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Pink Sofa Secrets #1
Wordless
Disaster reporter and internet celebrity Jack Tucker is disillusioned after a stint embedded in Iraq. The IED that destroyed his team's Humvee brought him tragedy and regret, robbing him of the joy he took in his job--or anything else. He spends his days in a small Camden bookshop, struggling with writer's block, until the elderly proprietor dies, leaving him adrift.
Lexie Worth abandoned a promising career to keep her uncle's beloved bookstore alive. But the store's tabby cat hates her, local poets invade twice a month for scurrilous readings, and she knows she shouldn't get involved with sexy, troubled strangers like Jack. When the FBI comes knocking, with suspicions of fraud and racketeering, Lexie realizes someone's after more than a first edition or two.
Someone's been using the bookstore to hide their crimes. Someone dangerous--maybe even deadly. Jack wants to protect Lexie--if he can believe her. And if she doesn't find out exactly who he is...
Wordless, book one of the Pink Sofa Secrets series.
Lexie Worth abandoned a promising career to keep her uncle's beloved bookstore alive. But the store's tabby cat hates her, local poets invade twice a month for scurrilous readings, and she knows she shouldn't get involved with sexy, troubled strangers like Jack. When the FBI comes knocking, with suspicions of fraud and racketeering, Lexie realizes someone's after more than a first edition or two.
Someone's been using the bookstore to hide their crimes. Someone dangerous--maybe even deadly. Jack wants to protect Lexie--if he can believe her. And if she doesn't find out exactly who he is...
Wordless, book one of the Pink Sofa Secrets series.
240 pages, ebook
Published October 17, 2016
11 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 24, 2016
I really like Mel Sterling's writing. She is very descriptive, lyrical and at the same time precise. There are no reiterations, and she is succinct. Aah, I do love it in an author!
Wordless is a contemporary romance with elements of cozy mystery.
Camden, a small university town, is very atmospheric, and Horace's Bookstore is to die for. This was one of my secret fantasies at one time, you know? To own a charming, quirky bookstore. And what bookworm doesn't wish for one?
Lexie is Horace's niece, who comes to Camden with a background in corporate accounting ready to change her life when she inherits his bookstore, his house and his grumpy cat, Melville. She is a bit prim and proper, a bit uptight, but she is also earnest and truly tries to make Horace's legacy a success.
Jack manages to come off as ruggedly AND scholarly type. He is a famous journalist, who's been reporting the worst in humanity from the various disaster and war zones around the globe, and he is burnt out. He is hiding in the bookstore fighting a writer's block when Lexie waltzes in and starts dominating his thoughts.
Something mysterious is happening in the store, and both Lexie and Jack are determined to find out what is going on, especially since Lexie's life and wellbeing are at stake. Lexie is independent and Jack has to fight tooth and nail to be her knight in shining armor, which made me smile a bit. He totally had to work for it!
Their romance is slow-burn and very quiet, but at the same time it's hot and sweet and suits well to the feel of the place. The mystery is unusual as well, and I really wanted more details of it. The supporting characters were pretty adorable, starting from Gard and ending with the cat, and I just found this read lovely and charming. Recommended.
* * *
Мне очень нравится писательский стиль Мел Стерлинг. Очень всё у неё лирично, с пронзительными деталями и компактно получается. Здесь нет пережёвывания одних и тех же деталей с растеканием их же по древу. А мне это очень по душе.
"Без слов" - современный роман с элементами уютного детектива. Камден - маленький университетский городок, тихая атмосфера которого передана замечательно. А уж описание книжного магазина - вообще мечта!
Лекси приезжает в Камден из Чикаго, готовая изменить свою жизнь корпоративного бухгалтера и унаследовать книжный магазин своего дяди Горация. Она немного чопорна и зажата, но она очень старается удержать бизнес дяди на плаву.
Джэк умудряется выглядеть как сексуальный интеллектуал и в то же время как потрёпанный жизнью бродяга. Известный журналист из горячих точек мира, он недавно пережил травму и перегорел, и теперь пытается найти вдохновение, прячась в магазине Горация.
Лекси с её пылом библиотекарши и странные вещи, происходящие в магазине, интригуют его и заставляют объединить силы с Лекси в интересном расследовании. В процессе он неожиданно для себя в неё влюбляется и начинает за ней ухаживать пока Лекси неохотно не осознаёт, что на его чувства отвечает.
Их роман развивается медленно и мило, но его темп настолько органичен для духа маленького городка, что читать о нём - одно удовольствие.
С другой стороны, детективная линия хоть и уникальна, нуждалась в разработке. Прямо-таки просилась раскрыться, а не получилось.
Второстепенные характеры тоже многослойны и интересны, начиная с кота Мелвилля и заканчивая бывшим десантником Гардом.
Мне понравилось. Как-то подходит мне этот автор, буду покупать на автопилоте.
Wordless is a contemporary romance with elements of cozy mystery.
Camden, a small university town, is very atmospheric, and Horace's Bookstore is to die for. This was one of my secret fantasies at one time, you know? To own a charming, quirky bookstore. And what bookworm doesn't wish for one?
Lexie is Horace's niece, who comes to Camden with a background in corporate accounting ready to change her life when she inherits his bookstore, his house and his grumpy cat, Melville. She is a bit prim and proper, a bit uptight, but she is also earnest and truly tries to make Horace's legacy a success.
Jack manages to come off as ruggedly AND scholarly type. He is a famous journalist, who's been reporting the worst in humanity from the various disaster and war zones around the globe, and he is burnt out. He is hiding in the bookstore fighting a writer's block when Lexie waltzes in and starts dominating his thoughts.
Something mysterious is happening in the store, and both Lexie and Jack are determined to find out what is going on, especially since Lexie's life and wellbeing are at stake. Lexie is independent and Jack has to fight tooth and nail to be her knight in shining armor, which made me smile a bit. He totally had to work for it!
Their romance is slow-burn and very quiet, but at the same time it's hot and sweet and suits well to the feel of the place. The mystery is unusual as well, and I really wanted more details of it. The supporting characters were pretty adorable, starting from Gard and ending with the cat, and I just found this read lovely and charming. Recommended.
* * *
Мне очень нравится писательский стиль Мел Стерлинг. Очень всё у неё лирично, с пронзительными деталями и компактно получается. Здесь нет пережёвывания одних и тех же деталей с растеканием их же по древу. А мне это очень по душе.
"Без слов" - современный роман с элементами уютного детектива. Камден - маленький университетский городок, тихая атмосфера которого передана замечательно. А уж описание книжного магазина - вообще мечта!
Лекси приезжает в Камден из Чикаго, готовая изменить свою жизнь корпоративного бухгалтера и унаследовать книжный магазин своего дяди Горация. Она немного чопорна и зажата, но она очень старается удержать бизнес дяди на плаву.
Джэк умудряется выглядеть как сексуальный интеллектуал и в то же время как потрёпанный жизнью бродяга. Известный журналист из горячих точек мира, он недавно пережил травму и перегорел, и теперь пытается найти вдохновение, прячась в магазине Горация.
Лекси с её пылом библиотекарши и странные вещи, происходящие в магазине, интригуют его и заставляют объединить силы с Лекси в интересном расследовании. В процессе он неожиданно для себя в неё влюбляется и начинает за ней ухаживать пока Лекси неохотно не осознаёт, что на его чувства отвечает.
Их роман развивается медленно и мило, но его темп настолько органичен для духа маленького городка, что читать о нём - одно удовольствие.
С другой стороны, детективная линия хоть и уникальна, нуждалась в разработке. Прямо-таки просилась раскрыться, а не получилось.
Второстепенные характеры тоже многослойны и интересны, начиная с кота Мелвилля и заканчивая бывшим десантником Гардом.
Мне понравилось. Как-то подходит мне этот автор, буду покупать на автопилоте.
October 7, 2016
This was a bit of a break from my normal reading since there were no vampire/monsters/mages/etc and if somebody got dead, they actually stayed dead (imagine that). In spite of all those pesky shortcomings I did enjoy this novel.
While there was a romance that is at the heart of this book, there is also a mystery that goes along with it that will have you scratching your head a bit. It was nice to NOT be able to really guess where this was going exactly, you get enough clues to get a basic idea but not to fill in the blanks with any certainty.
I felt it was a bit too verbose and the romance had a touch of "insta-love" but everything worked together nicely so I really did not make any major deductions for it. While there was not too much sex exactly, it was written that same touch of verbosity as some other scenes.
The "old Army buddy" shows up and for some reason he was Sam Elliot in my head, voice and all so for reasons unknown that made me like the book even more (you can't invent this stuff).
This makes the 3rd book in the last month I have read that had a hero with a bucket load of unresolved guilt for something he had no power to prevent, it gets frustrating to a reader folks, I wanted to scream. It does not help my entertainment to read about it but it was resolved eventually and everyone went on with their lives.
Bottom Line: Great story, enjoyable characters for the most part, some decent revenge and no cliff-hanger but a small thread left open for the next book. 4 Stars and highly recommended.
While there was a romance that is at the heart of this book, there is also a mystery that goes along with it that will have you scratching your head a bit. It was nice to NOT be able to really guess where this was going exactly, you get enough clues to get a basic idea but not to fill in the blanks with any certainty.
I felt it was a bit too verbose and the romance had a touch of "insta-love" but everything worked together nicely so I really did not make any major deductions for it. While there was not too much sex exactly, it was written that same touch of verbosity as some other scenes.
The "old Army buddy" shows up and for some reason he was Sam Elliot in my head, voice and all so for reasons unknown that made me like the book even more (you can't invent this stuff).
This makes the 3rd book in the last month I have read that had a hero with a bucket load of unresolved guilt for something he had no power to prevent, it gets frustrating to a reader folks, I wanted to scream. It does not help my entertainment to read about it but it was resolved eventually and everyone went on with their lives.
Bottom Line: Great story, enjoyable characters for the most part, some decent revenge and no cliff-hanger but a small thread left open for the next book. 4 Stars and highly recommended.
October 17, 2016
The Review
I really dug Jack & Lexie's relationship. I thought both characters were well developed. Their actions always fit in really well with the background that we knew.
The mystery - fraud and racketeering - was really well crafted. I'll admit that I can almost never figure out who did it in any mystery, and that drives me crazy. (I own almost every Agatha Christie ever written, courtesy of my father, and I've read all of them so many times. I can never remember who did it. Ever. EVER. Not even on the tenth re-reading.)
ANYWAY - the mystery. Although one of the bad guys jumped out at me right away, the way it played out in the end was not how I'd imagined it happening, but it was deeply satisfying. Plus, who doesn't love intrigue and crime set in the midst of books? (My dream job would be to own a bookstore but not have to rely on it for income, because that sounds stressful. We would be open whenever I felt like it, and there would be coffee in the morning and wine in the evening and I could sit in a little alcove and write and occasionally make out with hotties in the rare book room. But in a non-book-damaging way.)
In addition to a finely crafted mystery, the romance was well-paced (although I always used to feel a bit skeptical when people in books got so serious so fast, it oddly seems more realistic to me now),. Jack and Lexie are both damaged in different ways and it really felt like the damage informed their decision making more than became an excuse for bad decisions. It's a fine line to walk, and I thought Mel walked it adeptly.
My favorite characters - sorry Jack & Lexie - were Melville the cat and Gardner Dawson (Jack's friend). Melville was the best cranky cat ever. (My dream bookstore will also require one grumpy cat who is perfectly toilet trained.)
...he'd had plenty of dinner, but Melville considered any time spent n the kitchen without feeding the cat wasted time.
I feel you, cat.
The Quote
Usually when I do a quote in a romance novel, it's something about love or commitment or whatever, but honestly, this (other then the cat quote above) is the passage that spoke to me the most.
All those folks who shopped the section and complained that the high fantasy shouldn't be mixed in with the space opera - well they'd just have to tolerate elves on the spaceships a while longer.
I mean, right? Elves on spaceships!
The Verdict
This book was really good. Good romance. Good suspense. Great cat. Space elves! (Not really. I don't want you to be disappointed about that.) Plus, it's set in a bookstore which is kind of where I want to live when I grow up. All this and some steamy, steamy sex. How on earth could you say no to that?
I really dug Jack & Lexie's relationship. I thought both characters were well developed. Their actions always fit in really well with the background that we knew.
The mystery - fraud and racketeering - was really well crafted. I'll admit that I can almost never figure out who did it in any mystery, and that drives me crazy. (I own almost every Agatha Christie ever written, courtesy of my father, and I've read all of them so many times. I can never remember who did it. Ever. EVER. Not even on the tenth re-reading.)
ANYWAY - the mystery. Although one of the bad guys jumped out at me right away, the way it played out in the end was not how I'd imagined it happening, but it was deeply satisfying. Plus, who doesn't love intrigue and crime set in the midst of books? (My dream job would be to own a bookstore but not have to rely on it for income, because that sounds stressful. We would be open whenever I felt like it, and there would be coffee in the morning and wine in the evening and I could sit in a little alcove and write and occasionally make out with hotties in the rare book room. But in a non-book-damaging way.)
In addition to a finely crafted mystery, the romance was well-paced (although I always used to feel a bit skeptical when people in books got so serious so fast, it oddly seems more realistic to me now),. Jack and Lexie are both damaged in different ways and it really felt like the damage informed their decision making more than became an excuse for bad decisions. It's a fine line to walk, and I thought Mel walked it adeptly.
My favorite characters - sorry Jack & Lexie - were Melville the cat and Gardner Dawson (Jack's friend). Melville was the best cranky cat ever. (My dream bookstore will also require one grumpy cat who is perfectly toilet trained.)
...he'd had plenty of dinner, but Melville considered any time spent n the kitchen without feeding the cat wasted time.
I feel you, cat.
The Quote
Usually when I do a quote in a romance novel, it's something about love or commitment or whatever, but honestly, this (other then the cat quote above) is the passage that spoke to me the most.
All those folks who shopped the section and complained that the high fantasy shouldn't be mixed in with the space opera - well they'd just have to tolerate elves on the spaceships a while longer.
I mean, right? Elves on spaceships!
The Verdict
This book was really good. Good romance. Good suspense. Great cat. Space elves! (Not really. I don't want you to be disappointed about that.) Plus, it's set in a bookstore which is kind of where I want to live when I grow up. All this and some steamy, steamy sex. How on earth could you say no to that?
November 7, 2016
Romantic Mystery/Suspense is not a genre I read often, but because this was written by Mel Sterling, I couldn’t one-click fast enough. I absolutely adored this book! Mel has this way of sucking me into her world and writing. It’s vivid and the characters are so developed.
I liked Lexie (Alexia). She had everything dumped on her and she pushed forward, unafraid to ask for help or stand up to what she believes is right — even if it might be dangerous at times. She has backbone, but it bends when needed.
And Jack… Oh Jack, Jack, Jack.
He was a force to reckon with, but also funny and downright seductive. He was unrelenting in his pursuit of Lexie as he knew what he wanted and he wanted her. Every kiss and caress was a build up to some amazing love scenes. And what love scenes they were! Titillating and exciting, especially the one on that uncomfortable pink horsehair sofa. That man is lustful and sexy and Lexie is one lucky, lucky woman!
Ahem…moving on. The buildup of mystery was gradual as Lexie and Jack try to discover who behind it all as things become a little more dangerous. We’re also introduced to secondary characters such as Gilly the barista who works in The Cup, Ben who is an employee in the bookstore, and Gard, a friend of Jack’s who suffered the loss of a leg in the war. I really liked this guy.
When it came to their romance, it was closer to insta-love, but the book, to me, was so good and I loved the characters that I didn’t care. I wanted them together so bad that each time Lexie pushed him away I just wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her asking ‘Why?!’.
Wordless was a wonderful story and I can’t wait until the next book in the Pink Sofa Secret Series. If you haven’t read any books from Mel Sterling, I highly recommend you do so!
I liked Lexie (Alexia). She had everything dumped on her and she pushed forward, unafraid to ask for help or stand up to what she believes is right — even if it might be dangerous at times. She has backbone, but it bends when needed.
And Jack… Oh Jack, Jack, Jack.
He was a force to reckon with, but also funny and downright seductive. He was unrelenting in his pursuit of Lexie as he knew what he wanted and he wanted her. Every kiss and caress was a build up to some amazing love scenes. And what love scenes they were! Titillating and exciting, especially the one on that uncomfortable pink horsehair sofa. That man is lustful and sexy and Lexie is one lucky, lucky woman!
Ahem…moving on. The buildup of mystery was gradual as Lexie and Jack try to discover who behind it all as things become a little more dangerous. We’re also introduced to secondary characters such as Gilly the barista who works in The Cup, Ben who is an employee in the bookstore, and Gard, a friend of Jack’s who suffered the loss of a leg in the war. I really liked this guy.
When it came to their romance, it was closer to insta-love, but the book, to me, was so good and I loved the characters that I didn’t care. I wanted them together so bad that each time Lexie pushed him away I just wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her asking ‘Why?!’.
Wordless was a wonderful story and I can’t wait until the next book in the Pink Sofa Secret Series. If you haven’t read any books from Mel Sterling, I highly recommend you do so!
July 14, 2017
This was a very cozy, small town, contemporary romance/mystery story. The characters were well developed but the love story had a bit of an "insta-love" quality to it. First 50% dragged a bit - there wasn't much going on until we got to the actual romance and solving the mystery part, and those were fairly predictable but well written. This is a new-to-me author, but I quite enjoyed her writing style.
For some reason I kept expecting paranormal elements to creep up and was almost disappointed to find none here - I think I imagined the Pink Sofa being an escape route into another world or something. Perhaps, that affected my opinion. Nevertheless, I would definitely explore more from this author.
For some reason I kept expecting paranormal elements to creep up and was almost disappointed to find none here - I think I imagined the Pink Sofa being an escape route into another world or something. Perhaps, that affected my opinion. Nevertheless, I would definitely explore more from this author.
November 5, 2019
Fan. Tas. Tic.
October 20, 2016
Alexia Worth, known as Lexie inherits a bookstore from her deceased Uncle Horace. She promised him to at least stay open while Melville the cat and mascot of the store lives. He seems to like everyone but Lexie. There is an interesting cast of characters. Jack Tucker better known as John T. Jarvis a former investigative reporter who has burnt out, Ben college student and Gilly a dyed red headed faux mohawk wearing barista from the coffee shop next door, plus a cast of poets who for good or bad perform on mic night. There is a mystery of books disappearing a d reappearing. The FBI and mail fraud detectives arrive. Lexie has a lot going on but she still can't stop her attraction she feels for Jack and the feelings are mutual. Really enjoyed the build up of their relationships as well as the interaction between characters. A friend of Jack's from his investigative days in Iraq, Gard arrives to add more humor with his southern charm. There was a point when I thought I knew who a villiain was but I ended up surprised. Couldn' stop reading till I finished the book. Highly recommend.
October 22, 2016
While the title is apt, Wordless is anything but wordless. The novel brims with warmth, a delicious sweetness, and a soupcon of bite. Mel Sterling's newest delighted me. I curled up with the book before a cozy fire at my new home, unable to put down her captivating tale.
Jack, a troubled journalist who's seen too much, find surcease in a small bookshop where he struggles to pen his latest. While Alexia, the freshly minted shop owner, steals his heart, badness brews in a mystery that deepens with each page. Gard, Ben, and Gilly complete an ensemble of complex and riveting characters. Their fast-paced adventures, not to mention Jack and Alexia's deepening love, kept me up way too late. But it was so worth it as I turned the last page in this beautifully penned romance.
Jack, a troubled journalist who's seen too much, find surcease in a small bookshop where he struggles to pen his latest. While Alexia, the freshly minted shop owner, steals his heart, badness brews in a mystery that deepens with each page. Gard, Ben, and Gilly complete an ensemble of complex and riveting characters. Their fast-paced adventures, not to mention Jack and Alexia's deepening love, kept me up way too late. But it was so worth it as I turned the last page in this beautifully penned romance.
January 4, 2017
Romance is not my genre, but really enjoyed this story. The main characters were engaging and I could imagine myself in the story setting. The flow was a little choppy in a couple of places, but overall I give it 41/2 stars (the rating bar doesn't allow halfs)
October 18, 2016
I enjoyed both the romance and the mystery. Good read! :D
November 20, 2016
I loved it. There was good character development, buildup of sexual tension, and an interesting and tense plot. I loved that it was set in a bookstore, too!
June 22, 2017
This wasn't just a love story between characters; it was a love affair with Camden, with books, with bookstores and antiques, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews