Enjoyed the blend of paranormal romance and thriller. Gave it high stakes and plenty of tension, making for an immersive read.

It’s been a while since I ready a mystery, but I am glad I picked this book up.
This is the first book in A Red Hooper Mystery Book series. The main character, Red, has never really been lucky. She has been living in her camper since her nan died. She does odd jobs as needed and got a job at a Dollarama store. She decided to stop in one morning for some coffee and discovered a dead body. Since she is new in town and people don’t really like her, she is now a suspect and can’t leave town.

This is a fast-paced book. Once you start it, you will not be able to put it down. I am looking forward to reading the next book.

I must be losing my touch since I didn’t have this book figured out and was caught off guard when the full involvement of the people of Hope Harbor came into focus. Wendy Roberts introduces her newest character, Scarlett “Red” Hooper, to her readers. Red has been lost since the death of her grandmother, but when her sister pops up with unwanted news, she must now face what has been hidden from her.

Though Wendy Roberts’ main characters tend to be on the immature side, I still find myself drawn to their fragility and unease. They all have the same basic qualities in common and tend to be drawn to the first man showing them any attention. Yet that doesn’t stop me from following their plight and wondering if one day they will pull themselves together.

The ending implies there will be more to the series, but one never knows since Grounds to Kill only had a single book.

First, let me say I am looking forward to reading more about Red and her adventures. She's a bit of a wanderer and trouble seems to find her. But the story is woven so well that you won't want to put it down until you get to the end, then you'll look for more!

Reluctant psychic on the trail of a murderer

Scarlet "Red" Hooper is in Hope Harbor, Washington, traveling in her van called Bubbles that she inherited from her nan. She's working at the local dollar store, trying to get some extra cash for some repairs to the van, when she comes across a murdered man early one morning.

As a newcomer to the small town she's automatically a suspect. And she knows the local police are going to have questions when they find out she's been involved in cases before - using her psychic talents.

I enjoyed this psychic mystery. Lighthearted at times, showing small town life at its best but mostly at its worst with some romance thrown in, this was a fun read. It's the first in a new series and I'll be watching for the next book.

I received this book from Carina Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Burning Hope by Wendy Roberts has Scarlet “Red” Hooper finding the body of Murray in the storeroom on Pincher’s Dollarama. As the newcomer to town, Red becomes Marshal Joel Cobb’s prime suspect. Red is confined to the area until the investigation is complete. The only way to clear her name and be able to leave Hope Harbor is to investigate on her own. Red has a special ability, but she does not how to use it properly. Red’s estranged sister shows up with surprising news and an offer of help. Red is going to need assistance if she is to get out from under Marshal Cobb’s scrutiny. Burning Hope is the debut novel in A Red Hooper Mysteries. It is a paranormal cozy mystery since our protagonist has a special ability. In the beginning of Burning Hope, it did not feel like the first book. I felt like I was plopped into the middle of a series. Things are explained later in the story. The murder occurs in the first chapter leaving the rest of the book for the investigation and learning more about Red. I did not find Red to be a likeable woman. She is not the normal warm main character you find in this type of mystery (cozy mystery with a hint of paranormal). Red is standoffish and keeps people at a distance. I definitely did not like Red’s sister. We meet townspeople along the way with special attention on Noah. Noah is a nice man who owns the local hardware store. Romance is more prevalent than the mystery at times in the story. There were no sparks or chemistry between Red and Noah. The words are there but not the emotions. The mystery was straightforward. There are only a handful of suspects, and the solution was different. I never felt there was a real investigation. The mystery never felt a priority. I also question Red’s special ability. I just did not feel that everything came together into one cohesive story. There is too much repetition especially about Bubbles and Red’s grandmother. The one thing I did like was Muffin, the little kitten that needs a home. Burning Hope does contain foul language, intimate situations, and drug addiction. While Burning Hope is not my cup of tea, others find it appealing (that is the beauty of books). I suggest you obtain a sample to judge for yourself. Burning Hope is an unusual paranormal tale with a coffee catastrophe, a gone groper, distrusting townspeople, a frustrating marshal, a cuddly kitten, surprising secrets, a handsome hardware store owner plus a nomad with her bubble mobile.

Red Hooper is the new woman in town for just as long as it takes her to earn enough money to get a new battery and fridge for her van. Unfortunately, as her current luck would have it, she stumbles upon the body of a work colleague in the stockroom of the dollar store where she works. The townspeople and the ever-annoyed town marshal seem to believe she’s the murderer, after all it couldn’t be one of them, could it? As the story unfolds, Red’s older sister, Brandy, who claims to now be sober and clean, reenters her life and helps Red to understand a “talent” the women in the family have passed along to new generations—psychic abilities. Can Red harness her ability before she becomes a convenient victim for the town’s witch-hunt.
I’m not usually a fan of cozy mysteries because they can sometimes be a little on the eye-rolling side if the author is not careful. By adding a paranormal aspect that raises interest, Wendy Roberts has written an engrossing story with plenty of twists and a mystery that keeps the reader guessing.

I quite liked Red. She’s a different kind of character, an introvert who doesn’t want to interact with a lot of people. She prefers the company of the woods. She’s reserved but friendly enough and far too trusting. Perhaps because of her brain surgery, which set her back on many fronts, she comes across as younger than her age.

Some ideas were introduced in the story that were never quite fully imagined but the mystery itself and culprit made sense.

For animal lovers, there’s a bundle-of-fluff kitten, Muffin, who Red adopts and steals the story with her antics.

For romance lovers, there’s a budding romance between Red and hardware store owner, Noah, but he appears in one of her visions as someone she cannot altogether trust. So we’re never quite sure if we should be rooting for them or not.

All in all, Burning Hope is a satisfying cozy paranormal mystery and I look forward to reading more about Red in the future.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5* upped to 4
I think there's a lot of potential and I liked the mystery, the paranormal side, and the setting.
Red is a complex character: damaged, with a lot of baggage, and always detached even if there're some glimpse of the person behind the mask.
The romance felt a bit stilted but I enjoyed it.
The mystery is full of twists and kept me guessing.
I hope this is the start of a series as I would like to learn more about Red and read about what will happeng.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Burning Hope by Wendy Roberts
A Red Hooper Mystery #1

Paranormal cozy mystery with a side of romance ~ Great introduction to the series

What I liked:
* Scarlet “Red” Hooper: fire scryer, descendent of female paranormal psychic seers, vagabond, lives and travels in a camper van decorated with bubbles, new girl in town when she stumbles across a body
* Noah Adams: widow, hardware store owner, small town entrepreneur, potential love interest for Red
* The small-town vibe
* The paranormal aspects
* Brandy: Red’s sister, mirror scryer, business owner, ex-addict
* Not knowing for sure who the killer was till near the end
* The potential growth as the series progresses
* Wondering what will happen next

What I didn’t like:
* The small-town gossips and hate mongers

Comment:
I wasn’t able to get a handle on Red. Determine her motivations, and understand what drew her and Noah to one another. I hope that in the future books of the series we will learn more about Red’s past and will be able to watch her character develop.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

I so enjoy books by Wendy Roberts as her characters, especially the female ones are unique and “quirky”. Scarlet “Red” Hooper is beginning to feel that murders are following her as she travels around the country in Bubbles, her travel trailer. She stops at work for coffee and finds one of the employees on the floor, dead. Calling the police, she knows she will be their prime suspect as she found the body and is new to this town. Knowing that information she has provided about past murders will eventually become known, she must try to find the killer. The Marshal seems to have it in for her and her only friend appears to be the man who she had thought might be the murderer, Noah Adams, owner of the town hardware store. Her family history is suspect as her relatives were psychics, including her ability to “see’ visions in fire and her sister who “sees” things in a mirror. When the danger escalates, who can she trust…Noah, the people she works for or just herself? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Burning Hope by Wendy Roberts is a highly recommended paranormal murder mystery and the first book in a new series.

Red (Scarlett) Hooper has been in Hope Harbor, Washington, for a few months working at Pincher's Dollarama store to earn money to buy a new battery and fridge for her camper van Bubbles (named for the bubble decals that cover it). When Red stops in early one morning for coffee at the store and finds finds the body of Murray in the storage room she immediately calls 911, but as the only new person in this small town of over five hundred people, she is obviously the main suspect. It doesn't help when the police find evidence that seems to imply her guilt and uncover her connection to two other murder investigations. Red has the psychic gift of seeing visions through fire (and she also adopts a kitten) in this mystery.

This is a well-written, quick-paced novel that will hold your attention throughout. Obviously Red knows she is a suspect and she must do some investigating on her own if she wants to find the real killer. She also meets Noah is the process and the two become an item. There are several quirky, small town characters introduced along the way and Red's estranged sister shows up to give her some advice about her psychic powers.

Red is an interesting character who is apparently just learning how to really use her psychic abilities, although she has known they existed before this. (I'm not entirely taken with the psychic premise.) This is the first novel with Red as the main character, so while there is certainly backstory and good character development, Roberts has left plenty of room for more. This is a decent start to a new series. 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

TW: Heroin addiction (not main character) and overdose resulting in death
-
BURNING HOPE is a paranormal mystery that follows Red Hooper. Red is the new girl in town, living in the camper van that she inherited from her late grandmother. When she happens across a body, she’s immediately labeled as suspect number one as the only stranger in this small town. As the real murderer targets her and the towns people threatens her, she finds a friend in Noah Adams. Red has to embrace her psychic abilities to solve the case before the real murderer gets to her.
-
When reading romantic suspense I want to find myself at the edge of my seat over the action and swooning over the romance, but I did neither with this story. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book, because I did. It was a decent read. I just think it could have been elevated. Noah and Red’s relationship didn’t do anything for me. It felt flat. I didn’t see any passion or chemistry between them. The investigation wasn’t as gripping as I had hoped, but I was still interested in sticking around for the reveal. I still have questions about Red’s abilities. I’m sure that will be explored further in the next book and although the ending was intriguing, I’m not sure if I’m interested in continuing on this series. This was a nice read, but it didn’t make much of a lasting impression.
-
3/5 stars, BURNING HOPE by Wendy Roberts is available now! Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.

Scarlett "Red" Hopper doesn't expect to stumble into a dead body when she arrives at her working place early to get a cup of coffee. Alas, that's what happened. Unfortunately, being 'new' at Hope Harbor and a nomad, she also becomes person of interest. Red might have secrets of her own, but she is not a murderer! Red needs to clear her name; before she becomes a victim herself.

Wendy Roberts - author of Bodies of Evidence series - returns with a new paranormal mystery. As first book, I thought Burning Hope was good enough. Red hasn't grown into her paranormal ability too much in this book, she just starts to learn to deal with it. So I guess it will develop further along the series.

I wasn't completely sold on the side romance, though. It felt rather quick. I also though the whole people involved in the murder to be a bit too much. However, I will try to keep my eyes on the next books in this series.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press/Carina Adore (Harlequin) for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I believe that this is the first in a new series. This was an unexpected surprise. I found this book interesting, and not at all what I was expecting. Red Hooper (Scarlet) is a little bit different, and has secrets, an d doesn't stay in one place for long. She lives in an RV. She has a cat. I am hooked. 3.5 stars Enjoy!!

I am a huge fan of Wendy Roberts other series and was absolutely tickled to see that she had a new series. This one did not disappoint. I could not put this book down, and read it in 2 days.! I wish I could give it 10 stars instead of 5. The only negative I have is that we have to wait for the next one! I absolutely love how the author integrates Red's psychic abilities in the story.. I am eager to see how her abilities grow.

Red is an onion, with many layers and years of trauma and disappointment. She has been on her own for the last couple years, and struggles with trusting or relying on anyone. She travels around Washington in her van, "Bubbles," aptly named for the neon bubble decals on the outside. She works odd jobs to make some money, but never stays anywhere for very long. She stops in Hope Harbor, and meets Penny, the owner of the local dollarama store, where she works for a couple weeks, trying to save up some money to get a new battery and fridge for Bubbles. She stops by the store on her day off to make some coffee and finds the body of Murray, one of her coworkers, and one of the most unliked men in town. As an out of towner, she becomes the most likely suspect and a piriah in town.

I enjoyed meeting the characters of Hope Harbor, and did not see the ending coming! That you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I loved it! This author writes great mysteries with a psychic edge. Red is a tough gal to be able to live alone in a camper van in random fields and forests but I have to admit it sounds fun. The small town she stops in has people that might have a few oddities but they are loyal to each other which makes it hard for Red to be believed. The end was very unexpected. I hope she's able to improve her gift soon!

I was so excited to receive this book that I immediately started it, and devoured this book in just over a day. I don't know what it was, but I just didn't care for Red. I enjoyed the storyline, I ALWAYS love a little psychic thrown in to my stories, and I adored Noah. I just didn't vibe with Red. That said, I'm still hoping this is the beginning of a series!

Thank you netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4492042618

I was not sure that I would enjoy this book in the beginning but I was wrong. Red lives in an old camper trailer named bubbles. She has a paranormal gift of seeing visions in fire. I did not like the scenes about her sister. I will read the next book in this series to see where it is going

Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and a touch of paranormal! I usually don't read paranormal books but I really enjoyed reading this one the storyline was Interesting, it flowed nicely and it wasn't over done! All and all it was a great read! Great thriller mystery! I will definitely recommend reading this one! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Red Hooper doesn’t stay in any one place for long, she has her camper, Bubbles and she goes where the wind blows her whenever the mood hits. If she doesn’t stay still for too long, she reckons, then her past won’t be able to catch up with her. Unfortunately, a stop for coffee becomes a big mistake when she stumbles over a body and becomes of interest to not only the police, but the killer as well. I loved this story about an independent, feisty woman who takes her fate into her own hands