young 4 year old girl walks into a gas station alone. She is dirty, her hair is a mess and she is afraid. Why is this girl alone and where is her mother? Sheriff’s deputy Taylor Gray makes it her mission to find out where this little girl came from and why is she alone. She tries to get her to talk but the only thing she says is that her name is Molly.

Hart’s Ridge is the first book in the Hart’s Ridge series and just like the author’s other books, this one does not disappoint. It takes place in a small quaint town of Hart’s Ridge, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. It is about a strong woman working in a man’s world and working hard just to get them to take her seriously. Taylor is from a dysfunctional home and spent her life in and out of foster care. She is also the oldest of 4 girls and practically raised her sisters. When she aged out of the foster care system, she went to the police academy and now she is the only woman at the sheriff’s department among chauvinistic, misogynistic men. She has to fight tooth and nail just to get the men in the department to take her serious.

Taylor takes Molly to a foster home where she lived at one time. It is run by Della Ray and she knows Molly will be safe and loved there. Della Ray agrees to let the little girl stay with her. In the mean time Taylor goes on the hunt for Molly’s family.

Things really get complicated when the Sheriff brings someone from Taylor’s past to head up the case. What is there past and will they be able to work together to solve this mystery?

So between dealing with her dad, her sisters, especially the youngest one, the new guy heading up the case, and fighting to be a part of this case to find out what happened to Molly’s family, this story takes a lot of twists and turns. I really thought I had it figured out and I didn’t. I was surprised at the outcome of this story.

This author has done it again by giving us an emotional story with lots of twists and turns. And there is a dog. Taylor’s dog, Bernard, has a history all of his own which is very touching and may bring a tear or two. I have a soft spot for dogs so they always touch my heart. I think you will really enjoy Bernard’s backstory as Taylor unravels his mystery.

If you love really good stories in a beautiful setting like the Blue ridge mountains, a good mystery with lots of twists and turns and dogs, you will love this book. I recommend this book and I hope you will give it a try. Let me know in the comments if you read it and what you think.

Quote:
“Some people are so broken that they get mad at you for being whole”

Happy Reading!

Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Women's Fiction

No Place too Far by Kay Brat

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  • Title: No Place too Far
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: By the Sea
  • Genre: Romance, Mystery, Women’s fiction
  • Takes Place: Maui, Hawaii
  • Main Character: Maggie Dalton, Quin
  • Pets; Woodrow (Maggie’s service dog)
  • Stars: 5

Review:

This is the 2nd book in the By the Sea series by Kay Bratt. This book takes up where the first book, True to Me, left off.

If you have read the first book, then you know it was about Quin going to Maui to search for the father she never knew about and discovers a whole family she didn’t know existed.

This book follows the journey of her best friend, Maggie. Maggie and her young son has a stalker who is now in prison. She needs to get away and needs a place to start over with her young son. Quinn is now running an inn in Maui and encourages Maggie to come and stay with her. She takes Quinn up on her offer. She gets a job as a vet tech and makes a new home for her and her young son. She is settled in and starts to feel at peace and comfortable again until strange things start to happen. Maggie’s past is catching up with her and is about to rock her peace & security and any safety she was starting to feel. =Maggie isn’t sure what to do but she fights for herself and for her son.

This takes you on a lot of twists and turns. It is definetly a page turner.

The author has a way of making you feel like you are there. Not only are the characters so well developed that you feel like you know them but I felt like I took a virtual tour of Hawaii.

This book is about love, hope, friendship, family, survival and starting over. I loved this book and can’t wait till the next one in the series.

Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Women's Fiction

True to me by Kay Bratt

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  • Title: True to Me
  • Author: Kay Bratt
  • Series: By the Sea Novel
  • Genre: Mystery
  • Main Character: Quincy
  • Takes Place:Maui, Hawaii
  • Stars: 5

Review:

This was my first book by Kay Bratt and I absolutely fell in love with her books after this one.

Quinn was raised by single mom believing that her dad deserted her and her mom when she was born. Her world was rocked when her mom passed away and left her a death bed confession that would change her life. She found out that her father was not the man she thought he was. Her Quest to find who her father is sends her to the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii. The author makes you believe you are in Maui as she takes you on Quinn’s journey. Quinn meets several people along her way but one in particular holds the key to Quinn’s past.

The author takes you ona journey of family and self discovery. It is a wonderfully written book with lots of twists and turns to find out about Quinn’s past and truth of where she came from.

This is a great read with well developed characters and a great story. It maes you smile and cry at the same time.