{"id":11340,"date":"2019-03-12T00:00:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T22:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=11340"},"modified":"2023-06-13T17:35:50","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T15:35:50","slug":"ashford-place-jean-copeland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/ashford-place-jean-copeland\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ashford Place by Jean Copeland: Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a>The Ashford Place by Jean Copeland<\/b><\/span> is a light mystery\/romance with a healthy dose of humour thrown in for good measure. <\/span><\/p>\n

Isabelle \u2018Belle\u2019 Ashford doesn\u2019t know whether she won the jackpot by inheriting her deceased aunt\u2019s house or if she got saddled with a house of numerous horrors because nothing about the Ashford place is as simple as it once seemed. All of her well-made plans to fix and sell the Ashford house in order to buy the beachfront property of her dreams began to disintegrate from the moment she found shocking evidence that revealed horrific family secrets that were more than five decades old. Belle is determined to find out as much as she could about her father\u2019s young cousin because there are more questions than answers that surround her relative\u2019s short and sorrowful life and demise. <\/span><\/p>\n

Finding love was the last thing on Belle\u2019s mind but she definitely found it when her coquettish friendship with Deputy Sheriff Ally Yates turned into the kind of romance she had always longed for. Deputy Sheriff Ally Yates and Belle team up to search for more clues that will help them to identify a child molester and most likely, a murderer as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

Will Deputy Sheriff Ally Yates and Belle be able to solve this long standing mystery? When everything is said and done, will Belle be able to walk away from the only woman she has ever truly loved to return to a life that is familiar and unfulfilling? <\/span><\/p>\n

The Characters <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Isabelle \u2018Belle\u2019 Ashford is an English professor. Belle thought she was extremely lucky to be the sole heir to inherit her late aunt\u2019s house in Danville. I have so much respect for Belle because she is a \u201cDo It Yourself\u201d champion and an amateur sleuth. I really wished that I had a Sapphic godmother because I would ask her to turn Belle into a real flesh and blood woman (I\u2019m in need of a best friend who is handy in all areas of home renovation!)<\/i> Belle stole my heart with her wicked sense of humour and her genuine concern for the welfare of other people. <\/span><\/p>\n

Alexandra \u2018Ally\u2019 Yates is the Deputy Sheriff of Danville. She is proud to serve and protect the community at all costs. I was practically drooling when Ally was first mentioned and I don\u2019t think I stopped until the story ended. Although I got annoyed with Ally when her relationship with Belle took a turn for the worst, I was still hung up on her because there\u2019s no way I could stay mad at a gorgeous butch goddess who has a heart of gold. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Writing Style <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Jean Copeland did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life for me. She gave me such a vivid description of Ally and Belle. I felt as though I could close my eyes and I\u2019d see these lovely women in all of their quirky awesomeness. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Pros <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

This story was so easy to get caught up in because I have a thing for women in uniform (huge blush)<\/i> and I got to live vicariously through Belle when she put her heart and soul into fixing up the Ashford house (Hmmm\u2026 I wonder if I would be able to do all of that work on my own and still find the time for romance. There\u2019s only one way to find out! It\u2019s time for me to find a house that\u2019s in desperate need of repair and a beguiling butch officer who is willing to lend assistance… a girl can dream, right?)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The Cons <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

I really wished this book was longer because a few of the scenarios were rushed and they should have been expanded to give me more background on the characters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"aprils<\/a>The Conclusion <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

I love any book that has the ability to blend mystery and humour and this story did that perfectly. Just imagine, I was sneaking a read at work during a slow period and I couldn\u2019t stop myself from chuckling over the witty banter between Belle and Ally. I\u2019m always happy to be an unofficial investigating sidekick and I enjoyed tagging along with Belle and Ally as they tried to uncover all of the secrets that surround the deceased Ashford family members and the house.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Excerpt from <\/b><\/span>The Ashford Place by Jean Copeland <\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Lost in the bliss of the breeze blowing her hair around as she drove the winding country road, she hadn\u2019t noticed the squad car behind her until its siren squawked twice. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shit.\u201d Belle tried to assess the officer through her rearview mirror as she pulled over. \u201cHere\u2019s where the sheriff\u2019s inbred deputy son kidnaps me and locks me in a cage in the basement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She threw the SUV into park and got her license and registration ready before he approached her window. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMorning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Belle looked up. The inbred mutant was actually a woman\u2014a striking, soft butch with the fiercest tan and tastiest-looking lips she\u2019d ever seen. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Sheriff,\u201d Belle said with an obsequious smile. She held out the paperwork, but the officer didn\u2019t take it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKnow why I pulled you over?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Belle pretended to think. \u201cDriving while not from these parts?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCute.\u201d She lifted her sunglasses and studied Belle with creamy coffee eyes nestled in lashes so naturally thick, Max Factor would\u2019ve rolled in his grave with envy. \u201cNo. Your vehicle\u2019s emissions has expired.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Oh, crap. The notice must\u2019ve got lost in the mail. It\u2019s happened to me before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHappens all the time.\u201d The officer seemed mildly amused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou really pull people over for expired emissions around here?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

She nodded almost apologetically. \u201cShows you what the crime rate\u2019s like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s comforting. So, what now? You throw me in a cell with Otis the drunk for the afternoon?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou got jokes,\u201d she said with a smirk. \u201cNo. Go see Freddie at Auto Plus when you get a chance. He\u2019ll take care of you.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Sheriff. I sure do appreciate that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Deputy. Alexandra Yates.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, nice to meet you, Deputy Yates. I\u2019m Isabelle Ashford.\u201d She stuck her hand out the car window. \u201cBut something tells me you already know that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She flashed a mischievous grin. \u201cI even know you go by \u2018Belle.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is getting really weird.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get nervous. I was in the hardware store earlier and heard you talking to Sheriff Bob.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat hardware store\u2019s the place to be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Get This Book On Amazon <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

(this link works for Amazon UK, US, Germany, Italy and Canada)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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[tweetthis]I just read this review for The Ashford Place by Jean Copeland[\/tweetthis]<\/p>\n

Bits and Bobs<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n