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The St. Lo Series #2
Simone St. Lo Raises Hell
Simone Ines St. Lo has loved her first year as a Countess! Her fifteenth-century, castle-estate in Normandie, France, is back on the road to paying for itself. Their distilled apple-cider Calvados, with its ‘special recipe’ is promising to be a rousing success. Perhaps it’s all going ‘too’ well for some. When Simone embarks to bring Grandma Margeaux Martin back to France, along with her trusty Mexican maid, Frida, things begin to go awry. First, Frida is detained by the Canadian Border Services Agency at a stop in Quebec. Back in France, Timms Dubois, St. Lo’s deaf groundskeeper disappears after a delivery of honey to a gourmet specialty shop on the Rue St. Louis in Paris. Meanwhile, Mavis, the teenage shopkeeper who sells the St. Lo ‘special recipe’ products locally, gets a visit from an ‘organized crime’ boss. On top of all this, the St. Lo estate has been burgled during one of their famous ‘fly-fishing’ gourmand weekends. Nothing has gone missing except a framed 1529 A.D. Vatican document conferring the title, ‘Countess of St. Lo’ upon Simone’s ancestor. When a distant family cousin begins proceedings to contest Great-Aunt Ines St. Lo’s will, and rumors begin to swirl around Grandpa Hubert Martin's death, that’s the final straw! As Grandpa Hastilow, Simone’s farmer-granddad says, “When things aren’t right, it’s time to ‘raise hell’!
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2019
87 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 25, 2022
Charming
This book does hold mystery, high tension, danger, and ultimately victory for Simone and the people of St. Lo. I got caught up again in the characters lives and am charmed by the St. Lo setting. The book is more women's fiction than cozy mystery, but I loved it. On to the next one!
This book does hold mystery, high tension, danger, and ultimately victory for Simone and the people of St. Lo. I got caught up again in the characters lives and am charmed by the St. Lo setting. The book is more women's fiction than cozy mystery, but I loved it. On to the next one!
September 7, 2019
Love it!
I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out! I’ve read the first 2 books. They’re easy reads and something about them hook me from the start and I have to know more! The author is good at character development. I feel like I know some of the characters. Awesome series!
I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out! I’ve read the first 2 books. They’re easy reads and something about them hook me from the start and I have to know more! The author is good at character development. I feel like I know some of the characters. Awesome series!
November 3, 2019
𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍, The St. Lo Series, Book #2
by F.E. Arliss
I devoured this book. I started reading it on Saturday morning and finished it on Sunday morning. It's definitely that good. No matter what genre you usually read, you are missing out on a very good thing if you are not reading this series.
I stumbled across the first in this series, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐, earlier this year when it popped up on one of my free or low-cost lists. It enchanted me. I'm a devotee of mystery and urban fantasy, so this was definitely a step out of my comfort zone, and I'm so happy I made the decision to read it. When the third in the series also popped up on one of my lists, I made the effort to find the second so I could read them in order. Another good decision.
Arliss creates the world we all wished we lived in. A world where a talented but underrated, under-estimated person gets a chance to really do something in life, despite those who doubt her ability and those who would seek to deny her the opportunity. Arliss delivers intricate and fully fleshed out characters in a well-plotted and paced storyline that flows so smoothly you will find yourself reading for long stretches without even a thought of putting the book down. She knows how to end a book, too, with no cliffhangers, yet with the reader wanting nothing more than, well -- 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 of St. Lo! I did find a couple of proofing errors, but the joy of the story telling completely eclipsed them.
One note that was humorous to me (and probably to any other Indiana native), Simone's evil brother works as a "research assistant in Indiana for a large pharmacy manufacturer based in Indianapolis." Ah, Eli Lilly -- how your fame/infamy has spread.
My impulse is to dive right into the third book in the series, but I think I will resist that urge and save that book for the reading doldrums I usually experience after the holidays are over. In the meantime, however, I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to laugh a little, cry a little, and smile until your face hurts!
by F.E. Arliss
I devoured this book. I started reading it on Saturday morning and finished it on Sunday morning. It's definitely that good. No matter what genre you usually read, you are missing out on a very good thing if you are not reading this series.
I stumbled across the first in this series, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐, earlier this year when it popped up on one of my free or low-cost lists. It enchanted me. I'm a devotee of mystery and urban fantasy, so this was definitely a step out of my comfort zone, and I'm so happy I made the decision to read it. When the third in the series also popped up on one of my lists, I made the effort to find the second so I could read them in order. Another good decision.
Arliss creates the world we all wished we lived in. A world where a talented but underrated, under-estimated person gets a chance to really do something in life, despite those who doubt her ability and those who would seek to deny her the opportunity. Arliss delivers intricate and fully fleshed out characters in a well-plotted and paced storyline that flows so smoothly you will find yourself reading for long stretches without even a thought of putting the book down. She knows how to end a book, too, with no cliffhangers, yet with the reader wanting nothing more than, well -- 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 of St. Lo! I did find a couple of proofing errors, but the joy of the story telling completely eclipsed them.
One note that was humorous to me (and probably to any other Indiana native), Simone's evil brother works as a "research assistant in Indiana for a large pharmacy manufacturer based in Indianapolis." Ah, Eli Lilly -- how your fame/infamy has spread.
My impulse is to dive right into the third book in the series, but I think I will resist that urge and save that book for the reading doldrums I usually experience after the holidays are over. In the meantime, however, I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to laugh a little, cry a little, and smile until your face hurts!
December 2, 2019
As with book #1 in this series, I was enthralled. I absolutely love Simone. She is a woman after my own heart. But, I find one thing missing. She is young, good looking and possesses, I would assume, the normal amount of female hormones, therefore, a bit of love and romance in her life would not be remiss. To give, love, cherish and protect is life endearing and she gives all of this to her new family. BUT, as a woman, let me tell you, familial love is not enough. She really needs the other kind too.
I look forward to reading more in this series and, hopefully, they will include some romance and love in Simone's life, as she so richly deserves it. A little more in the love department and a little less in the psychology department would be in order.
Looking forward to reading the next in this series and truly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a little adventure, a little comedy and a large dose of humanity and love for our fellow man.
I look forward to reading more in this series and, hopefully, they will include some romance and love in Simone's life, as she so richly deserves it. A little more in the love department and a little less in the psychology department would be in order.
Looking forward to reading the next in this series and truly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a little adventure, a little comedy and a large dose of humanity and love for our fellow man.
May 31, 2020
This series seems to hit the nail on the head. Although, we would all want a caring and loving family group, very few have that, which would be thought of as ideal. Petty scrabbling and jealousy, causes heartache and dis-enchantment with our parents and siblings. Often they are the ones that do the most psychological damage to our own self esteem, because they hit under the belt, as it was, and they are the ones we believe should defend us, not tear us apart.
This series shows a woman's experience through her life, and how it's her family that is setting out to destroy her, only because she achieved something they believed was rightfully their's, because that's what they believed and heaven help anyone in their way to attaining their goal.
This series shows a woman's experience through her life, and how it's her family that is setting out to destroy her, only because she achieved something they believed was rightfully their's, because that's what they believed and heaven help anyone in their way to attaining their goal.
May 4, 2020
Well Worth A Full Read
The only reason I didn't pop for that last star is because the writing was so doggone repetitious in the first two chapters. I almost gave up on it because it was really a rough read. But something changed in the third chapter and it was smooth sailing from there. Simone and her pals are good folks and I want to know them better! Something tells me we haven't heard the last from her horrid parents and siblings. Bring it on!
The only reason I didn't pop for that last star is because the writing was so doggone repetitious in the first two chapters. I almost gave up on it because it was really a rough read. But something changed in the third chapter and it was smooth sailing from there. Simone and her pals are good folks and I want to know them better! Something tells me we haven't heard the last from her horrid parents and siblings. Bring it on!
July 7, 2019
Too Disjointed
This book is not a stand-alone story. It is convoluted with minor parts making sense while other parts do not tie the story together. Perhaps, Book 1 needs to be read to appreciate this book.
This book is not a stand-alone story. It is convoluted with minor parts making sense while other parts do not tie the story together. Perhaps, Book 1 needs to be read to appreciate this book.
July 12, 2020
This book is SOOOO GOOD!!!! SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD!!!!! LOVE it and THEM!!! I only got it b/c of the intriguing title and cover art but I fell in love with it and just can't get enough!!! Just can't make myself put it down!!! I read it in less than 24 hours!! I'm off to read the next one now!!
August 12, 2020
Fascinating
The new countess of St. Lo is rapidly organizing new businesses with products from the estate. When she travels to the U.S. to bring her grandmother back to France, she sends her family a letter notifying them of her inheritance. Thus begins her trials.
The new countess of St. Lo is rapidly organizing new businesses with products from the estate. When she travels to the U.S. to bring her grandmother back to France, she sends her family a letter notifying them of her inheritance. Thus begins her trials.
September 1, 2019
Loved the characters
The characters are well written, loveable and funny. I truly enjoyed both this book and the first one as well.
The characters are well written, loveable and funny. I truly enjoyed both this book and the first one as well.
September 15, 2019
Liked it!
I like the relationships. Simone is a force for positive change in the lives of people she meets. Story has intrigue and mystery.
I like the relationships. Simone is a force for positive change in the lives of people she meets. Story has intrigue and mystery.
December 2, 2019
Novel
Cute light hearted entertainment. Some true statements about families. The ones you are born into and the ones you choose.
Cute light hearted entertainment. Some true statements about families. The ones you are born into and the ones you choose.
May 11, 2020
A young American girl has inherited an estate in France along with the title Countess. She takes on the running of the estate while fighting off her family who feel they were more entitled than her.
September 23, 2020
Another Winner
I am not normally into "fairy tales". So far though, this series is a great escape from reality. Maybe it's the trying times. Who knows. I'll keep reading for now.
I am not normally into "fairy tales". So far though, this series is a great escape from reality. Maybe it's the trying times. Who knows. I'll keep reading for now.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews