Last Chance Christmas by Hope Ramsay

Lark Chaikin has come to the town of Last Chance shortly before Christmas at the deathbed request of her father, Abe Chaikin, to spread his ashes on the eighteenth hole of the Golfing for God mini golf course.  Lark was not able to find out why he wanted that spot as his last resting place but she was determined to carry out his request.  Lark is a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer famous for her photographs of war.  She recently witnessed the shooting death of her partner while they were filming in a war zone.  Although she had witnessed a lot of violence, this had taken its toll on her and she isn't sure she can take photographs again.

Last Chance Police Chief, Stone Rhodes, is a widower with two daughters and a man still mourning the death of his wife killed by a drunk driver.  A good man and father, he has just not been able to let his wife go.

Thinking she could just walk up and spread her father's ashes on what appeared to be an abandoned golf course, Lark is confronted by Chief Rhodes and told in no uncertain terms that her father was not liked when he was there in 1968 as he encouraged a young black woman, Nita Wills, to have breakfast with him at the Kountry Kitchen cafe.  She was the first black person to do so.  The town viewed Abe as a trouble maker.  

We encounter lots of wonderful southern characters in this small town where everyone knows everyone else's business and gossip spreads like wildfire.  So, sit back and read the action as Lark and Stone are drawn to one another; murder is committed; young love is discovered; angels find their way to Heaven; and Christmas takes over the town bringing happiness and joy.

This was my first time reading Hope Ramsey's "Last Chance" book series so I admit I didn't know what to expect when I first started reading "Last Chance Christmas."  But it turned out to be like discovering a new and tasty flavor of popcorn.  Yummy!  A truly delightful novel and a must read.  Four stars

Review copy provided by publisher, thanks!

**Reviewed by Connie**

Last Chance series

Too Dangerous to Desire by Cara Elliott

Sophie Lawrance is the oldest of the three daughters of a widowed clergyman who is slowly sinking into dementia.  Sophie has resigned herself to be a spinster and hopes to see her younger sisters marry well.  She is being blackmailed to prove that her father was not stealing from the church before he retired.  Sophie knows this cannot be true but is at a loss to find any proof to the contrary.  Cameron Daggett is a former childhood friend of Sophie's.  Along with two of his friends, he is part of the Hellhounds which is a group of men who work underground supposedly for the good of others.  Cameron encounters Sophie leaving a seedy gaming hell where she had gone to meet her blackmailer to give him yet another small payment.  Cameron agrees to teach her some of his lock picking and thieving skills to try and find the proof that her father is innocent.  In their meetings, their attraction begins to grow stronger and both become very involved in solving this mystery.  In searching for this proof, she is also searching for the proof that Cameron parents were married thus making him the true Lord Wolcott and not the bastard son of his father. 

I can honestly say that I found this novel a bit silly and unclear at times.  Perhaps it's because I have not read the first two novels.  While I liked that character of Sophie, I felt that Cameron appeared to have a devil-may-care attitude throughout the story.  I have read other Cara Elliott's novels but, unfortunately, this one is not a favorite.  3 stars

**Reviewed by Connie**

Review copy provided by publisher, thanks!

Lords of Midnight series
Best enjoyed in order