One Minute to Midnight was by far one of the best books that I have read all year. I am a huge fan of military romances especially wReviewed by Gemini
One Minute to Midnight was by far one of the best books that I have read all year. I am a huge fan of military romances especially when there is a good balance of heat between the sheets and the gun barrel. One Minute To Midnight does not disappoint. “Ben Louis” and “Mary Long” are two highly trained operatives that work for a Black Ops organization called Automatik. Ben is a former Navy SEAL and Mary is a former Delta Force sniper. They are both sent on an undercover mission to a small town called Morris Flats to locate an illegal gun smuggling operation. What they find is far worse than they could have imagined. It appears that every person in authority is part of the corruption and the town suffers because of it.
As Ben and Mary pose as two strangers out on a business trip, they end up flirting with each other as part of their cover and begin to get close. Of course, that wasn’t the plan but it just felt right. They grow closer as the mission becomes more dangerous but unlike other books like this, they don’t try and push each other away. I found that to be very refreshing. They proved that they could be intensely intimate and still stay on mission. Their attraction to each other actually made them better teammates as they just seemed to think like one unit and move accordingly. When the threats came, they had each other’s backs. And man, there were plenty of threats. Once the bullets started flying, the whole town was on fire. When the cavalry came, it was something out of a Hollywood action movie. They had machine guns, hand grenades, sniper rifles, and some pretty good hand-to-hand fighting skills.
There is so much more to say but you have to read it for yourself to truly appreciate how much fun this book was to read. This is the first time that I have read a book from Nico Rosso and it will not be the last.
**Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Merged review:
Reviewed by Gemini
One Minute to Midnight was by far one of the best books that I have read all year. I am a huge fan of military romances especially when there is a good balance of heat between the sheets and the gun barrel. One Minute To Midnight does not disappoint. “Ben Louis” and “Mary Long” are two highly trained operatives that work for a Black Ops organization called Automatik. Ben is a former Navy SEAL and Mary is a former Delta Force sniper. They are both sent on an undercover mission to a small town called Morris Flats to locate an illegal gun smuggling operation. What they find is far worse than they could have imagined. It appears that every person in authority is part of the corruption and the town suffers because of it.
As Ben and Mary pose as two strangers out on a business trip, they end up flirting with each other as part of their cover and begin to get close. Of course, that wasn’t the plan but it just felt right. They grow closer as the mission becomes more dangerous but unlike other books like this, they don’t try and push each other away. I found that to be very refreshing. They proved that they could be intensely intimate and still stay on mission. Their attraction to each other actually made them better teammates as they just seemed to think like one unit and move accordingly. When the threats came, they had each other’s backs. And man, there were plenty of threats. Once the bullets started flying, the whole town was on fire. When the cavalry came, it was something out of a Hollywood action movie. They had machine guns, hand grenades, sniper rifles, and some pretty good hand-to-hand fighting skills.
There is so much more to say but you have to read it for yourself to truly appreciate how much fun this book was to read. This is the first time that I have read a book from Nico Rosso and it will not be the last.
**Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**...more
Truth Beat is the third book in the Joe Gale mystery series. I have read the second book, Cover Story, but not the first, Quick PivoReviewed by Gemini
Truth Beat is the third book in the Joe Gale mystery series. I have read the second book, Cover Story, but not the first, Quick Pivot. Although Truth Beat is part of a series, you do not need knowledge from the previous books to enjoy this one. Truth Beat follows the life and times of Joe Gale who is an investigative reporter for an aging newspaper in Portland, Maine. He is an old school journalist that seems to put himself in danger while trying to get to the truth. He is honest, relentless, and a little reckless at times. More importantly, he is an average guy trying to balance his life as a reporter with trying to pursue a relationship with Christie who has a teenage son and owns a diner.
In this installment, Joe is tasked with investigating the death of controversial priest Father Patrick Doherty. Father Patrick was tasked with shuttering several of the catholic churches in the area to pay for damages related to sex scandals. Joe finds that Father Patrick had his own secrets which may have led to his death. To make matters even more complicated, bombs are being set off in the area which already has the town and local law enforcement on edge. Both crimes end up with a long list of suspects as there are plenty of people protesting the church closures and dragging Father Patrick’s name through the mud. As has been the case, the storytelling comes off to be very honest and realistic. I applaud the Brenda Buchanan for not being over the top. In this day and age, the best stories are the ones that seem to be taken directly from last night’s headlines.
Joe Gale is an easy person to like. He doesn’t cut corners and he refuses to back down to anyone even if it may cost him his job which doesn’t even pay him that much. To add insult to injury, Joe’s love life seems to always get sidetracked by his career. I couldn’t help but hope that everything comes together which is why I was a little disappointed with the lack of closure at the very end of the book. Without giving anything away, I hope that the next book delves more into Joe and Christie’s relationship.
**Received a copy from Carina Press in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Merged review:
Reviewed by Gemini
Truth Beat is the third book in the Joe Gale mystery series. I have read the second book, Cover Story, but not the first, Quick Pivot. Although Truth Beat is part of a series, you do not need knowledge from the previous books to enjoy this one. Truth Beat follows the life and times of Joe Gale who is an investigative reporter for an aging newspaper in Portland, Maine. He is an old school journalist that seems to put himself in danger while trying to get to the truth. He is honest, relentless, and a little reckless at times. More importantly, he is an average guy trying to balance his life as a reporter with trying to pursue a relationship with Christie who has a teenage son and owns a diner.
In this installment, Joe is tasked with investigating the death of controversial priest Father Patrick Doherty. Father Patrick was tasked with shuttering several of the catholic churches in the area to pay for damages related to sex scandals. Joe finds that Father Patrick had his own secrets which may have led to his death. To make matters even more complicated, bombs are being set off in the area which already has the town and local law enforcement on edge. Both crimes end up with a long list of suspects as there are plenty of people protesting the church closures and dragging Father Patrick’s name through the mud. As has been the case, the storytelling comes off to be very honest and realistic. I applaud the Brenda Buchanan for not being over the top. In this day and age, the best stories are the ones that seem to be taken directly from last night’s headlines.
Joe Gale is an easy person to like. He doesn’t cut corners and he refuses to back down to anyone even if it may cost him his job which doesn’t even pay him that much. To add insult to injury, Joe’s love life seems to always get sidetracked by his career. I couldn’t help but hope that everything comes together which is why I was a little disappointed with the lack of closure at the very end of the book. Without giving anything away, I hope that the next book delves more into Joe and Christie’s relationship.
**Received a copy from Carina Press in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**...more
Don’t Lie to Me is the third book in Amber Bardan’s Bad For You series. While you don’t necessarily have to read the previous two books to enjoy this Don’t Lie to Me is the third book in Amber Bardan’s Bad For You series. While you don’t necessarily have to read the previous two books to enjoy this one, I do believe that you would get a better understanding of the world that Amber Bardan has created by doing so. Since Don’t Lie to Me focuses on the best friend of the heroine from the previous books and the business partner of the hero, I consider it to be more of a spin-off to the the prior books. The central themes of control, overprotectiveness, and strong sexual content are the same throughout all the books. However, Don’t Lie to Me is mainly just pure and unadulterated porn with no filters.
Avner Malficini is one of the richest people in the world. He has a reputation of being somewhat of a criminal but it’s not totally clear what types of crimes he commits. He also runs a technology company that has made world changing applications. Emma Neeson is an aspiring inventor who has a product that could save countless lives if she can just get the right person to invest in it. A chance meeting with Avner changes her life forever but this is far from your typical love story. As with Amber’s other books in this series, there’s a lot of secrets and lies. These secrets do a lot to shape their relationships. In this case, the secrets are not even close to being bad enough to keep these two from burning up the sheets but it does cause plenty of drama outside of the bedroom. Of course, there comes a point where Emma’s life is in danger and it’s a mystery as to where the threat is coming from. Avner exhausts all resources to keep Emma safe even if she doesn’t want him to.
Don’t Lie to Me is a testament to the idea of protecting the love of your life without any regard of the consequences. Avner and Emma learn a lot about themselves and each other in the process. They have both suffered enormous losses in the past and must learn to trust each other and share their demons. There is a small amount of action and intrigue but it’s clearly overshadowed by their intense sexual encounters. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but be prepared to have your mind and your senses blown.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.**
Merged review:
Don’t Lie to Me is the third book in Amber Bardan’s Bad For You series. While you don’t necessarily have to read the previous two books to enjoy this one, I do believe that you would get a better understanding of the world that Amber Bardan has created by doing so. Since Don’t Lie to Me focuses on the best friend of the heroine from the previous books and the business partner of the hero, I consider it to be more of a spin-off to the the prior books. The central themes of control, overprotectiveness, and strong sexual content are the same throughout all the books. However, Don’t Lie to Me is mainly just pure and unadulterated porn with no filters.
Avner Malficini is one of the richest people in the world. He has a reputation of being somewhat of a criminal but it’s not totally clear what types of crimes he commits. He also runs a technology company that has made world changing applications. Emma Neeson is an aspiring inventor who has a product that could save countless lives if she can just get the right person to invest in it. A chance meeting with Avner changes her life forever but this is far from your typical love story. As with Amber’s other books in this series, there’s a lot of secrets and lies. These secrets do a lot to shape their relationships. In this case, the secrets are not even close to being bad enough to keep these two from burning up the sheets but it does cause plenty of drama outside of the bedroom. Of course, there comes a point where Emma’s life is in danger and it’s a mystery as to where the threat is coming from. Avner exhausts all resources to keep Emma safe even if she doesn’t want him to.
Don’t Lie to Me is a testament to the idea of protecting the love of your life without any regard of the consequences. Avner and Emma learn a lot about themselves and each other in the process. They have both suffered enormous losses in the past and must learn to trust each other and share their demons. There is a small amount of action and intrigue but it’s clearly overshadowed by their intense sexual encounters. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but be prepared to have your mind and your senses blown.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.**...more
Vulnerable is part of the Morgans of Nashville series which involves siblings who work in different departments of Tennessee Law EnfReviewed by Gemini
Vulnerable is part of the Morgans of Nashville series which involves siblings who work in different departments of Tennessee Law Enforcement. There are three brothers and one adopted sister, Georgia, who is the youngest. Georgia Morgan is a Crime Scene Investigator. Her older brother Deke assigns her a cold homicide case from five years ago and all heck breaks lose. Georgia is a top notch CSI and she is partnered with a hot-tempered but very good homicide detective named Jake Bishop who comes from Boston. Together, they are a combustible combination of part-time singer and full-time hard nose cop.
Mary Burton does an amazing job of tossing in just enough shady characters to make it very difficult to figure out who murdered two teens five years ago. It doesn’t help that their bodies were never found and that there is a third person who doesn’t have any memory of what happened due to a concussion that she suffered at the time. Throw in some mommy issues, domestic violence, and the classic tale of being from the other side of the tracks and the plot gets rather thick. As fresh bodies start turning up, the suspect pool increases. Somehow, Georgia’s cold case starts getting really warm in a hurry. An unexpected spark between Georgia and Jake makes things even more intriguing. With the pace of the investigation escalating, it was a race to see if Georgia and Jake would end up between the sheets before or after the investigation comes to a head. You’ll have to read the book to find out the answer to that but I can assure you that it was fun to watch.
As the killer began to come into the light, I found a lot of hidden clues that I overlooked. There are a lot of layers you have to be peeled back to understand exactly what happened and why. Some of the plot twists, you just can’t see coming and that is the hallmark of any good mystery. I was guessing until the very end. And man, was the ending action-packed. Vulnerable had everything that I look for in a romantic suspense. It was well-rounded and I felt like I got to know each of the main characters. Note, while Vulnerable is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.
**Received a copy from Kensington Books in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Merged review:
Reviewed by Gemini
Vulnerable is part of the Morgans of Nashville series which involves siblings who work in different departments of Tennessee Law Enforcement. There are three brothers and one adopted sister, Georgia, who is the youngest. Georgia Morgan is a Crime Scene Investigator. Her older brother Deke assigns her a cold homicide case from five years ago and all heck breaks lose. Georgia is a top notch CSI and she is partnered with a hot-tempered but very good homicide detective named Jake Bishop who comes from Boston. Together, they are a combustible combination of part-time singer and full-time hard nose cop.
Mary Burton does an amazing job of tossing in just enough shady characters to make it very difficult to figure out who murdered two teens five years ago. It doesn’t help that their bodies were never found and that there is a third person who doesn’t have any memory of what happened due to a concussion that she suffered at the time. Throw in some mommy issues, domestic violence, and the classic tale of being from the other side of the tracks and the plot gets rather thick. As fresh bodies start turning up, the suspect pool increases. Somehow, Georgia’s cold case starts getting really warm in a hurry. An unexpected spark between Georgia and Jake makes things even more intriguing. With the pace of the investigation escalating, it was a race to see if Georgia and Jake would end up between the sheets before or after the investigation comes to a head. You’ll have to read the book to find out the answer to that but I can assure you that it was fun to watch.
As the killer began to come into the light, I found a lot of hidden clues that I overlooked. There are a lot of layers you have to be peeled back to understand exactly what happened and why. Some of the plot twists, you just can’t see coming and that is the hallmark of any good mystery. I was guessing until the very end. And man, was the ending action-packed. Vulnerable had everything that I look for in a romantic suspense. It was well-rounded and I felt like I got to know each of the main characters. Note, while Vulnerable is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.
**Received a copy from Kensington Books in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**...more
My Valentine Seduction is the third and final book in Serenity Woods’ Love Comes Later Series. This one focuses on the third partnerReviewed by Gemini
My Valentine Seduction is the third and final book in Serenity Woods’ Love Comes Later Series. This one focuses on the third partner of the New Zealand based video company Katoa. Her name is Theodora “Teddi” Parker and she just so happens to be blind. However, she is the most capable and courageous blind person that I have ever known. Her boyfriend died unexpectedly four years ago and although she has been perpetually heartbroken, she is an astute marketing director and the company continues to flourish.
As she is ringing in the New Year alone at home playing an online video game with other online companions as her alter ego “Bear”, she ends up chatting up another familiar gamer called “Eb”. They both began to open up and realize that they have both suffered a tremendous loss. “Eb” lost his wife two years ago and is a single father of two girls, ages five and nine. Teddi later learns that his name is actually Ethan and they don’t live too far from each other. Not wanting to deny their connection, they agree to meet in person and sparks begin to fly. As they get closer and more intimate, Ethan realizes that the only thing that can get in the way of their happily ever after is how his girls will react to the fact that Ethan has a new woman in his life. His youngest daughter has no issue with it but his nine-year-old is defiant and very much loyal to her deceased mother. Teddi and Ethan are determined to move forward and try to work it out with the girls while being sensitive to their situation.
I really appreciate how Serenity Woods didn’t make this love affair easy for them. She did a great job of showing how it’s difficult to overcome loss and not feel like you are betraying your deceased loved one by moving forward and allowing yourself to love again. In addition, I was impressed by the way Teddi approached life and never saw her blindness as a crutch. Having now read two series by Serenity Woods. I am definitely a fan. I can’t wait to see what she creates next.
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed the book.**...more
Hunt the Dawn is the second book in Abbie Roads’ Fatal Dreams series. You do not have to read the first book, Race the Darkness, to Reviewed by Gemini
Hunt the Dawn is the second book in Abbie Roads’ Fatal Dreams series. You do not have to read the first book, Race the Darkness, to understand this one. There are some overlapping characters but their relationships are clearly explained so you don’t really feel like you missed something that happened earlier. The hero in this book was only mentioned briefly in the previous book.
Lathaniel “Lathan” Montgomery collaborates with the FBI on special cases. He does this because he has such an extraordinary sense of smell that he can actually smell your memories. While he is trying to catch a prolific serial killer, Lathan comes across a damsel in distress named Evanee Brown. He rescues her when she is about to be assaulted by her own stepbrother. Although his special ability has always came with a certain level of pain, he notices that when he is around Evanee his world is calm. Conversely, Lathan seems to have a similar effect on Evanee. As they spend more time together, it becomes apparent that Evanee has her own gifts that manifest while she is in a dream state. Together, Lathan and Evanee inadvertently garner the attention of the very serial killer that Lathan has been trying to capture. As he tries to keep her safe, the couple fall in love and establish a bond that can’t be broken.
I really enjoyed Hunt the Dawn. After reading the first one, I was concerned that I may be disappointed since there are similar themes. I was pleasantly surprised. The characters had a lot of depth and it was interesting to see how their unique gifts had an affect on them and their families. I was hoping that the author would write a third book but I think this may be it for this series. I may just have to see what else Abbie Roads has to offer.
**Received a copy of the book for Sourcebooks Casablanca and voluntarily reviewed.**...more
Family Sins was by far one of the best romantic suspense novels that I have read in awhile. It’s nothing like anything that I have rReviewed by Gemini
Family Sins was by far one of the best romantic suspense novels that I have read in awhile. It’s nothing like anything that I have read this year. The story reads like a soap opera. The title fits the book perfectly. The way that two different families are portrayed is both sad and heartwarming. One family is fractured and devoid of love while the other is united and compassionate. It’s difficult to believe that these two families share some DNA.
Family Sins is the story of how the Youngblood family seeks justice and vengeance after their patriarch Stanton Youngblood is murdered. Before Stanton dies, he writes the last name of his killer in the dirt. That last name is his wife Leigh’s maiden name, Wayne. The Waynes are Billionaires. They disowned Leigh when she decided to marry below her station 30 years ago. In fact, one of them threatened to kill Stanton back then. Ultimately, the Waynes had no idea what one of their kin had gotten them into by killing Stanton. Leigh has five bold and fearless adult sons that will do anything for each other and their family. They have had nothing to do with the Waynes until now. The oldest, Bowie along with his mother boldly calls the Waynes out. At one point, the Youngbloods and the Waynes have a showdown that clearly demonstrates the differences between them. And that was a confrontation that I can only describe as epic. It sets the stage for all of the other great things that happen in the book. While there is a significant amount of tragedy and loss, this is also a story of sacrifice and second chances. I don’t want to give too much away but I will say that Bowie gets the love of his life back.
This is my first time reading Sharon Sala and I am now a huge fan. I could easily visualize all of the scenes in this book. It really came to life. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and I voluntarily reviewed it.**...more
My New Year Fling is the second book in Serenity Woods’ Love Comes Later series. It picks right up after the events in the first booReviewed by Gemini
My New Year Fling is the second book in Serenity Woods’ Love Comes Later series. It picks right up after the events in the first book, My Christmas Fiancé. This time, the story focuses on another business partner of the very successful video game development company called Katoa in New Zealand. The partner’s name is Richard “Rich” Wright and he lives up to his name because he is actually a billionaire, just not a very happy one during the Christmas season which is where this book begins. Rich’s twin brother died four years ago during the holiday season so Rich truly hates this time of year. As soon as the office shuts down for the holidays, Rich goes up to the small family beach house and drinks himself into a drunken stupor. Generally, Rich has been able to do this without interruption but this year is different because he finds himself enamored by a beautiful and intriguing woman that is staying at the beach house next to him.
On the other side of this coin is Jessica “Jess” Phillips. She is staying at a friend’s beach house to get away from her sad life. Unknowingly, she was having an affair with a married man that she worked with. Once she found out and told his wife about it, she was fired. Consequently, she is unemployed. Add that to the other baggage from her past and she is feeling pretty sorry for herself as well. Early on, she notices that her neighbor Rich must be trying to bury his sorrows with alcohol so she quietly keeps an eye on him and eventually introduces herself. She has no idea that he is wealthy and he doesn’t bother to tell her. Rich doesn’t believe in love but he opens up to Jess and they call themselves having a fling while they are there for the holidays. Of course, they get to know each other and realize that they may have something special. Unfortunately, a blast from Jess’s past creates a rift in their budding relationship and they work to get back together. Though they are from different worlds, they are really good for each other.
I really enjoyed My New Year Fling. Clearly, some of it was predictable but overall there was some refreshing nuances that made this romance not seem so typical. In addition, Rich’s and Jess’s time between the sheets was atomic. I look forward to reading the next book, My Valentine Seduction and hope it brings the series to a neat ending.
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed the book.**...more
Allison “Allie” McHale has suffered a major loss and is now focusing all of her attention on making sure that her mare CeCe doesn’t Reviewed by Gemini
Allison “Allie” McHale has suffered a major loss and is now focusing all of her attention on making sure that her mare CeCe doesn’t deliver her foal before the local vet is back in town to ensure a safe delivery. Meanwhile, it’s cold and someone has already knocked down the railing on the road near her house. And, it’s Christmas Eve. Allison has planned on spending the night in the barn but things never go as planned.
Jacob “Jake” Reeves has been put in the uncomfortable position of being forced to travel from his hideaway in Canada to Missoula to testify against his father and brother and hopefully put his crime family business behind him. His police escort is treating him like a hardcore criminal and is speeding through the snow covered roads without a care in the world. Unfortunately, they come across that part in the road near Allie’s house where the railing is out and have a terrible accident. WIthout giving away everything, I will say that Allie saves Jake and he ends up spending a short time with her and she has a profound affect on him.
Her Secret Christmas Hero was a short but sweet book. It hit all of the usual romantic notes. Jake and Allie had an immediate spark and they appeared to be made for each other. It was a nice holiday love affair.
**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed the book.**...more
Hot Nights with the Fireman is the first book in Lynn Silver’s Alpha Heroes Series. Judging by the cover, I didn’t expect it to haveReviewed by Gemini
Hot Nights with the Fireman is the first book in Lynn Silver’s Alpha Heroes Series. Judging by the cover, I didn’t expect it to have much depth. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s the story of PR Specialist Valerie Wainwright and firefighter Jason Moore. When she was a child, Valerie’s legs were badly burned in a fire where she also lost her mom. Now, Valerie is ashamed of her legs and has anxiety about all things related to fires, especially firefighters. Unfortunately for her, she is assigned the task of cleaning up the image of the firefighters at the local fire station because some of them were photographed half naked with some sorority girls. Of course, Valerie goes into this assignment with pre-conceived notions of the firefighters and soon finds out that she is way off base. Except for the fact that he is poster boy hot, Jason is nothing she expected to find in a firefighter. He’s nice, dedicated, and caring.
Valerie decides to allow herself to have a fling with Jason but he only agrees knowing that he can convince her that they can actually be a couple. The main conflict of the story has everything to do with Valerie’s self-image and how she struggles to deal with her appearance and the anxiety that she has held onto for twenty years. To Jason’s credit, he goes above and beyond to be a gentleman and opens up his heart to her. When they get between the sheets, Valerie realizes how much she has been missing over the last few years. Their lovemaking is scorching hot and they can’t get enough of each other. Outside of the bedroom, they find that they are also good for each other’s careers. All in all, they were made for each other even if one of them has a hard time admitting it.
After reading Hot Nights with the Fireman, I may have to consider the next book in the series.
**Received a copy from Forever Yours and voluntary reviewed.**...more
Blame the Mistletoe was a very interesting Christmas read. In fact, interesting probably isn’t the right word. It was complicated. IReviewed by Gemini
Blame the Mistletoe was a very interesting Christmas read. In fact, interesting probably isn’t the right word. It was complicated. It’s the story of Liz Flowers and Blake Canon. They have no business being together but they can’t seem to fight their attraction. Liz is only in Marietta because her daughter Petra is on a trip to Mexico with Liz’s ex-husband. Blake actually lives in Marietta and his son is also on a trip to Mexico with Blake’s ex-wife. The crazy thing is that Blake’s ex-wife and Liz’s ex-husband are siblings. Liz wasn’t supposed to be staying in Marietta for Christmas but was ambushed by the Flowers family to dogsit instead. Liz gets invited to a party and bumps into Blake who she doesn’t really know all that well. The rest is Holiday History.
In short, Liz and Blake start a fling that they really haven’t quite thought through. In their defense, they both had terrible divorces and both despise their common enemy, The Flowers Family. Blake is dead broke due to issues related to his ex-wife and he is trying to hold on to his family farm. Liz is a successful manager of a string of salons owned by her mother and she lives in California. It’s hard to believe that Liz and Blake could have a happy ending but it’s Christmas time so anything is possible. They definitely have great chemistry in bed. Plus, they bring out the best in each other in other ways too. Of course, the bomb goes off when the Flowers Family inadvertently finds out about their affair.
I actually enjoyed the book although it’s such an unbelievable love story. Liz and Blake are easy to root for and they have some rather amazing children. It doesn’t hurt that it was easy to hate their not-in-laws.
*Reviewed a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed the book.*...more
Where do I start? There’s so many things that are so outside the scope of reality when it comes to Mystery Man that I am Reviewed by Gemini
Rating: 3.5
Where do I start? There’s so many things that are so outside the scope of reality when it comes to Mystery Man that I am very conflicted as to whether or not I liked this book or not. It doesn’t help that the book itself is based in some sort of reality or maybe an alternate universe. It’s the story of not so exciting freelance editor Gwendolyn “Gwen” Kidd and a guy that she has been sleeping with for the past 18 months. Mind you, she met the guy at a bar, slept with him for the first time that same night and he visits her bedroom frequently. That’s the part that makes no sense to me. I can understand an anonymous one night stand but an 18 month night stand defies the laws of logic.
Eventually, Gwen finds out that her half-sister Ginger has gotten into some serious trouble with a lot of shady people. In order to smoke Ginger out, Gwen’s life is threatened and her Mystery Man comes to her rescue but he isn’t her only knight in shining armor. She also garners the attention of the leader of the local biker gang named Tack. Plus, she gains a police detective admirer. This wouldn’t be a big deal in general except for the fact that she appears to be attracted to every hot guy she meets and eventually ends up kissing them. Be advised that her Mystery Man who knows all of them is now front and center. The mayhem continues from there. All of these men jockey for position to keep Gwen safe. She mainly has eyes for her Mystery Man whose name I am intentionally withholding. However, there’s a part of her that always seems to be on the fence. Nonetheless, while everyone is looking for Ginger and trying to protect Gwen, Gwen and her Mystery Man get to know each other and try to explore a relationship outside of the bedroom where the sparks clearly fly without any extra effort.
Plenty of the book is fun and so utter outrageous that you can’t help but laugh. The dialogue is a little strange. Everyone calls each other babe or baby regardless of how intimate they know each other. When the real action happens, it isn’t fully described which is an area that disappointed me. I am still curious to see what happens in the next book because I want to see if the author changes things up a bit.
*Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.*...more
The Dollmaker is the second book in Mary Burton’s The Forgotten Files series. There are a few people that spill over from the first Reviewed by Gemini
The Dollmaker is the second book in Mary Burton’s The Forgotten Files series. There are a few people that spill over from the first book, The Shirk, but this is still a stand alone read. By comparison, I feel like this is even better than the first book. Mrs. Burton definitely knows how to craft a wicked romantic suspense. Be sure not to read this book if you are prone to nightmares and have an aversion to dolls.
The Dollmaker focuses on Virginia State Police Agent Dakota Sharp and his investigation into the murder of a promising young high school student and a woman who looks like she has been turned into a living doll. As the investigation intensifies, Dakota must also deal with demons from his own past regarding not only his dead sister but also his estranged wife. Since this is a romantic suspense, I will have to leave it at that regarding the details. I will say that everything is relative when it comes to this book. The fact that this all happens in a small town makes things that much more complicated.
I really loved The Dollmaker. It flowed nicely and there was never a dull moment. I couldn’t help but hope for the best when it came to Dakota and his personal life. He is a great detective and a tortured soul. I appreciated the fact that his estranged wife had not given up on their marriage and was trying to reconcile while at the same time also trying to understand what it meant to be a homicide detective. I look forward to the next book in the series.
**Received a copy from Montlake Romance and reviewed the book voluntarily.**...more
Luke’s Redemption is the first book by Anni Fife and it’s also the beginning of her series called King Security. I have to say that Reviewed by Gemini
Luke’s Redemption is the first book by Anni Fife and it’s also the beginning of her series called King Security. I have to say that for her first book, Anni Fife as scored a homerun. This book was both full of erotic heat and intense action . The characters were multidimensional and relatable. More importantly, although it was a work of fiction, nothing about it seemed over the top.
Luke’s Redemption is the story of undercover DEA agent Luke Hunter and a criminal kingpin’s daughter named Katya Dalca. In order to retrieve a flash drive and infiltrate her father’s crew, Luke seduces Katya while she is hiding away in New Orleans. Their smoldering one night stand has life-changing consequences for both of them that plays out over the course of 6 years. Although Katya has no reason to trust him, Luke does everything he can to keep Katya safe and make up for his betrayal. Their connection to Katya’s father and other things cause a lot of collateral damage that gets in they way of them realizing that they are meant for each other. The drama that unfolds is mesmerizing and makes it hard to put the book down. The King Security team is impressive and add another layer to this bittersweet tale.
Everything about Luke’s Redemption was fun and exciting. Although lives were constantly in danger, it was a great adrenaline rush. I was compelled to see this through to the end. Luke and Katya had a seductive chemistry that warmed the pages. More importantly, I felt like I truly got to know them both as well as the people that they trusted. Again, for a first book, I was impressed. I look forward to reading the next book.
**Received a copy of the book from the author and reviewed voluntarily.**...more
Explosive Forces is the 5th book in the K-9 Rescue Series. I have read only one other book in the series and can attest to the factReviewed by Gemini
Explosive Forces is the 5th book in the K-9 Rescue Series. I have read only one other book in the series and can attest to the fact that they can be read as stand-alone books. Explosive Forces was fun, intriguing and scorchingly hot, in more ways than one. It’s the story of Carly Harrington-Reese and Noah Glover. They meet under the worst of circumstances. Noah who just happens to be an arson investigator is found unconconscious in a burning building by model turned business owner Carly. The circumstances surrounding Noah’s situation lead to an investigation that points to Noah as a serial arsonist but there is much more to the story. In addition, Carly becomes the one person that he should stay away from if he wants to clear his name and find the real culprit.
After a funny and awkward confrontation in the hospital, Noah and Carly realize that they must satisfy their sexual hunger. That satisfaction creates a magnetic pull between the two of them that can’t be denied. They each have some baggage that they must toss aside to truly get themselves in a place where they can really explore their feelings for each other. Things get complicated as the real arsonist inserts himself into their lives and makes it difficult for Noah to know who to trust. D.D. Ayres does an excellent job of hiding the arsonist in plain sight. And although the subject of arson is serious, most of the book and the characters are actually rather funny. Noah and Carly have a refreshing honesty with each other that is hard to find amongst people these days.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was both suspenseful and entertaining. The chemistry between Noah and Carly was explosive and the mystery was thrilling throughout. Plus, there is even a cute explosives dog named Harley that will make you love dogs if you don’t love them already. I may have to revisit the other books in the series that I haven’t read.
**Received a copy from St. Martin’s Paperbacks and voluntarily reviewed the book.**...more
My Christmas Fiancé is the first book in Serenity Woods’ new Love Comes Later series. After reading her Four Seasons Series, I thougReviewed by Gemini
My Christmas Fiancé is the first book in Serenity Woods’ new Love Comes Later series. After reading her Four Seasons Series, I thought that I would know what to expect but I have to admit that I was wrong, but in a good way. As if the previous series wasn’t hot enough, this one is hotter. Plus, it’s told from the point of view of the hero and the heroine. More importantly, it’s actually a lot of fun.
Stratton Parker is the successful co-owner of a company that makes video games and controllers for the physically and visually impaired. Meg Brown has been his personal assistant for the past five months. It’s been seven months since Stratton ended his five year relationship with Natalie because she was pressuring him to have children although he told her from the beginning that kids were not an option because he did not want to pass on a gene that may render his children blind just like his sister Teddi. That same gene gave Stratton two different color eyes just like David Bowie. It’s no secret that Stratton and Natalie spent a considerable amount of time between the sheets but that’s the only place where they were really compatible. On the other hand Stratton and Meg share a mutual attraction but Meg is married with a thirteen-year-old son. That doesn’t stop Stratton from making naughty remarks though.
When it becomes clear that Natalie isn’t going to move on from Stratton, he decides that he needs to hire someone to be his fake fianceé for Christmas so that Natalie gets the message that it’s truly over. With Meg in charge of hiring this fake fianceé, Stratton soon finds that unless he wants to hire a hooker, the position won’t be so easy to fill. Eventually, circumstances regarding Meg’s marriage and a sexy email that inadvertently gets sent to the whole office, provide an opportunity for Meg to take on the task of fake fianceé. As expected, that situation forces Stratton and Meg to explore their true feelings about each other, marriage, and family. Their relationship is too hot for words. They do things between the sheets that burn up the pages. In addition, they find that they are really good for each other. Of course, a relationship borne out of a lie comes with other complications.
I really enjoyed My Christmas Fiancé. I expected it to be predictable but it wasn’t. It was very honest and filled with passion just like their relationship. Serenity Woods has the makings of another great series that I look forward to reading.
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed the book.**...more
More Than a Lawman is the first book in Anna J. Stewart’s Honor Bound Series. It’s equal parts romance and suspense. It’s the story of journalist EdenMore Than a Lawman is the first book in Anna J. Stewart’s Honor Bound Series. It’s equal parts romance and suspense. It’s the story of journalist Eden St. Claire and Detective Cole Delaney. When they were younger, they lost a friend at the hands of a killer. To make matters worse, Eden eventually lost both of her parents in a car accident. That left her with just her older brother who was Cole’s best friend. To add insult to injury, while Cole and her brother were in the military together, Eden’s brother was killed and Cole swore to always look after her.
Now, several years later with most of the past behind them, Cole is a detective and Eden is a journalist. She devotes her life to shining a light on cold cases and finding justice for victims, to atone for the guilt she feels regarding her role in the death of her childhood friend. On the other hand, Cole has spent most of his life pining after Eden while she has been totally oblivious. Everything changes when Eden provokes a serial killer and he puts her in the middle of his demented scheme. Eden is no shrinking violet so Cole has no choice but to keep her close if he wants to make sure that she stays alive. That’s not something that Eden accepts lying down. She has no interest in sitting on the sidelines while a killer could get away. Things get more complicated when it appears that the killer may also have a connection to the murder of their childhood friend. The plot twists become much more intricate as things move forward.
Eventually, Cole can no longer hide his attraction to Eden and his brutal honesty throws her for a loop. She has promised herself not to let anyone into her heart because she has already lost everyone that she ever loved. Her and Cole are great for each other but Eden spends a lot of time trying to deny her feelings. She is very stubborn but it’s easy to understand why she keeps her heart so guarded. Cole is a great friend and he doesn’t hesitate to cater to all of Eden’s needs both in and outside of the bedroom.
Although I truly enjoyed this book, Eden was somewhat difficult to like in the beginning. Her habit of running into danger got old very fast. I’ve seen plenty of characters that have a deathwish but she seemed to be much more complicated than that. Man Than a Lawman was suspenseful but it wasn’t entirely unpredictable. I would like to see how things progress in the next book because Eden’s two friends were equally intriguing and appear to have their own baggage.
**Received a copy from the author and reviewed the book voluntarily.**...more
Wolf Unleashed is the fifth book in Paige Tyler’s SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team series. You do not need to have read the other booksReviewed by Gemini
Wolf Unleashed is the fifth book in Paige Tyler’s SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team series. You do not need to have read the other books to enjoy this one but I believe that the additional background gained from the other books would enhance your enjoyment of this one. Plus, there is a common theme throughout all of the books that you wouldn’t totally understand unless you read the other books.
Wolf Unleashed is about SWAT team member and werewolf Alex Trevino. He meets Veterinarian Dr. Lacey Barton and his entire world turns upside down. Lacey has a lot of baggage due to the bad example that her parents set for her when she was younger. Consequently, although there is a definite attraction between them, Lacey plays hard to get. Unfortunately for Alex, Lacey is “The One” which means that according to Werewolf legend, they are destined to be together. To add insult to injury, Alex is also knee deep in an investigation into a dangerous designer drug that has been ravaging the city. Meanwhile, Lacey has gotten herself involved in trying to expose a deadly dogfighting ring. Unbeknownst to them, their professional worlds will collide with their private ones and cause an unexpected strain in their relationship.
Alex and Lacey’s relationship may start out a little icy but once they get together, things heat up substantially. Their time between the sheets is X-Rated and sure to get you a little hot under the collar. They make for a great couple except for the one little detail about Alex being a real life werewolf. More importantly, his whole team is comprised of werewolves. When Alex’s secret is revealed, things become complicated and that’s the part that turns me off about the book. In every one of these books where one person is not a werewolf, the werewolf never gets the opportunity to be honest and reveal his secret before something happens that forces them to be exposed to their mate. Then, there is the expected part of horror and feelings of betrayal that ensue. I would just like to see a different scenario play out in the next book so that I can truly be surprised by the interaction. Again, I really like the books. Wolf Unleashed has an interesting scene where Alex ends up doing a lot of fighting while he is totally naked which I thought was crazy and kind of cool. The SWAT team likes to keep things interesting. I look forward to the next book.
**Received a book copy from Sourcebook Casablanca and voluntarily reviewed.**...more
Another Chance is the third and final book in Kathy Clark’s Austin Heroes series which centers around three brothers in law enforcement and their pot-Another Chance is the third and final book in Kathy Clark’s Austin Heroes series which centers around three brothers in law enforcement and their pot-smoking grandma. The family is based in Austin, Texas and there is a common theme where each brother finds love while he is in the middle of an investigation. Another Chance has an interesting storyline because it actually does a great job of wrapping the series up in a nice bow and gives us some background about grandma that I wasn’t expecting but very much appreciated.
The hero in this story is Homeland Security agent Luke Archer. Although he is based in Washington, DC, he ends up back home in Austin as he is tracking a terrorist cell that likely crossed the Texas/Mexico border in order to get into the United States. As if that wasn’t complicated enough, he runs into his high school sweetheart, Isabella “Bella” Shaw. They were supposed to have had a fairytale life but something happened that prevented that. The problem is that there is a little confusion as to what exactly that was. Luke and Bella are clearly still attracted to each other so the fun is just beginning. As they work things out, they have no trouble showing how compatible they still are in the bedroom. The real problems arise as they begin to unravel the mystery of their breakup because it ends up involving important people from both of their families. I can’t reveal any more than that because it’s an essential part of this storyline. Luckily, the action doesn’t stop there. Both Luke and Bella end up knee deep in trying to stop a terrorist attack at a popular Austin venue.
I really enjoyed Another Chance. As with the other two books, there is a lot that is taught about love, loss, family, and forgiveness. Kathy Clark does a good job of making everything seem realistic and not forced. I liked how Bella and Luke find their way back to each other as well as the injection of another love story that you will have to read to understand. I just may have to read some other books in Kathy Clark’s catalog.
**Received a copy from the publisher, Loveswept, and reviewed the book voluntarily.**...more
Fools Rush In is the third book in Donna S. Felick’s Interstellar Rescue Series. You do not need to read the other books to understand this one. I reaFools Rush In is the third book in Donna S. Felick’s Interstellar Rescue Series. You do not need to read the other books to understand this one. I read the book, Trouble In Mind, but it didn’t really prepare me for this one as much as I thought it would. That’s likely because there are so many moving parts to this sci-fi love story that it’s hard to keep up at first.
Fools Rush In is about Rayna Carver who is a Field Agent for the Interstellar Council for Abolition and Rescue and Sam Murphy who is the Captain of the Shadowhawk which is a so-called pirate ship. Rayna and Sam cross paths when Sam inadvertently ruins Rayna’s undercover mission to infiltrate a slavery operation by hijacking the slave ship and rescuing the slaves. With the slaves and Rayna onboard the Shadowhawk, Sam soon finds out that there are other things in play that will threaten the lives of the slaves and his crew. In addition, Sam and Rayna soon find that it’s impossible to resist the attraction that they have while they band together to fight a formidable opponent that they both despise.
There is a lot of action and Star Trek type fights. There’s mind control, healing lights, and space jumps. I would consider this an homage to all things sci-fi for sure. The descriptions of all of the alien creatures immediately made me think of Star Wars. There’s even a few battleship fights that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I was totally looking for Captain Kirk to make an appearance. Nonetheless, there was just as much romance as there was action. Sam and Rayna truly set the bed sheets on fire with their lovemaking. They have a lot more in common than you would expect. Sam is not exactly the pirate that you expect him to be. However, I did feel like there was a few details that were missing from his backstory. There is a character from the previous book who makes an appearance which I thought was a good way to tie things together.
**Received a copy of the book from the author and voluntarily reviewed.**...more
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