5/5 ⭐ | The Poison Dart: A Debbie Bradley Mystery (Debbie Bradley Crime Mysteries Book 2) by Geri L. Dreiling

The fierce, determined, and resilient Debbie Bradley is back for more in this second installment of the Debbie Bradley Crime Mysteries series.  “The Poison Dart” begins in a sadly relatable endemic, drug addiction.  When son of prominent St. Louis real estate family, Caleb Webb, passes away from a heroin and fentanyl overdose reporter Debbie Bradley picks up the story. 

Crafting Debbie Bradley with hints of her own background, author Geri L. Dreiling brings to the page a wealth of experience as both a lawyer and journalist herself.  “The Poison Dart” brings with it the tangled web of the cartel, drugs, and those who fall prey to their product.  Addiction doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor as Dreiling crafts an all to realistic fall into heroin and the conflicted suffering family and friends of addicts live with.

Like the poison dart frog, drugs have a toxic effect not only on the body, but on families and relationships too.  The jump from painkillers to heroin is a familiar tale as Debbie Bradley slowly unravels the story within.  Never one to shy away from danger, the characters, confessions, and breadcrumbs once again seem to follow her home.

“The Poison Dart” reads successfully as a standalone, providing enough back story and recap of Debbie’s highlights to ensure readers can jump right in on book two.  But fans of book one, “Crime Beat Girl,” will recognize the history between several of the supporting characters contained in these pages.  From Detective Flannery to Chase Laclede, editor Sam and her own sounding board and lawyer of a mother, Beth, all remain ever present within this second book.

Dreiling successfully intertwines her aptitude for law, reporting, and writing in this riveting read as Debbie Bradley returns to the page to break the story wide open once again.  With a talent for plot creation, patiently unwinding the threads of all angles, and never lacking for excitement, Dreiling is an author you will want to read time and time again.

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The Man Without Shelter by Indrajit Garai

Author Indrajit Garai does such a great job painting Paris in such a unique and familiar way. In this, their second book I’ve read Garai uses their familiar love of Paris to draw readers in and create a setting in which the plot of the book can beautifully play out. Using the Seine as their main artery, Garai’s books create worlds and stories around this body of water that captivate the reader.

Arnault and Lucy are our two key characters in “The Man Without Shelter.” They both come from two very different worlds amd backgrounds, but the story within ties them together in intimate ways and makes for one heck of an entertaining read. Both with hearts and heads in the right place, this story is a captivating read for any and all who seek redemption, intrigue, and the love of Paris.

The Apology Project by Jeanette Escudero

Publication Date: August 1^st, 2021

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

The Apology Project is a lightening quick read.  Amelia Montgomery is a nearly 40-year-old partner at a prestigious Chicago law firm when her life suddenly comes tumbling down.  After giving decades of her life to her career at JJF she is unwilling to compromise her values in a high-profile sexual assault case.  In standing up for herself she loses her job and throws some elbows (literally) in the process.  With nothing to fill her days anymore she lets her sister talk her into a 40^th birthday party, inviting old friends and colleagues, but when no one shows up she begins reflecting on her decisions, starting with a drunken endeavor to apologize to the people she has wronged. 

I know what you are thinking “OMG a book where a female stands up for herself and now feels the need to apologize, a man would NEVER do that,” and yes I agree with you, but Amelia’s character was created to also be aware of this and addresses these feelings as she works through her list of apologies, crossing off a few she deems unworthy of a sorry in the process.

After recently reading another romance similarly including a strong female lawyer, I was hesitant going into this one.  Missing from my last read, I wanted a romance that had more “meat” to the story.  I wanted brains and brawn to be featured throughout rather than hidden behind steamy sex scenes, and I wanted the lead to have a life outside of the next “when will I see my man.” And, OMG did Escudero ever deliver!  The Apology Project had it all, from learning to not be defined by your career to never being too old to start over, the message throughout this book was empowering.  Escudero was not afraid to use a common female stereotype and address it head on while wrapping her lessons into a romance featuring middle-aged leads. 

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided; all opinions are my own.