Gina LaManna

Shoot the Breeze is another great start to a new series by Gina LaManna! It’s a bit grittier than her other series, but even with them chasing down a serial killer, it’s still on the mild side.

This was a fast read and has a love triangle that I am actually excited to see where it goes (I’m rooting for the Billionaire!)… which says a lot for me since I’m not a huge fan of love triangles.

LaManna does a fabulous job with character development, having the side characters being just show more as in depth as the main ones. And the book’s location in Minnesota is also a character in the story when it comes to the weather and customs. I really enjoyed reading about Kate’s Italian heritage too, and how her family interacts and are supportive in their own ways.

As for the mystery, I didn’t guess the killer, so that always makes me happy! Already looking forward to book two in the series, Riddle Me This. show less

This breezy yet sharp read kept me on my toes until the final reveal. The story begins shortly before the ill fated book club event, and we get to know the inner lives of each woman and how they came together. I found myself really relating to Penny and Anne more so than I did than Eliza, and I looked foreward to their chapters. I never felt like enough time was devoted to Eliza as much as the other women, and thus I couldn’t connect to her. The dialogue was real and you felt like you were show more eavesdropping on a group of girlfriends at brunch, and the secrets and situations the characters got into weren’t far fetched like in other domestic thrillers. In between each chapter are court transcripts from Roman’s murder trial, which helped add more depth to the secrets the women were hiding. The final reveal as to Roman’s killer came as a complete surprise to me. ⁣
I quite enjoyed the character development and overall mystery of this book, and plan to seek out Gina LaManna’s other works. show less

Gina LaManna has self-published a lot of humorous and paranormal mysteries and cozies. Three Single Wives is her second industry published novel, after last year’s spectacular book release, Pretty Guilty Women. While Pretty Guilty Women showcased LaManna’s excellent skills at character development and an insider’s look into female friendships, Three Single Wives takes a dive into the flawed nature of humans and looks at how murky morals can become.

Although we know there’s been a show more murder, the reader isn’t told who it is until later in the book. This comes out in the trial transcript that is incorporated into the novel and helps to not only move the novel along, but also adds some tension because you kind of have an idea of what is going to happen next and this makes you want to read faster so you can see what really happens next. With the three women as suspects, we also end up getting two more as the book progresses. This helped to add more layers to the novel and was a way for LaManna to give us misdirection and lots of red herrings.

You may end up disliking all of the women or you may see yourself in one or all of them. I enjoyed seeing the different stages in a life portrayed by these women and felt a bit of sympathy for all of them, while at the same time wanting to shake them and have them make some better decisions. To me this is the sign of a great book, when you can see yourself in the characters, but become angry with them at the same time.

I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, which often happens in suspense and thrillers. I did not figure out who the killer was, which always pleases me. But I did have a couple of questions at the end and wondered if I missed something, or if it was not explained well or at all. This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though.

Another fantastic read, and if you enjoy domestic suspense, you should definitely check out Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women! show less

Dammit - I'm so ready but not ready for the finale in this series 😭 I always fall back on Gina's magical books because they've never let me down. Wicked Twist of Fate continues that trend - I didn't want to put it down, even for much-needed sleep. If you need a magical escape than look no further than this series - it is a series to be read in order though if you're thinking about starting it.

Dani, Matthew, and Grey have somewhat come to an understanding and straightened out their show more triangle into a semblance of working order. I am so happy to see Primrose return - she is like a work version of Willa and someone Dani needs, even if she doesn't realize it. There were several character developments that I would have never suspected from the ending of Wicked All the Way. We do see some guest appearances from characters of The Magic in Mixology and MAGIC, Inc. Mysteries. We get a little bit of progression with the Hex Files but only that two more files reveal two more names. This book was probably the most shocking in the series - especially the events that hit Dani the hardest.

One of the most random things to say in a review if you've never read this series but... I love Dani's furniture. Their comments never fail to make me laugh out loud at least once each book.

I can't wait to see where Dani's path leads her in the final book even though I'm not ready for it to come to a close. There are two areas that could hold potential for new books that would be a little different that I would love to read about. One is Grey and the Elderwolves while the other is the Dead Lands and necromancers - both of these would be intriguing as not much is known about them from the series itself. A huge thank you to Gina for the opportunity to read and review Wicked Twist of Fate, the sixth installment of the Mysteries from the Sixth Borough series - all opinions are my own. show less