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Sparking Trouble:
Charlotte Sparks is about to die in her worst pair of underwear.
Tied up. Dead body on top of her. Bargaining with God about church attendance and whether her mother will find out about the underwear situation before or after the funeral.
This is not how the week was supposed to go.
All Charlie had to do was survive her shoe department job, her teenage manager's little notepad of infractions, and the lingering humiliation of catching her ex-boyfriend mid-affair via surprise Pad Thai delivery. That was the whole list. Keep her head down, stop Googling "is 27 too old to not have a career," and maybe figure out what comes after getting laughed out of art school, writing a novel no one read, and catching a culinary institute on fire.
Then a crying woman on a try-on bench asked for help. And Charlie, who has never once in her life left well enough alone, said yes.
Now she's tangled up in a case her PI brother told her to stay away from, stumbling over dead bodies she can't explain to a detective who doesn't believe in coincidences, and getting better intel from her grandmother's senior center gossip network than the police. Everything she's touched, knocked over, vomited on, and accidentally pocketed is pulling her deeper into something much bigger than a simple divorce case.
And then there's Kane Branson. 6'4". Ex-Navy SEAL. Depthless ray eyes. Works for her brother. Was specifically told to keep Charlie out of trouble.
He's doing a terrible job.
Sparking Trouble is Book 1 of The Sparks Investigations a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy mystery series with a grumpy hero who doesn't stand a chance, a chaotic heroine who can't stay out of trouble, meddling grandmothers, real danger, and spice. Each book features a new couple with a mystery woven throughout.
Tied up. Dead body on top of her. Bargaining with God about church attendance and whether her mother will find out about the underwear situation before or after the funeral.
This is not how the week was supposed to go.
All Charlie had to do was survive her shoe department job, her teenage manager's little notepad of infractions, and the lingering humiliation of catching her ex-boyfriend mid-affair via surprise Pad Thai delivery. That was the whole list. Keep her head down, stop Googling "is 27 too old to not have a career," and maybe figure out what comes after getting laughed out of art school, writing a novel no one read, and catching a culinary institute on fire.
Then a crying woman on a try-on bench asked for help. And Charlie, who has never once in her life left well enough alone, said yes.
Now she's tangled up in a case her PI brother told her to stay away from, stumbling over dead bodies she can't explain to a detective who doesn't believe in coincidences, and getting better intel from her grandmother's senior center gossip network than the police. Everything she's touched, knocked over, vomited on, and accidentally pocketed is pulling her deeper into something much bigger than a simple divorce case.
And then there's Kane Branson. 6'4". Ex-Navy SEAL. Depthless ray eyes. Works for her brother. Was specifically told to keep Charlie out of trouble.
He's doing a terrible job.
Sparking Trouble is Book 1 of The Sparks Investigations a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy mystery series with a grumpy hero who doesn't stand a chance, a chaotic heroine who can't stay out of trouble, meddling grandmothers, real danger, and spice. Each book features a new couple with a mystery woven throughout.
456 pages, ebook
Published September 18, 2026
About the author
Stephanie Winterson
2 books2 followersStephanie was born and raised in Vermont, coming into the world in the middle of the biggest snowstorm of the year, as told by her parents. She is the oldest of two, and as much as she begged for her parents to return her younger sister to the baby factory, they never listened. Growing up in the days of “the family computer” and the birth of widespread internet changed her brain chemistry in a way the jury is still out on. She was lucky enough to have her own computer in her room with unfettered internet access at the ripe age of 11, using it to mostly download viruses to her computer and make her sims kiss until they had babies.
Later on, after learning too much about the world in AIM chatrooms that were supposed to be about MTV, and were most definitely not music-related, Stephanie discovered Wattpad. After reading an unhealthy amount of step-brother and vampire romances, she set out to write her own. So began a love-hate relationship with writing. She wrote, (and never finished, sorry internet fans) a vampire love story that gained momentum (10k views total but that felt like a million to a rural Vermont teenager), and that inspired her to start several more novels in niches specific to a gangly teenager with unhealthy obsessions with boy bands.
Stephanie still lives in Vermont, and still sits in front of her computer an unhealthy amount, but now instead of making her sims hustle for money, she gets paid to do it as a software engineer. She is, by her own admission, antisocial, so being a part-time writer and full-time software engineer is a perfect fit for her. One of her first jobs was in a sport store shoe department and she knows an unhealthy amount about arch support and toe fungus on strangers because of it. Getting a job that allows her to hide in her house behind a computer with a cat on her lap was a choice she made after loudly declaring she would never work customer service again, and then proceeded to waitress for multiple years after through college until her hermit dreams finally became a reality. Unfortunately the memory of accidentally spilling wine into old ladies’ purses, forgetting to grab a side of ranch, and touching an insane amount of feet still makes it into her nightmares on a regular basis regardless. An embarrassing portion of her humor and personality is derived from early internet brain rot, but she is working on it. She lives with Mr. Stephanie, their chaos-gremlin in a toddler’s body, and two tuxedo cats that give her many reasons to clean regurgitated cat kibble off surfaces in her home.
Later on, after learning too much about the world in AIM chatrooms that were supposed to be about MTV, and were most definitely not music-related, Stephanie discovered Wattpad. After reading an unhealthy amount of step-brother and vampire romances, she set out to write her own. So began a love-hate relationship with writing. She wrote, (and never finished, sorry internet fans) a vampire love story that gained momentum (10k views total but that felt like a million to a rural Vermont teenager), and that inspired her to start several more novels in niches specific to a gangly teenager with unhealthy obsessions with boy bands.
Stephanie still lives in Vermont, and still sits in front of her computer an unhealthy amount, but now instead of making her sims hustle for money, she gets paid to do it as a software engineer. She is, by her own admission, antisocial, so being a part-time writer and full-time software engineer is a perfect fit for her. One of her first jobs was in a sport store shoe department and she knows an unhealthy amount about arch support and toe fungus on strangers because of it. Getting a job that allows her to hide in her house behind a computer with a cat on her lap was a choice she made after loudly declaring she would never work customer service again, and then proceeded to waitress for multiple years after through college until her hermit dreams finally became a reality. Unfortunately the memory of accidentally spilling wine into old ladies’ purses, forgetting to grab a side of ranch, and touching an insane amount of feet still makes it into her nightmares on a regular basis regardless. An embarrassing portion of her humor and personality is derived from early internet brain rot, but she is working on it. She lives with Mr. Stephanie, their chaos-gremlin in a toddler’s body, and two tuxedo cats that give her many reasons to clean regurgitated cat kibble off surfaces in her home.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 15, 2026
While I enjoyed the plot of Sparking Trouble, I absolutely did not like the writing style. It was redundant and no one talks like that in real life. I call it the Gilmore Girls style and it’s just not realistic. I wanted to DNF so many times, but the plot kept me reading. I probably won’t continue with this series.
I received a copy of Sparking Trouble from BookSirens and I am sharing my review voluntarily.
I received a copy of Sparking Trouble from BookSirens and I am sharing my review voluntarily.
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July 30, 2026I enjoyed this book. It gave me a kind of Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum at the beginning vibe. You have the slightly chaotic and down on her luck MFC, and she and her friend get into trouble investigating something they have absolutely no business being involved with. You also have two men in her life, though in this case one is her brother, while the other bears a slight resemblance to the Ranger character from the Plum series.
Charlotte “Charlie” Sparks is working retail and happens upon a woman stuck in a bad marriage. She offers to talk to her brother, a private investigator, about it, and when he tells her he won’t go near the case because it’s too dangerous, she, of course, decides to help out herself. Along the way she drags her best friend into the craziness and meets a stoic guy who makes grunting seem like an art form.
Realistic? Nope. But then it isn’t supposed to be.
I thought the author’s writing style was okay, but I did get bothered by the repetition of things at times. There was quite a bit of humor, including Charlie’s inner thoughts, that had me laughing though. I do wish Charlie hadn’t been quite so down on her luck and chaotic. While it helps with the comedy aspect, it really doesn’t say a lot about the character. And Kane, the MMC, would have been much more appealing had he spoken more often and in sentences longer than two words. And finally, the story, though good, could have been told in less than 500 or so pages.
So, while I did have a few problems with the book, I also thought that is had a lot of potential. The humor was by far my favorite part. And I liked the side characters enough to want to pick up the next book in the series when it’s released. I just hope the author keeps the repetition to a minimum.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Charlotte “Charlie” Sparks is working retail and happens upon a woman stuck in a bad marriage. She offers to talk to her brother, a private investigator, about it, and when he tells her he won’t go near the case because it’s too dangerous, she, of course, decides to help out herself. Along the way she drags her best friend into the craziness and meets a stoic guy who makes grunting seem like an art form.
Realistic? Nope. But then it isn’t supposed to be.
I thought the author’s writing style was okay, but I did get bothered by the repetition of things at times. There was quite a bit of humor, including Charlie’s inner thoughts, that had me laughing though. I do wish Charlie hadn’t been quite so down on her luck and chaotic. While it helps with the comedy aspect, it really doesn’t say a lot about the character. And Kane, the MMC, would have been much more appealing had he spoken more often and in sentences longer than two words. And finally, the story, though good, could have been told in less than 500 or so pages.
So, while I did have a few problems with the book, I also thought that is had a lot of potential. The humor was by far my favorite part. And I liked the side characters enough to want to pick up the next book in the series when it’s released. I just hope the author keeps the repetition to a minimum.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
This was a super entertaining read with non-stop action that was kind of high stakes without ever feeling too high stakes. Charlie was a hilarious protagonist who drove me a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot), but made the story so funny and predictably unpredictable. The plot was definitely the selling point to this book. There were constant twists and turns, and the action and fun never ended. And the ending wrapped things up perfectly, which is not something I say lightly, while still teasing the next standalone book in the "series."
I also loved the characters and the relationships they had with each other. All the members of Charlie and Bash's family, Bianca, the apartment complex neighbors. They weren't always the most believable, but they were so fun that I didn't even care about how realistic some of it was.
There were things I didn't like about the book, but a lot of them come down to specific personal preferences, such as:
- I don't get the appeal of the "literally never smiles" type MMCs. Also, do those even actually exist in real life? I don't think I've ever met someone who smiles so rarely that a tiny mouth quiver is exciting.
- The sentence structure/variation. This book had so many short sentences, and while some can be very effective, it was too much for me. Add on top of that the repetitive words and phrases and sentences and it felt overdone
- I am so over comparing rich people stuff to how much the protagonists car or rent costs. That is a current writing trend that I would like to see die.
Thank you so much to the author and Book Sirens for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, this was a super fun book and I'm very curious to see where the story goes with Bianca and Bash!
I also loved the characters and the relationships they had with each other. All the members of Charlie and Bash's family, Bianca, the apartment complex neighbors. They weren't always the most believable, but they were so fun that I didn't even care about how realistic some of it was.
There were things I didn't like about the book, but a lot of them come down to specific personal preferences, such as:
- I don't get the appeal of the "literally never smiles" type MMCs. Also, do those even actually exist in real life? I don't think I've ever met someone who smiles so rarely that a tiny mouth quiver is exciting.
- The sentence structure/variation. This book had so many short sentences, and while some can be very effective, it was too much for me. Add on top of that the repetitive words and phrases and sentences and it felt overdone
- I am so over comparing rich people stuff to how much the protagonists car or rent costs. That is a current writing trend that I would like to see die.
Thank you so much to the author and Book Sirens for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, this was a super fun book and I'm very curious to see where the story goes with Bianca and Bash!
Review of advance copy
Sparking Trouble is the debut novel by Stephanie Winterson, and the first in a series of detective novels featuring the Sparks family. This story is a bit of a hybrid mystery/romance, with none of the will-they-won't-they that's typical of couples in mysteries. The story follows Charlie Sparks, a hot mess late twenty-something who finds herself undertaking an investigation her PI brother refused to. So frequently does Charlie get herself into trouble that her brother assigns his partner Kane to shadow her and keep her safe. Sparks fly and messes abound.
The book is a dual story arc--one mystery solved in the book, an overarching mystery clearly tying it to future ones. The "little" mystery is intriguing, as are the other characters in the story. I especially love the bestie (FMC of the next book) and Gram. Solid gold.
Charlie has a maddening degree of hubris, projection and self-involvement that makes the whole journey harder for everyone else, and she's unapologetic about it. I didn't love that, especially in contrast to Kane who is self-sacrifice personified. These character flaws, coupled with some significant narrative unevenness in the back half of the book, made what was otherwise an engaging story a less fun read. Still, I'm interested enough in the story to give the next book a try.
Many thanks to BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
The book is a dual story arc--one mystery solved in the book, an overarching mystery clearly tying it to future ones. The "little" mystery is intriguing, as are the other characters in the story. I especially love the bestie (FMC of the next book) and Gram. Solid gold.
Charlie has a maddening degree of hubris, projection and self-involvement that makes the whole journey harder for everyone else, and she's unapologetic about it. I didn't love that, especially in contrast to Kane who is self-sacrifice personified. These character flaws, coupled with some significant narrative unevenness in the back half of the book, made what was otherwise an engaging story a less fun read. Still, I'm interested enough in the story to give the next book a try.
Many thanks to BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
Review of advance copy
I really wanted to like this book because it sounded interesting to me, with the romance and the mystery and the suspense of it all, and it sounded like it would be pretty funny and entertaining. Well, it was kind of funny but there was a lot of repetition, so much tell and not nearly enough show, and the writing style left a lot to be desired.
There was SO much tell and not nearly enough show. The author went on and on and ON with the descriptions of characters and scenes and settings, but it all amounted to nothing because we didn't actually get enough real substance. This drove me nuts. I understand wanting to make sure the readers know everything and not leave a stone unturned but it was too much. The writing style of repetition and redundancy was not great. I felt like it was just description after description for awhile and nothing else and I was bored. Oh, and this absolutely did NOT need to be like 500 pages. It was waaaaaay too long.
The romance and plot were decent, but I just couldn't get away from the way it was written. I think if the writing style could be improved, the book itself would be SO much better because the plot and romance are actually good and truly have potential. I am not sure if I will continue to book two, but we will see.
Thank you to BookSirens for the eARC of this book.
There was SO much tell and not nearly enough show. The author went on and on and ON with the descriptions of characters and scenes and settings, but it all amounted to nothing because we didn't actually get enough real substance. This drove me nuts. I understand wanting to make sure the readers know everything and not leave a stone unturned but it was too much. The writing style of repetition and redundancy was not great. I felt like it was just description after description for awhile and nothing else and I was bored. Oh, and this absolutely did NOT need to be like 500 pages. It was waaaaaay too long.
The romance and plot were decent, but I just couldn't get away from the way it was written. I think if the writing style could be improved, the book itself would be SO much better because the plot and romance are actually good and truly have potential. I am not sure if I will continue to book two, but we will see.
Thank you to BookSirens for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Simply put: interesting mystery, good romance plot, but the writing at times wasn't my cup of tea.
I saw this book advertised as "rom-com mystery" and I wasn't sure what I was getting into. The rom-com part is quickly introduced: she is a minimum-wage worker with trust issues from her previous relationship, and he is a stoic ex-Navy guy with a forearm tattoo.
I really enjoyed learning the details of the mystery/investigation, it felt like a standard feel-good crime-solving procedural comedy. The characters gave me Shawn and Gus from Psych vibes, in that Charlie is an overexcited golden retriever and everyone else is trying to calm her down.
Charlie is your typical younger sibling, always wreaking havoc, being told "no" and then trying to do everything on her own... The story is told from her POV, and my biggest complaint is how repetitive she is. She mentions her knees cracking every other paragraph. Diego's air freshener gets a cameo every single time she sees her car. She goes on and on about Clarissa's clipboard of mistakes. I'm assuming this was a character trait deliberately chosen by the author, but it kept pulling my focus away from the plot that I was genuinely interested in. I think I'd enjoy this book more if it were told from somebody else's POV.
Simply put: interesting mystery, good romance plot, but the writing at times wasn't my cup of tea.
I saw this book advertised as "rom-com mystery" and I wasn't sure what I was getting into. The rom-com part is quickly introduced: she is a minimum-wage worker with trust issues from her previous relationship, and he is a stoic ex-Navy guy with a forearm tattoo.
I really enjoyed learning the details of the mystery/investigation, it felt like a standard feel-good crime-solving procedural comedy. The characters gave me Shawn and Gus from Psych vibes, in that Charlie is an overexcited golden retriever and everyone else is trying to calm her down.
Charlie is your typical younger sibling, always wreaking havoc, being told "no" and then trying to do everything on her own... The story is told from her POV, and my biggest complaint is how repetitive she is. She mentions her knees cracking every other paragraph. Diego's air freshener gets a cameo every single time she sees her car. She goes on and on about Clarissa's clipboard of mistakes. I'm assuming this was a character trait deliberately chosen by the author, but it kept pulling my focus away from the plot that I was genuinely interested in. I think I'd enjoy this book more if it were told from somebody else's POV.
September 11, 2026
4.5 stars - I was gifted an advanced readers copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, I’ve got to say that this cover is so misleading… but in the best way maybe?! This looks fluffy and a little cosy but it’s so much more than that! Just like Charlie, the FMC, you would underestimate this as an amazing read! But also, stands out as a pink on pink on pink book and I was drawn in like a moth to a flame!
Secondly, I adored this story and how it unfolded. Charlie is a mess, sometimes literally. She’s constantly getting herself into things she doesn’t fully know the weight of, but that’s her charm. Her attraction to Kane… impeccable. The chemistry between them is subtle at first, but my goodness does it go off!
The mystery and crime aspects were intriguing and I was invested from the beginning. I can’t wait to read the next story of this series too! I loved Bianca, she’s the friend you would want through the worst of your days, honestly.
Written well and flowed easily, however I found some of the chapters very heavy and long, so I struggled a little especially when I had less time to sit down and read in a day. Either way, I was invested and glad to have been given the opportunity to read a fantastic book!
Firstly, I’ve got to say that this cover is so misleading… but in the best way maybe?! This looks fluffy and a little cosy but it’s so much more than that! Just like Charlie, the FMC, you would underestimate this as an amazing read! But also, stands out as a pink on pink on pink book and I was drawn in like a moth to a flame!
Secondly, I adored this story and how it unfolded. Charlie is a mess, sometimes literally. She’s constantly getting herself into things she doesn’t fully know the weight of, but that’s her charm. Her attraction to Kane… impeccable. The chemistry between them is subtle at first, but my goodness does it go off!
The mystery and crime aspects were intriguing and I was invested from the beginning. I can’t wait to read the next story of this series too! I loved Bianca, she’s the friend you would want through the worst of your days, honestly.
Written well and flowed easily, however I found some of the chapters very heavy and long, so I struggled a little especially when I had less time to sit down and read in a day. Either way, I was invested and glad to have been given the opportunity to read a fantastic book!
September 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It captured me from the very beginning (the opening scene is pretty confronting) and I could not put it down.
This book gives Stephanie Plum vibes, our main character Charlie, comes across a school friend in some trouble and decides to help her out (girls looking out for girls, love this). Only she has no previous skills. She currently works in a shoe store with a teenager as her boss who makes her life hell.
Luckily for Charlie, her brother owns a PI company and his partner, Kane - Mr tall, dark and handsome ex-navy seal both have a vested interest in keeping her alive when she bites off more than she can chew. And Kane is a total hottie green flag MC who is emotionally aware and protective but supportive.
This book was laugh out loud funny with the hijinks Charlie gets up to, but also showcases the power of friendship with her ride or die (literally) bestie. There were some deeper, emotional and suspenseful moments that just gripped me and had me up way past my bedtime.
The supporting characters with her hilarious gran also just made this book so enjoyable to read. I loved everything about it. I cannot wait for the next one!
I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving a review voluntarily.
This book gives Stephanie Plum vibes, our main character Charlie, comes across a school friend in some trouble and decides to help her out (girls looking out for girls, love this). Only she has no previous skills. She currently works in a shoe store with a teenager as her boss who makes her life hell.
Luckily for Charlie, her brother owns a PI company and his partner, Kane - Mr tall, dark and handsome ex-navy seal both have a vested interest in keeping her alive when she bites off more than she can chew. And Kane is a total hottie green flag MC who is emotionally aware and protective but supportive.
This book was laugh out loud funny with the hijinks Charlie gets up to, but also showcases the power of friendship with her ride or die (literally) bestie. There were some deeper, emotional and suspenseful moments that just gripped me and had me up way past my bedtime.
The supporting characters with her hilarious gran also just made this book so enjoyable to read. I loved everything about it. I cannot wait for the next one!
I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving a review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Where to start on this book. Charlie is a mess. Things always seem to happen around her and she finishes almost nothing. Struggles to keep a job but she is a very likable mess. Kane is structure personified and her polar opposite. Stoic and steady but actually sees her. The real her and embraces it. The two of them together are incredible. The story is well written and witty but at times a little overly wordy. I do appreciate detail and most times it is bringing relevant information back to the limelight but these minute details on every page made it a bit intense to read at times needing an lot of concentration instead of a relaxing getaway. Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed the book. The story moves and the characters are well fleshed. Loved the banter between characters. Charlie’s grandmother is a star on her own. Loved her and I hope she continues to grace the pages of the next book. You just need a quiet place to read it so you can give it your full attention. Overall I loved the book and will definitely be looking for the next in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Charlie is a mess. I'm unsure whether she is a hot mess, but she is definitely a mess, with loud cracking knees. She comes across someone she recognises in trouble, empathises and then decides to help even though she has no skills in the area at all. Will she get caught? Will she help or make everything so much worse?
The beginning of this book reminded me very much of Evanovich's series, however I didn't find Charlie as likeable. Her family also seemed a bit too close to another's work. Initially, noting this, I began to prepare myself to be disappointed but found that Charlie's relationship with Kane was what had me hooked and eager to continue reading each chapter. However then everything began to pick up. The pace began to move at an enjoyable speed, there was more humour that brought out a audible giggle from me and not just an acknowledgement of intent and next minute I had finished the whole book and wanted more.
I love Charlie's relationships with both Kane and Bianca and as the book progressed, I enjoyed the writing style more and enjoyed the plot.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book from BookSirens. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
The beginning of this book reminded me very much of Evanovich's series, however I didn't find Charlie as likeable. Her family also seemed a bit too close to another's work. Initially, noting this, I began to prepare myself to be disappointed but found that Charlie's relationship with Kane was what had me hooked and eager to continue reading each chapter. However then everything began to pick up. The pace began to move at an enjoyable speed, there was more humour that brought out a audible giggle from me and not just an acknowledgement of intent and next minute I had finished the whole book and wanted more.
I love Charlie's relationships with both Kane and Bianca and as the book progressed, I enjoyed the writing style more and enjoyed the plot.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book from BookSirens. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
Review of advance copy
Charlotte/Charlie Sparks is a 27 year old woman with no direction, despite many things she’s tried and not succeeded at. Not trained and warned off by her PI brother, Charlie’s trying to get answers for a woman who she remembered from school. Crying in the shoe store, Rea asked her for help. Her brother isn’t stupid and he knows Charlie isn’t going to listen to him. He enlists the help of Kane Branson, his partner, to keep her out of trouble. Other than the attraction between the two of them, that’s not exactly working.
A well-written story with a combination of humorous and tense moments as Kane and her brother try to keep Charlie safe. The characters are well developed and the plot thickens as Charlie gathers more and more evidence against Leo. The pace continues to build both with Kane and Charlie as well as the escalating threats from Leo and his enforcers. This is a great start to a new series. Kudos to Stephanie Winterson on an amazing debut novel. Readers who love Stephanie Plum will resonate with Charlie.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens. This has not affected my review in any way.
A well-written story with a combination of humorous and tense moments as Kane and her brother try to keep Charlie safe. The characters are well developed and the plot thickens as Charlie gathers more and more evidence against Leo. The pace continues to build both with Kane and Charlie as well as the escalating threats from Leo and his enforcers. This is a great start to a new series. Kudos to Stephanie Winterson on an amazing debut novel. Readers who love Stephanie Plum will resonate with Charlie.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens. This has not affected my review in any way.
September 23, 2026
Charlie and Bianca are friend goals! I loved their banter, and I laughed out loud a couple of times. Gram is super funny, and everyone loves a crazy doggo!
I enjoyed the story and that it gave off Stephanie Plum vibes! The external conflict was easy to follow, without wishy-washy back-and-forth trying to remember who was who.
I did find quite a bit of repetition in the description of Kane's behaviour; he did a lot of noting and tracking, as someone who was trained. The same was repeated a lot with Bash. After a bit, it felt unnecessary to say anymore.
Charlie and Kane's dialogue scenes could've had a bit more to them without taking away from Charlie's vibrant personality or Kane's stoic personality.
A personal preference about writing styles: I'm not a fan of the short, choppy sentences. It felt a lil stilted. I liked the portions of the story that were more descriptive and filled out more.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I will be watching for Book 2! I want more Bianca; she's a gem!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed the story and that it gave off Stephanie Plum vibes! The external conflict was easy to follow, without wishy-washy back-and-forth trying to remember who was who.
I did find quite a bit of repetition in the description of Kane's behaviour; he did a lot of noting and tracking, as someone who was trained. The same was repeated a lot with Bash. After a bit, it felt unnecessary to say anymore.
Charlie and Kane's dialogue scenes could've had a bit more to them without taking away from Charlie's vibrant personality or Kane's stoic personality.
A personal preference about writing styles: I'm not a fan of the short, choppy sentences. It felt a lil stilted. I liked the portions of the story that were more descriptive and filled out more.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I will be watching for Book 2! I want more Bianca; she's a gem!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Charlotte also know as Charlie, is a world wind, full of life, acts things may be later. All with a good heart and knows who she is. As a certain song says “ I am what I am”. Loved her character. Dealing with her mother who keeps trying to set her up. Neighbours know more about her life than she does. A boss and customers that need to learn manners. Now Kane is a man of very few words, solid full of proctor mode and doesn’t want to change Charlotte. He may try once but realises what a special person she is.
Helping someone causes Charlotte to stumble into danger. Her brother Bash and Kane know the only thing they can do not waste their breaths.
This book has humour, a wonder slow romance and ahh that first kiss. Danger, action and romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Helping someone causes Charlotte to stumble into danger. Her brother Bash and Kane know the only thing they can do not waste their breaths.
This book has humour, a wonder slow romance and ahh that first kiss. Danger, action and romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Writing style fits the storyline with its short sentences, inner (often funny) musings of the FMC, Charlie. Though billed as romance, mystery would actually consider this a strong female friendship stemming from childhood to adulthood who is truly her 'ride and die' gal pal.
The Author did an excellent job hinting at the future sequel between two secondary characters. Grams was a hoot but still couldn't get a read on Kane, our mysterious MMC. Get that he's stoic, an all around bad--- but not enough back story to draw his character.
Also, wish the Author drew more on physical features of Charlie as only left with the impression of her impressive height, frizzy hair, and inquisitive nature.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Author did an excellent job hinting at the future sequel between two secondary characters. Grams was a hoot but still couldn't get a read on Kane, our mysterious MMC. Get that he's stoic, an all around bad--- but not enough back story to draw his character.
Also, wish the Author drew more on physical features of Charlie as only left with the impression of her impressive height, frizzy hair, and inquisitive nature.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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July 23, 2026Charlotte also know as Charlie, is a world wind, full of life, acts things may be later. All with a good heart and knows who she is. As a certain song says “ I am what I am”. Loved her character. Dealing with her mother who keeps trying to set her up. Neighbours know more about her life than she does. A boss and customers that need to learn manners. Now Kane is a man of very few words, solid full of proctor mode and doesn’t want to change Charlotte. He may try once but realises what a special person she is.
Helping someone causes Charlotte to stumble into danger. Her brother Bash and Kane know the only thing they can do not waste their breaths.
This book has humour, a wonder slow romance and ahh that first kiss. Danger, action and romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Helping someone causes Charlotte to stumble into danger. Her brother Bash and Kane know the only thing they can do not waste their breaths.
This book has humour, a wonder slow romance and ahh that first kiss. Danger, action and romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My thoughts:
So…..I thought this book was pretty darn funny and engaging. It certainly kept me reading to the point I read the book in one day.
♥️I loved Charlie and Bianca’s friendship
🩷I loved Charlie and Kane’s relationship
💜I loved Charlie and the dynamics of her family
🤎Grumpy/Sunshine
💛Slow Burn/Spicy Romance
💚Grumpy Ex-Seal/Private Investigator
💙Former Shoe Seller/Wanna Be Sleuth
🩵Hilarious Banter/Laugh Out Loud
🧡Meddling Family
Yes, the story reminds me of the Stephanie Plum series. And there is nothing wrong with that. I loved that series and I can tell I am going to love this series too. Just in a different way. I do have to say, I rather enjoyed author Stephanie Winterson’s writing style.
I hope to read the next book in the series.
Review of advance copy
This was a humorous, fun, light hearted mystery romance. Exactly what I needed after reading several dark twisted stories. This was an excellent palate cleanser to refresh and start again.
The characters drew me in, especially Charlie's inquisitive nature and her persistence. I loved seeing Kane's attentiveness, protectiveness, and support of Charlie, always . I look forward to seeing a cautious Bash succumb to the same fate!!
He is leaning heavily towards irresistible Bianca. I can't wait for more suspenseful, humorous, entertainment to come
I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.
I
The characters drew me in, especially Charlie's inquisitive nature and her persistence. I loved seeing Kane's attentiveness, protectiveness, and support of Charlie, always . I look forward to seeing a cautious Bash succumb to the same fate!!
He is leaning heavily towards irresistible Bianca. I can't wait for more suspenseful, humorous, entertainment to come
I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.
I
Review of advance copy
Well, well, well. I need book two already.
This book was just crazy and fantastic. Well, Charlie is crazy and a little bit unlucky and completely lost (don’t we all?) so her adventure was exactly like her, chaotic and full of fun moments that took you from a very serious situation that started when our dear Charlotte decided helping a desperate woman was her new hobby.
Loved the writing style, it’s like a sitcom and the inner dialogues are simply the cherry.
Looking forward to the next one. Really. Like, when, please?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was just crazy and fantastic. Well, Charlie is crazy and a little bit unlucky and completely lost (don’t we all?) so her adventure was exactly like her, chaotic and full of fun moments that took you from a very serious situation that started when our dear Charlotte decided helping a desperate woman was her new hobby.
Loved the writing style, it’s like a sitcom and the inner dialogues are simply the cherry.
Looking forward to the next one. Really. Like, when, please?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I knew I was going to like this one just from the author’s note. It was all the things I love in a book - murder, romance, banter.
I thought the book was nicely balanced between the mystery/investigation and the romance, as well as a good amount of spice to appeal to many readers (open door but not super graphic). I enjoyed the characters and all their weird little relationships. It very much had a rom-com vibe, but with murder.
I’m really excited to read the next book in the series with Bianca and Bash!
Thanks to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!
I thought the book was nicely balanced between the mystery/investigation and the romance, as well as a good amount of spice to appeal to many readers (open door but not super graphic). I enjoyed the characters and all their weird little relationships. It very much had a rom-com vibe, but with murder.
I’m really excited to read the next book in the series with Bianca and Bash!
Thanks to the author and BookSirens for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was one of the best books I’ve read in a minute. Every time I got a chance to sit down and read I didn’t want to quit.
I loved literally every single thing about it.
The pace, the wit, the suspense.
It reminded me of Janet Evanovich’s series and I truly hope more come out following these characters!!! They were so well created I felt them all as if they truly exist.
Cannot recommend enough!!
This was one of the best books I’ve read in a minute. Every time I got a chance to sit down and read I didn’t want to quit.
I loved literally every single thing about it.
The pace, the wit, the suspense.
It reminded me of Janet Evanovich’s series and I truly hope more come out following these characters!!! They were so well created I felt them all as if they truly exist.
Cannot recommend enough!!
August 13, 2026
I loved this book!
The entire book was a page turner.
Charlie, the one who takes a warning as a challenge and Bianca, a willing partner in crime but also the voice of reason.
Bash, Charlie’s older protective brother and his partner Kane run a PI company.
The trouble Charlie finds herself in keeps this book exciting.
Plus having a hunk like Kane to be your protector makes this an even better read.
I’m looking forward to reading Book 2 Bianca’s story.
*I received this ARC Kindle book from BookSirens. Thank You!
The entire book was a page turner.
Charlie, the one who takes a warning as a challenge and Bianca, a willing partner in crime but also the voice of reason.
Bash, Charlie’s older protective brother and his partner Kane run a PI company.
The trouble Charlie finds herself in keeps this book exciting.
Plus having a hunk like Kane to be your protector makes this an even better read.
I’m looking forward to reading Book 2 Bianca’s story.
*I received this ARC Kindle book from BookSirens. Thank You!
Review of advance copy
I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I kind of liked a bumbling, spunky woman who was willing to take on a situation the boys were afraid to look at. I wanted her to put the bad guys away with her different perspective. I didn't like it when the men got into the action. I really resisted the romance. That said, I've come to terms with it all and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Worth a read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Worth a read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I enjoyed this debut novel. The dialogue was fast; some repeats of text here and there probably to wrap up and link scenes. Some predictableness but not annoying. Having a spunky grandma, mom who hosts family dinners and main character bungling things reminded me of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum in a good way.
If you want a fast read with fun characters and some steamy romance, this one is for you.
I received an advanced copy for free; this is my honest review.
If you want a fast read with fun characters and some steamy romance, this one is for you.
I received an advanced copy for free; this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the first book I have read from this author, and she didn't disappoint me at all!!! I loved the story line. The characters were very engaging. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book has lots of action, intrigue, lots of laugh out loud moments and plenty of heat between Charlotte (Charlie) and Kane. I was hooked from chapter 1 and couldn't put it down! Excellent read! I will be looking forward to book 2 of this series.
Review of advance copy
This debut novel is a MUST read. It had humor (and extremely witty dialogue), a strong female lead character and great character development, an engaging mystery, and a love story I adored. It’s exactly what I needed after reading books with heavier storylines. I loved the writing style,the cast of characters, and pretty much everything about this book! I was sorry to reach the last few pages….and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommend!!
Review of advance copy
I wanted to like this book soooo bad. The storyline was great, and I even loved the characters!
The one and only thing I couldn’t move past, was the writing style, which was the way the dialogue was portrayed. The back and forth banter is great… in small amounts. It felt like the back and forth “humorous” banter was almost all of the dialogue.
Without that it was be a solid 4 star book.
I received a copy of this from booksirens, and am voluntarily giving my review.
The one and only thing I couldn’t move past, was the writing style, which was the way the dialogue was portrayed. The back and forth banter is great… in small amounts. It felt like the back and forth “humorous” banter was almost all of the dialogue.
Without that it was be a solid 4 star book.
I received a copy of this from booksirens, and am voluntarily giving my review.
Review of advance copy
I loved this fast paced thriller.
The protagonist Charlie Sparks in whose voice the story is told, is gutsy and stubborn and very funny.
In addition to being a nail biting read, this is also romantic and quite graphic in parts.
All in all, a great read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The protagonist Charlie Sparks in whose voice the story is told, is gutsy and stubborn and very funny.
In addition to being a nail biting read, this is also romantic and quite graphic in parts.
All in all, a great read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 20, 2026
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
When a Charlotte, an employee at a shoe store and her roommate decide to help out a classmate of her brother, chaos ensues. This book has it all, humor, romance, spice and secrets. I enjoyed it very much and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
When a Charlotte, an employee at a shoe store and her roommate decide to help out a classmate of her brother, chaos ensues. This book has it all, humor, romance, spice and secrets. I enjoyed it very much and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Review of advance copy
Review of advance copy
Super fun book! It’s very descriptive and a little slow at the beginning for that reason, but once the storyline went on I got used to it.
I really enjoyed it and will read the next one!
Super fun book! It’s very descriptive and a little slow at the beginning for that reason, but once the storyline went on I got used to it.
I really enjoyed it and will read the next one!
September 22, 2026
Received this book as an ARC. Thank you to the author and team for sending it to me. This review is completely voluntary.
I liked this book and the plot . While I wish it wasn’t so repetitive I overall enjoyed this one and look forward to book two.
I liked this book and the plot . While I wish it wasn’t so repetitive I overall enjoyed this one and look forward to book two.
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