I’m delighted to share my latest reviews, for books 5 and 6 in the Harbor Pointe Series: The Edge of Too Late by Jan Sikes and The Fathomless Affair by Staci Troilo. There are eight books in this series of novellas, all by different authors and set in mysterious and remote Harbor Pointe in northern California.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both these stories, and also loved the first four books in the series. I’ve been amazed at the different slant presented by each author. But they all somehow manage to form a unified whole. I’m looking forward to reading the remaining two books.

I’ve actually visited that part of northern California, so it’s also been a pleasure to revisit my travel memories when I read this series.

Book 5: The Edge of Too Late – by Jan Sikes

What Amazon Says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

What’s the point of having it all when you have no one to share it with?

Brandon Miller has his dream job, financial security, and he’s madly in love. Only one thing is missing—a commitment.

Angela Cooper’s ex-husband left her with deep scars, souring her on the concept of marriage. She’s not interested in a do-over. Not with Brandon or anyone. Her heart is locked securely away behind a thick wall.

With a ring in his pocket and hope in his heart, Brandon arranges a romantic getaway to the historic Harbor Pointe Inn, where he plans to pop the question.

Before they reach the inn, Angela’s got her camera in hand and ghosts on her mind. But they arrive to find a much more tangible horror.

Accident or foul play?

Someone is up to no good, and Angela is the next target. When suspects can be worldly or otherworldly, danger and secrets lurk everywhere. Poised at the perilous edge of too late, Angela and Brandon face the fight of their lives.

My Review

5 Stars – A page-turning romatic suspense story

This is an engaging and romantic story, filled with mystery and suspense. While part of a wonderful series, it can be read as a standalone novella. Brandon Miller, a wealthy young entrepreneur, takes the love of his life, Angela Cooper, to Harbor Pointe Inn for the weekend. He wants to propose, but knows Angela is terrified of that commitment because of her unhappy first marriage. Angela is a keen photographer and amateur ghost-hunter, so the historic lighthouse and inn provide the perfect backdrop for some paranormal suspense. However, they soon become swept up in a very real and potentially deadly mystery.

I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen next to the well-drawn characters. This is the fifth book in the series, but this story was fresh and engaging enough to keep me enthralled. After reading five books now, I feel right at home in Harbor Pointe. This story would be perfect to take on vacation, and I loved how the romance unfolded against both ghostly and very real mysteries.

This was a page-turner and I give it a resounding five stars.

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About the Author

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. There’s nothing I love more than losing myself in a story.

Oddly enough, I had no ambition to be a writer. But I wound up in mid-life with a story that begged to be told. Not just any story, but a true story that rivaled any fiction creation. Through fictitious characters, the tale came to life in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books. Not satisfied to stop with the books, I released music CDs of original music matching the time period of each story segment. In conclusion, to bring the story full circle, I published a book of poetry and art. I was done.

Wrong!

The story ideas keep coming, and I don’t intend to turn off the creative fountain.

I love all things metaphysical and often include those aspects in my stories.

I am a member of the Author’s Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Story Empire, and the Paranormal Writer’s Guild. I am an avid fan of Texas music and grandmother of five beautiful souls. I reside in North Texas.

Discover more about Jan Sikes on her website and blog at https://jansikes.com/

See all her books HERE

Book 6: A Fathomless Affair by Staci Troilo

What Amazon Says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

A narcissistic patriarch. A mystical legend. A fathomless affair.

Most people wouldn’t dread a weekend at the historic Harbor Pointe Inn. Lorelei Audley isn’t most people. The fresh sea air, breathtaking vistas, and gourmet meals can’t buoy her spirits. She’s there to coordinate her father’s latest wedding. The bride is a nightmare, yet somehow, the groom is worse. Lorelei steels herself to suffer through a few days of psychological abuse and abject misery.

She’s unprepared for a paranormal encounter, missing persons case, and police investigation.

Not to mention a budding romance.

A lot can happen in a short time, far more if the supernatural is involved. Lorelei has a small window in which to solve some very big problems—problems as numerous as the sands at the foot of the scenic Harbor Pointe cliffs.

My Review

5 Stars – An intriguing mystery

An intriguing mystery

Lorelei Adley has come to the Harbor Pointe Inn to organise her father’s third wedding. It turns out that she’ll probably be paying for it as well, and when her father arrives with his new love, we soon see he is conniving and abusive, taking full advantage of his daughter and being constantly rude to her. I’m afraid my patience would have run out long before that, but Lorelei seems unwilling to stand up to him.

Prior to her father’s arrival, she has an embarrassing fall in the lobby, and is helped by the night manager. She also meets another guest – a grad student there to observe a comet. He tells her about his sighting of a ghost ship and shows her the photo he took.

With the mysterious arrival of her father’s fiancé, we soon see how troublesome she is – and then the story takes a strange turn when the bridal couple disappear. Lorelei suspects that it’s all related to the ghost ship, and the police soon arrive to investigate.

The different threads of the story weave together, including a budding romance, and I kept turning the pages right to the end.

This was a very intriguing mystery and I give it five stars.

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About the Author

Staci Troilo grew up in Western Pennsylvania writing stories and poetry in her free time, so it was no surprise that she studied writing in college. After receiving creative and professional writing degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, she went on to get her Master’s Degree in Professional Writing, and she worked in corporate communications until she had her children. When they had grown, she went on to become a writing professor, and now she is a freelance writer and editor.

Staci is a multi-genre author. Her fiction is character-driven, and despite their protests, she loves to put them in all kinds of compromising or dangerous situations.

You can find out more about her on her website https://stacitroilo.com/.

See all her books HERE

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Thank you for stopping by. My name is Toni Pike, a multi-genre author who loves writing thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children.

I’m the author of LINDA’S MIDLIFE CRISIS, DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.

The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.

I’m also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips.

All my books can be found HERE.

You can find me online here:

Website: tonipike.com

Amazon author page: Toni Pike

Instagram: @authorlovestravel  – Sharing my travel photos from around the world

Facebook: Toni Pike – Author

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Twitter:  @piketoni1

Linkedin Toni Pike – Linkedin

Email: authortoni.pike@gmail.com

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