Overdue Reviews - Murder at the Mansion + Sleepless in Manhattan

Goodreads:  Murder at the Mansion (Kelly Jackson Mystery #2) by Janet Finsilver

Blurb:  It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property. But when Kelly finds Sylvia Porter’s lifeless body, menial tasks don’t seem so terrible. Enlisting the help of a ragtag group of brainy retirees, aka the “Silver Sentinels,” Kelly’s on the hunt for clues hidden behind the mansion’s glamorous façade. . .and for a killer who may want to make history of her next!

My Thoughts:  This was a fun cozy mystery featuring B&B manager Kelly Jackson as she tries to figure out just what is being stolen from a Victorian estate and ends up investigating a murder.  I really liked Kelly and absolutely loved the Silver Sentinels.  I'm a big fan of any collaborative effort when it comes to investigations and a collaborative effort involving a group of retirees is the best.  This is definitely a series that is best started from the beginning as there is a large group of characters and I felt a bit lost from time to time trying to keep everyone straight but that is absolutely my fault for not picking up the first book.   My main problem with this book is that there's pretty large discovery made about a halfway through the book and while it does end up being crucial to the story there's very little attempts made to really examine it.  I wanted more focus on the discovery!  I enjoyed this from beginning to end and am looking forward reading the rest of the series.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Goodreads:  Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1) by Sarah Morgan

Blurb:   Cool, calm and competent, events planner Paige Walker loves a challenge. After a childhood spent in and out of hospitals, she's now determined to prove herself—and where better to take the world by storm than in the exhilarating bustle of Manhattan? But when Paige is let go from the job she loves, she must face her biggest challenge of all—going it alone. 

Except launching her own events company is nothing compared to hiding her outrageous crush on Jake Romano—her brother's best friend, New York's most in-demand date, and the only man to break her heart. When Jake offers Paige's fledgling company a big chance, their still-sizzling chemistry starts giving her sleepless nights. But can she convince the man who trusts no one to take a chance on forever?

My Thoughts:  It's been awhile since I've read a Sarah Morgan but I remember enjoying the third book in this series so I thought it was time I tried this one.  I love books involving friendship and I liked seeing Paige, Frankie (book 2), and Eva (book 3)'s relationship.  Paige and Jake have been friends a long time.  A bit of a complication was put on it when Paige propositioned Jake when she was 18 but for the most part they worked through it.  Now Paige needs Jake's help and that help puts them in close contact and the attraction they've both been fighting stops being an issue.  The relationship is a bit heavier on spice than emotional connection than I would prefer.  We hear a lot about Paige's issues but I'd like to have had Jake's past dealt with a bit more.  I do enjoy Sarah Morgan's writing and am looking forward to reading the next books in the series.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)