Veils and Vengeance (Wedding Planner Mysteries Book 2) by Rachelle J. Christensen

When wedding planner, Adrielle Pyper, goes to Hawaii to orchestrate a destination wedding, she isn't prepared for what she finds.

After the trauma of her previous event, the beautiful isle of Kauai is the perfect place for Adri to unwind and do what she does best – plan. She even lets herself indulge in the attention of the groom’s handsome brother. But just when everything seems to be perfect, an afternoon snorkeling trip turns to murder when Adri discovers the body of a young woman.

Shaken, but unable to let it go, Adri’s sleuthing leads her into more danger than she could imagine. When a number of “accidents” threaten her own life, it soon becomes apparent that someone will do anything to keep Adri from interfering with their vengeance.

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This is the second book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series by Rachelle Christensen and it releases today!  If you haven't read the first book, Diamond Rings are Deadly Things, you might want to before picking up this book.  While I believe this book could stand alone, you would really get a better feel for it if you have read the first book.  The backstory that is a huge part of understanding Adri, is explained in depth there.

This is a fun, cozy mystery set in Hawaii.  You just can't go wrong with a Hawaiian setting.  It made me long to be there.  And I will be soon.  I just hope my trip is nothing like Adri's.  I really don't want to find a body while snorkeling!!!!

Adri is a great balance of strong and vulnerable.  She is good at standing up for herself which I really like.  The romance in this book is light- slow growing and very spread out.  The focus is more on the mystery part of the book.

I really enjoyed this book.  It kept me interested and focused which is always a good thing.  This is a fun series and I'll be looking forward to the next installment.  Oh, and it's squeaky clean!  Yay!

Trouble in Paradise by Karen Tuft + $25 and book Giveaway!

Andy Kendrick has always dreamed of bigger things than tiny Eagle Bluff, Arizona. So when the opportunity arises to shake off the dust of his hometown and move to the tropical paradise of Hawaii, he grabs it. But he never imagined that apiece of his past would follow him to his new life . . .Kimberly Briggs has lived her life on the fringes of the crowd, timid and afraid since the death of her brother, but when she learns that Andy, her lifelong crush, is moving to Hawaii, she's finally ready to step out of the shadows and take a risk.

Kimberly is the last person Andy expected or wanted to see in Hawaii. But when fate incessantly throws the pair together, there's little to be done but make the best of the situation. As the awkwardness fades and Kimberly begins to emerge from her shell, Andy realizes there's much more to her than he realized. But even as they revel in the adventures of island life, drawn together by a growing attraction, an unforeseen peril threatens Kimberly's life.

Can the once-timid young woman now draw upon the inner strength Andy has helped her discover so the two of them can build a life together? Will Andy grasp that love knows no geographical bounds?

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One thing I can really get behind right now is a book set in Hawaii.  I'm dreaming of Hawaii and counting the days to our trip this summer.  This book made me want to be there right now!  I've been to Oahu before so it was nice to be able to easily picture most of the places talked about in this book.

Kimberly is an interesting character.  She has been raised by overprotective and fearful parents so her wings have never been spread let alone learned to fly.  She knows she is timid and easily frightened and she wants to change that.  Her baby steps in the right direction help give her more confidence and it's nice to see the growth as she makes a conscious effort to change and experience what life has to offer.

I wasn't sold on Andy until almost the end of the book.  I honestly couldn't see what Kimberly was so attracted to but he eventually grew on me.  I was happy to see Lucy and Ethan from "Reality Check".  It's always nice to reconnect with characters from previous books.  (you don't have to read "Reality Check" to read this book, but you might like to)

This was a slow growing romance, mostly one sided for the better part of the book.  I enjoyed the story and the characters.  I was interested and invested.  There is a slight touch of suspense though the book where you just know something is going to happen- and it does.  The ending is made up of all things happily ever after so that made me very happy.

This is an LDS fiction book.  Religious things like going to church are mentioned but there is no preaching.  This book is clean with no swearing or sexual content.

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