Seconds to Live by Melinda Leigh – a Review

Seconds to Live by Melinda Leigh – a Review

 

Seconds to liveAmazon / Barnes & Noble / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
Wildlife biologist Mac Barrett avoided his hometown of Scarlet Falls for years—too many bad memories. But when he receives the news that his father is dying, he rushes home only to discover he’s too late. Shaken, Mac retreats to his remote cabin seeking peace and solace. Instead, he crashes his jeep to narrowly avoid running over the naked body of a woman lying in the road. Even more disturbing, when he regains consciousness, the body is gone.

Police detective Stella Dane wants to believe Mac, even if his story about the vanishing body seems far-fetched. But when Mac’s description matches the missing woman she’s been searching for, it raises a disturbing question: How does a dead body disappear?

Mac and Stella will have to work together to find the answer and catch a psychotic kidnapper—and quickly. The killer has a deadly message to send, and the case is about to become personal…

 

Review:

What a spectacular read to finish a series!  Seconds to Live by Melinda Leigh keeps you on edge as she examines the mind of a psychotic killer and soothes your soul, downright restores your faith in humanity, with Mac and Stella’s burgeoning love story.  I’ve enjoyed every installment of the Scarlet Falls series and I’m bummed to see it end.  The Barrett family dynamic is bittersweet due to unconventional upbringing, bless the Colonel’s heart, but the devotion to loved ones is unequivocal and truly memorable.

Mac and Stella are facing distinct crossroads that coincide in the town of Scarlet Falls.  The setting is immediately darkened, however, by the stealthy presence of a disgruntled, unhinged kidnapper with a twisted purpose:

How could he make his message clear?  Some people were unworthy of life.  There were consequences for bad decisions.  People should be punished for their sins.  What would it take for the world to understand?

When the killer decides to showcase his depravity, Mac reacts in the most primal of ways to protect Stella (he is a wildlife biologist).  You remember Stella Dane, the police detective?  Mac’s suddenly gone deaf to Stella’s protests of knowing her job and understanding its risks.  Caveman-ish.  I loved every bit of it!  If Mac is to earn his involvement in the case, and more importantly, Stella’s life, he has to come clean about himself. 

I sort of suspected Mac’s revelation, but it was a well-preserved one.  It felt like a breath of fresh air for Mac (and the readers) to get to those inner layers of Mac’s heart.  The erratic behavior that never quite flew under the family’s radar?  They noticed, as did Stella, and Mac was finally able to unburden himself.  Ms. Leigh left Mac open and vulnerable and positively precious to Stella.  Just so well written!

A nod to Ms. Leigh for maintaining the killer’s identity a mystery.  She detailed two deviants and their warped minds.  Unsettling clues and tips pointed guilty fingers to both suspects.  As a matter of fact, there was a third dangerous character capable of horrors who will also make you cringe.  The anger and damage displayed by these individuals leant credence to proper criminal profiling and research.  Better you than me, Ms. Leigh!

I really enjoyed Seconds to Live.  Just when critical time was running out on the case, another cog of the dastardly wheel jammed progress and had you cursing the monster responsible!  The hunt will make your heart pound and keep you guessing, but the developing relationship, the sense of trust and belonging building between Mac and Stella, will inspire you — will make it all worthwhile. Melinda Leigh wrote a strong, sentimental finale to a thrilling series.  It has been my pleasure to fall in love with Scarlet Falls.

Reviewed by Carmen

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Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing (Billionaire Wolf #1) by Terry Spear-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING (Billionaire Wolf #1) by Terry Spear-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Billionaire in Wolf's Clothing

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca B&N / Indiebound
/ KOBO / Apple / Books-A-Million / Chapters /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 5, 2016

Real estate mogul werewolf Rafe Denali didn’t get where he is in life by being a pushover. When sexy she-wolf Jade Ashton nearly drowns in the surf outside his beach house, he knows better than to bring her into his home and his heart. But there’s something about her that brings out his strongest instincts…

Rafe has good reason to be suspicious. Jade Ashton and her baby son are pawns in an evil wolf’s fatal plan. How can Jade betray the gorgeous man who rescued her? But if she doesn’t, her baby will die, and her own life hangs in the balance…

To get to the truth, Rafe is going to have to gain Jade’s trust. If he can do that, he just might be her last—and best—hope

•••••

REVIEW: BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING is the first installment in Terry Spear’s new, contemporary, adult BILLIONARIE WOLF paranormal romance series. This is billionaire real estate investor Rafe Denali, and lingerie/children’s clothing designer Jade Ashton’s story line.

Told from dual third person points of view (Rafe and Jade) BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING follows wolf shifter Jade Ashton, as she is ordered by her alpha, to gather information about billionaire Rafe Denali and his brother Dr. Aidan Denali. Pretending to be on vacation, Jade finds herself the victim of a near drowning, then rescued by the very wolf she has been ordered to contact. What ensues is the building relationship between Rafe and Jade, and Rafe’s suspicion that Jade is hiding more than she has revealed.

Rafe is immediately attracted to the she-wolf but suspects there is more to her story than a quiet vacation alone. While gaining her trust, Rafe must get Jade to confess her true story including the reasons behind her willingness to go along with her alpha’s orders. The $ex scenes are intimate and hot. Rafe wants forever and will do everything in his power to make it so. Herein I struggled because of Jade’s original deceit and intent. I thought our hero was too quick to forgive and forget but Jade had yet to implement any sort of plan-our heroine revealed the truth almost immediately fearing the threats against, and potential loss of her son.

We are introduced to Rafe’s brother Aidan; Rafe’s private investigator Edward; and his head of security Sebastian, and friend Hugh. Jade’s family is virtually non-existent but for a brother whose plans are to destroy the Denali brothers for a betrayal from the past. We meet B&B owner Fiona who becomes a close friend when Jade needs her the most; and we can’t forget about Jade’s three year old son Toby- a young boy who steals the heart of every man in Rafe’s employ. A couple of characters from Terry’s Heart of the Wolf series cross over adding familiarity, as well as the renewed search for longevity in the shifter world.

The world building focuses on family and friendship in the world of the wolf-shifter. Betrayal is meted out with swift justice, when threats against Jade and Toby become personal.

BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING is a familiar story of betrayal and revenge; family and friendship; falling in love and moving forward. The premise is entertaining; the characters are fun, colorful and charismatic; the romance is a quick build to a happily ever after-there is a little bit of insta-love to Jade and Rafe’s relationship. BILLIONAIRE IN WOLF’S CLOTHING is a welcome introduction to a new series.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Excerpt

Jade Ashton had made a lot of mistakes in her life, but returning to her brother’s pack topped the list. She should have known the pack members wouldn’t
accept her son, the product of a love affair with a human, despite pretending they were fine with it. She glanced at her three-year-old son, napping on the daybed in her office in her brother’s home where she alternated between sketching new designs for intimate
apparel and for a new baby and toddler wear line she had developed when her son was born.

Toby had just fallen asleep, looking angelic with his blond curls resting on his cheek, his dark brown eyes closed as he licked his lips. No way would she
ever give him up, despite how everyone in her pack viewed him as a grievous error in judgment.

She felt a little dizzy, probably because she’d been so busy that she hadn’t had anything to drink in hours. She got up from her chair and headed out the
door, practically running into her twin brother moving silently down the hall like a wolf. She fell back and gasped softly when he grabbed her arm to steady her.

“We need to talk.” Kenneth started to guide her to the den, his blond hair much darker than hers, his amber eyes focused on her in a way that said he had
serious business to discuss.

Did he know she intended to leave the pack, again? Or did he want to tell her he didn’t think her being here was working out? “I need to get some water. And we can’t talk
long because Toby will be waking in a half hour or so.”

“This will just take a minute.”

It had better, because she wasn’t going to be drawn into any long-winded discussions with her brother. She hadn’t told him she was leaving first thing in
the morning. She wasn’t sure how he’d take it. She had to admit she was afraid he’d try to talk her out of it. But she was determined.

Every time he and the others had looked at her son in judgment, she’d been annoyed. Not only that, but she’d caught Kenneth and the others having secret
conversations and then abruptly stopping whenever they saw her approaching. The pack members pretended to tolerate her son, but she saw through the facade. They didn’t like her having a human son who couldn’t shift. They believed he could be a danger to the
pack.

Which was one of the reasons she had left just after her son was born. She had also wanted to save his human father from her brother’s wrath. But raising
Toby on her own had been tough. When her brother had promised that the pack members wanted her to live with them and have the backup they could provide, she had agreed. She and her son had left southern Texas far behind, so she figured she’d never run into
Toby’s father again. And Kenneth had sounded sincere in wanting to ensure her protection—just like a pack leader should. She wanted to be part of a family again. She didn’t have a lone wolf personality.

She didn’t believe Toby would be welcome in any other pack either.

Clearly, the members had changed their minds about having her and her son there. Unless they had never wanted her back and it was all her brother’s idea.
He was the pack leader, so ultimately, it was his decision—one he was apparently coming to regret. He was just being stubborn, didn’t want to admit he’d made a mistake, and didn’t want to have to tell her to leave.

Then again, maybe he realized she was planning to leave. Being twins, they sometimes sensed things like that before they really shared with each other.
She hadn’t packed anything yet. She planned to tell him in the morning, before he left for work at his auto body shop. She thought it would be easier on all of them that way. She’d call him when she got settled and let him know where she was staying. It was
for the best—for her son, for her, and for Kenneth and the pack.

Having detoured from the direction of the den to go to the kitchen so she could get something to drink, Kenneth leaned against the granite counter, his
focus on her, his expression still ultra-serious. “I have a job for you.”

She raised her brows, then grabbed a glass from the kitchen cabinet. Between raising Toby and running her own businesses, she didn’t have time for a whole
lot else. But if this was something quick that she could do this afternoon, she would, to thank Kenneth for taking her in—and then she was through with the pack.

“It’s simple. And hell, you might get real lucky.”

She snorted, pouring water into the glass and adding crushed ice. “Lucky?” She drank several sips of the water.

The front door shut, and she figured Kenneth’s girlfriend, Lizzie, was running out for something. She was a wolf too, which meant they were sleeping together,
but he hadn’t decided to mate her yet so they hadn’t gone all the way. If they did, he’d be stuck with her as his mate for life. Jade didn’t know why the she-wolf put up with her brother. If Jade was in a situation like Lizzie’s, she’d tell the wolf that either
they mated or she’d look elsewhere. But Jade supposed Lizzie wanted to be a pack leader’s mate and was sticking around in case Kenneth decided she was it. Total beta wolf.

“You’re living off me so you can put more money into your apparel business that isn’t making enough to really sustain you and your son. So, I need you to
do this job and—”

“Like hell my business isn’t making enough money.” She was extremely tight with her money. No fancy food for either of them. No special entertainment. No
expensive clothes. Since lupus garous lived so long, she had worked other jobs to help pad her bank account before Toby was born. She wasn’t wealthy, but she got by just fine. As long as she was frugal. “That’s okay. Being here with the pack isn’t working
out for Toby and me anyway.”

Kenneth’s eyes widened. “You’re not leaving.”

“Listen, Kenneth, you know no one wants my son here. And they barely tolerate me. You make Lizzie babysit Toby sometimes when I really need someone to watch
him so I can work, but it’s not fair to her. The rest of the pack worries about him. I appreciate all you’ve done for me. I really do.”

She shrugged. “But…I know this is the right thing for me to do. And for you and the pack too. I’m leaving tomorrow, and we can get together from time to
time…later.” She really didn’t believe that would happen, but she’d make the gesture anyway.

“Like I said, I have a job for you.”

What part of she was leaving did her brother not get? He was so stubborn! Or did he feel it was his place as pack leader to decide if she was leaving? He
hadn’t decided things for her since before she left the pack nearly four years earlier, and she wasn’t going to allow him to start now.

Even so, she’d humor him because she was leaving tomorrow, with or without his consent. “What’s the job?”

“Do you remember when that doctor was taking blood samples from us last week?”

“Yeah, Dr. Aidan Denali. He wanted to take some of Toby’s, and I said no. What of it? He’s not asking to take blood samples from Toby again, is he?”

“No, but here’s the thing. I looked into his background, and his brother is Rafe Denali.”

“So?” She’d never heard of the guy. Not that she’d heard of Aidan Denali either before she’d met him at Kenneth’s house. Since Toby wasn’t a shifter, there
was no reason for Aidan to take blood from him. Though she hadn’t given the doctor that reason since he hadn’t needed to know.

“Rafe Denali’s a billionaire. Real estate mogul.”

“So?” Her brother was usually much better at getting to the point.

“The good doctor told me he’s close to finding a cure for our longevity issues.”

“Okay. What has this got to do with me? Or you, for that matter?”

“I need you to find out where he’s living. Where he does his research.”

“What?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why?” She was getting really bad vibes about this.

“His brother is ruthless. Hell, he’s the reason our grandparents lost their manufacturing business.”

She closed her gaping mouth. She had never known anything about her grandparents. Since her brother had taken over the pack when their parents died, he’d
been the one interested in all things family. She’d been rather a wild card growing up. She’d always known she would never run the pack, so she’d done her own thing. After her son was born, she’d thrown herself into her work and raising him. No room for getting
into any further trouble. She was faced with enough already.

“Okay, so I don’t get the connection between what happened with our grandparents and what you want me to do. Or why you want to know where the doctor lives.”

“Rafe is well-known—”

She opened her mouth again to tell Kenneth she had never heard of Rafe, so he couldn’t be that well-known.

“—in financial circles. The kind that you don’t belong to. I know where he lives. He and his brother are close, but Aidan lives somewhere else. I want you
to befriend Rafe and learn where Aidan lives.”

“Why would you want to know that? Besides, I don’t run in billionaires’ circles. You already said so yourself.”

“He’s a bachelor wolf. He’s not dating any she-wolves. I’ve checked. If he sees you, and you intrigue him, you can cozy up to him and learn where his brother
lives.”

“I’m not interested. Besides, didn’t the doctor give you his business card and tell you to contact him if you have any concerns?”

“It has his phone number. That’s it.”

“Why do you want to know this anyway?”

“I told you. Rafe is ruthless. When he gets hold of a cure for our condition, he’ll sell it to only those who can afford it. What if lupus garous begin to age even more
rapidly than we are now? What if we don’t just end up with a human’s life span, but our bodies begin to age rapidly to match all the years we’ve already lived? Hell, your boy would lose you, and he’d have no one to raise him. Think about it.”

She had thought about it. But she wasn’t one to live with a fatalist viewpoint on life. She hadn’t thought her brother was either. Until now.

“If you really want this information, ask Rafe yourself. Or call his brother. You have his phone number.”

“As if either would tell me.”

“Send Lizzie.” Jade turned to leave, and her brother seized her arm. She rounded on him, yanking her arm away from him, and said, “We’re family, Kenneth,
but that doesn’t give you the right to make me do things that go against what I believe in. If the worst-case scenario ever comes to pass, I’m sure wolves can unite and make the brothers see the right in this.”

Kenneth folded his arms. “Lizzie isn’t right for the part. She’s not as classy as you.”

“Oh, wow, give me a break. I hope you didn’t tell her that.” Jade started heading back to her office, but she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when her
brother cleared his throat.

“I need you to do this. Whatever it takes. After that, you and your son can be on your way. You really don’t have a choice.”

“Nothing would make lying to the Denalis worthwhile, no matter why you want this information. Toby and I will be leaving tonight.” Sooner—once she could
get her car packed and Toby ready for the journey. She’d have to plot a course too. Had her brother known about the wolf geneticist before he’d asked her to return to the pack? She whipped around.

“How long have you known about Aidan? Is this why you asked me to return to the pack? So I could be your spy?”

When Kenneth didn’t deny it, she swore under her breath. “I thought you were concerned about me and my son. Or at least me. Thanks for letting me in on
the truth.” Furious with her brother, she stalked off toward the office and had nearly reached the doorway when Kenneth let his breath out in a huff.

“You will do this for me, and then you can have your son back.”

His words made her stomach fall and her head spin as she rushed into the room.

Toby and his soft leopard blanket were gone. All that was left on the daybed was his blue rainbow-colored teddy bear.

Lizzie! She must have taken him when Jade heard the front door open. Lizzie was the only one who was close enough to Toby that if she woke him while taking
him from his bed, he wouldn’t cry out. He’d settle in her arms and go back to sleep. Kenneth had stalled Jade long enough for Lizzie to gather up Toby and leave.

Shocked at what he had done and angrier than she ever thought she could be, Jade hurried out of the room, ready to kill her brother—but only after he told
her where her son was. “Where is he, Kenneth? I swear I’ll—”

“You’ll do this one thing for me, and he’s yours. And then you can damn well leave the pack. But if you ever cause any trouble for our kind, I’ll kill both
of you.”

So furious she couldn’t think straight, she beat on her brother’s chest with her fists, cursing at him until he grabbed her wrists and slammed her against
the wall. “I’m serious about this, Jade. Do what I say, and your son won’t meet his father’s fate.”

“What?” Tears filled her eyes, but she tried to get a grip on her emotions so he wouldn’t see her as weak. Kenneth had promised he would leave Stewart alone
if she left the area before he even knew she was pregnant, and she never had anything more to do with him.

She felt sucker punched. “Why? You said…” It didn’t matter now. All that mattered was Toby’s safety. “Damn you, Kenneth.”

She kneed her brother in the crotch with one good shove as a final comment on how she felt about him taking her son hostage. Kenneth collapsed to his knees,
swearing that he’d make her pay if she didn’t do what he said.

Maynard Myer—one of the men who worked in Kenneth’s body shop—interrupted them, red-faced. He was a redheaded bulldog of a man who had brazenly shown his
contempt for her and Toby when he dropped by the house. She suspected Maynard didn’t want to intrude on this scene, but the news had to be serious enough for him to do so.

“What?” Kenneth growled at him, still on his knees on the floor and holding his crotch.

“Grayton wants his money now. You’ve got two weeks to pay up or…” Maynard glanced in Jade’s direction.

She didn’t know who Grayton was, although the name sounded like he might be a wolf. If he had loaned Kenneth money, and now her brother was in arrears…

“What are you involved in, Kenneth?” she asked. “Gambling? The horse races? I’ve got money”

“Get out of here, Jade. You want to see your son in one piece, leave and do what I told you to do.”

No matter how angry she was, she knew she didn’t have a choice. She had to get her son back before her brother killed him. She grabbed Toby’s rainbow bear
and hurried into her room to pack, praying she could pull this off without getting her son killed. If Grayton was threatening her brother, what if he took out Kenneth’s debt on his closest relations? Her and her son?

What would the Denalis do if they learned what she was up to?

***

Jade had driven by Rafe Denali’s house numerous times, watching for Rafe to leave so she could run into him wherever he ended up going. Accidentally. The
palatial mansion was set back off the road, a long circular drive visible beyond the gates and providing a glimpse of the white stucco house with its ocean view, but not much more.

This was the first time she’d seen him leaving the estate. He was alone, driving a bright blue Maserati with the top down, and she followed him to a farmers
market and parked several cars away.

Wearing a pair of blue shorts, sandals, a pale blue T-shirt, and mirrored sunglasses, he climbed out of his car. He didn’t look like he was a billionaire, except he had
a hot car, but otherwise, he just blended in with the rest of the shoppers.

She hurried to catch up to him. She couldn’t imagine what he’d be buying. Wouldn’t he have someone else buy his groceries? If she were shopping, she’d get
fresh corn and tomatoes.

He stopped at a colorful booth filled with flowers, a bright-red canopy shielding the bouquets and shoppers from the afternoon sun.

In all of the research she had done on Rafe, she hadn’t seen one thing that indicated he had a girlfriend. She let out her breath. Just her luck.

She hesitated, feeling jittery and uptight, but she had to run into him, making it look real and not faked, and then apologize. He’d smell she was a wolf
and maybe get interested. God, how she hated this. But she had to do it for her son.

She drew closer, the crowd of shoppers helping to conceal her as she focused on the flowers as if they were her goal and not the hot wolf.

Just as she was getting closer to him, a fair-haired man wearing jeans, sandals, and a black muscle shirt approached Rafe. “Hey, getting something for Consuela?”

“Yeah, Derek. Not sure what else to get her. But I thought she’d like these.” He paid for the bouquet of red and pink roses, and the two men walked off.

Damn. If the breeze had been blowing in her favor, he would have smelled her, turned, and checked her out, at the very least.

She wasn’t going to get anywhere with this while he was with a friend—or whoever Derek was. But since it was the first time she’d seen Rafe leave his place,
she decided to wait in her car for him to leave and see where he went next. Or maybe try running into him when Derek left.

She climbed into her car and rolled down the windows, then Googled Rafe on her cell phone. The site that mentioned him the most was written by a photojournalist
named LK Marks. He seemed to be obsessed with Rafe’s lifestyle—how Rafe hosted charity events but seemed reclusive otherwise. A number of times, LK Marks mentioned that Rafe was one of California’s most eligible bachelors.

The last posting anyone had made concerning the billionaire was a week ago. So maybe the paparazzi were off chasing someone else for a change and Rafe was
old news. Which was good news for her.

An hour passed. The breeze helped keep her cool, but she was annoyed that Rafe was taking so long to return to his car.

Then two hours passed. She left her vehicle and was searching for him when she spied him sitting on the veranda of a Mexican caf�, burritos on his plate
and a glass of iced tea beside it. He was talking with Derek, a couple of packages on the table next to the bouquet of roses. So they must have gone shopping. She let her breath out in an irritated huff. She wasn’t cut out for spy work.

Now what? She needed to get Rafe alone. Unless she could take a seat near him and he caught her wolf scent and piqued his interest, but all the tables out
on the veranda were full. She asked the hostess how long it would take to get a veranda seat. Approximately an hour. Across the street, there was a sandwich shop. She headed to it, figuring she could get a view of the Mexican caf� from there and watch until
he left.

Twenty-minute wait there. Trying not to look obvious that she was watching Rafe, she quickly glanced over the menu and decided on a chicken and provolone
sandwich. She was called to her table, and when she walked with the hostess through the restaurant to the outdoor seating, she saw where the woman was leading her. Perfect. Flowers obscured the men’s view of her, but she could peek through to watch them. She
took her seat and thanked the hostess, then looked over at the men—but they were gone.

***

Early in the morning, Rafe Denali perched above the rest of the world, reclining on his poolside lounger and eyeing the aqua-colored Pacific Ocean, the
foamy, white waves crashing against the beach with their usual unpredictable rhythm. A rainbow-colored hot-air balloon and a bank of puffy clouds drifted across the bright blue sky, pushed by the ever-present salty sea breeze. Seagulls called out as they soared
high above, and long-legged sandpipers ran across the wet beach as the water began to recede, looking for a meal. A few beachgoers had erected colorful umbrellas in blues and yellows and pinks, along with chaise longues or chairs, and were sunbathing or reading.
A few were walking the beach. Life couldn’t be better. Rafe had needed a break after making another thirty-million-dollar sale, and what better way to do that than by sipping a mixed-fruit smoothie while visiting with his best friend, Derek Spencer—also one
of the filthy rich and, like him, a wolf.

But he couldn’t relax completely. Rafe was certain that different men had been following him for the past week or so, watching his every move. He’d had
one of his private investigators trying to learn what was up, but without success.

He knew those following him hadn’t been paparazzi looking to capture shots of him to show to the world, or sexy women looking to catch his attention—he
was used to that. After all, he was an extremely eligible bachelor, at least as far as the unknowing public thought. He was certain that if human women knew he was also a wolf, his single, male billionaire status wouldn’t have as much appeal.

The problem was that the men following him were wolves—just as wary and capable of concealment and evasion in their human form as in their wolf coats. What
had tipped him off was that the men hadn’t been carrying cameras when following him as humans. And when he’d caught them watching him at various restaurants or stores, they’d quickly looked away. But when he’d tried to track them, they’d always given him the
slip. Sometimes, they left a bit of a telltale wolf scent behind, as if they’d used hunter’s spray for concealment but hadn’t quite masked their own unique scent.

Rafe took another sip of his smoothie. This was so different from when he’d lived with the pack of his birth. He had moved on, left that life behind, wanting
something more. The power to make things happen in the human world, not just with a pack.

“Has your brother learned anything from the research he’s been conducting?” Derek asked.

“When he’s running his experiments, he doesn’t like to discuss the results—or, I should say, details—with anyone. Certainly not with me, since that’s not
my field of expertise. Just like I don’t discuss the details of my real estate ventures with him.”

“I heard he was off to check some other leads besides testing lupus garou blood samples.”

“Yeah. He’s let me in on his other research so I’ll know where he is at all times. He’s studied children with progeria, a premature aging syndrome. He also
investigated an eight-year-old girl who still had the physical maturity of an infant, having barely aged in all that time. Another case was that of a forty-year-old man who looked like a ten-year-old boy. A couple others: a twenty-nine-year-old man who appeared
to be ten, and a woman who was thirty-four but looked like she was two years old. So the rate of aging was significantly different for each of them.

“Aidan had wondered if any of them were wolves, which was one of the primary reasons he checked into their cases, but he learned none were. Since lupus
garous age at the same rate humans do until they are young adults, he really hadn’t believed they were our kind, but he still wanted to determine if any of their conditions were similar to ours.”

Derek finished his smoothie and set the glass on the table. “With all the research he’s doing, I think he needs a bodyguard. Knowing how to return us to
our original wolf life spans could be dangerous in the wrong hands.”

“Agreed. I have a man watching his back, even though Aidan wouldn’t approve if he knew. So I haven’t mentioned it to anyone. Aidan doesn’t believe he’s
close to learning anything.” Rafe studied a couple of bikini-clad babes running along the beach below his estate. He swore the women were plants, seeking to catch his attention. Most of the wealthy landowners up here were older. Truth be told, he was much
older than them. But in human years, he appeared to be thirty. He was also looking for anyone who seemed to be watching him, but he didn’t see anyone like that here today.

What really caught his eye was a woman wearing a pair of white short shorts with what looked like a one-piece bathing suit underneath, though the back plunged
so low that all he could see were the royal blue straps. What piqued his curiosity even more was how low the front of the swimsuit was cut. It was funny how sometimes a one-piece and a pair of shorts could be more enticing than a tiny bikini.

When she began wading up to her thighs in the surf, watching the sea, her golden hair whipping about her shoulders in the warm summer breeze, he sighed, reminding himself
he couldn’t be interested in a human woman for any kind of permanent relationship.

“Enticed yet?” Derek asked, smiling, his attention focused on the scantily clad bathing beauties jogging along the beach.

Rafe finished his smoothie. “Are they different ones, or the same two who were out here yesterday?”

“Hard to tell. They have all the right curves, the tanned bodies, the skimpy bikinis. I think one was a redhead yesterday though. So you think it’s a ploy
to see if one of them would appeal more to you?” Before Rafe could reply, Derek tacked on, “Given a choice, which would?”

“None of them.”

“Not even if she was a wolf?”

Rafe glanced at his lifelong friend. Tall, tanned, and muscular like him, Derek was much fairer, his hair blonder and his eyes amber. They didn’t exactly
appear like the billionaire type. Not to mention they had a wolfish wild side to them. Both were wearing board shorts—his green with a blue ocean wave, Derek’s an orange-and-white floral—and they looked more like surfer dudes, except neither of them surfed.
As a wolf, Rafe preferred swimming, hiking, running, boating, or climbing—freestyle.

In a gesture of feigned exasperation, Derek threw up his hands. “Okay, so most are interested in our money more than anything. Sometimes it’s important
to just have fun.”

Rafe checked out the woman walking deeper into the water. He grew worried when he saw the telltale signs of danger. The surf was flatter there, looking
like a road heading out to sea. The color was lighter than the surrounding water, the foam on the surface moving out to sea, instead of being drawn into the shore like the regular breakers. A rip current. Which could imperil the woman.

Instantly, Rafe bolted from his lounger and raced to his private stairs to the beach, wishing like hell he’d noticed the water before. His attention had been solely on the
woman the last time he looked.

“Hey, where you going?” Derek asked, jumping up from his lounger and hurrying to catch up as Rafe ran down the stairs.

“To rescue the third woman this month who’s headed for trouble in the surf.” Rafe reached the electronically locked gate, threw it open, then sprinted across
the sun-warmed sand.

A summer of storms and hurricanes had altered the landscape of the ocean floor along the Pacific coast, creating more rip currents, which had resulted in
more lifeguard rescues in the area. Except they didn’t have any lifeguards here. That meant whenever Rafe took a breather from work and relaxed poolside, he watched the situation in front of his estate as if he were the local lifeguard. He couldn’t help it.
If he saw someone in danger, he was compelled to lend a hand.

Rip currents typically flowed faster than any human could swim. If the woman he saw walking into the rip current was caught up in it, she could be pulled
out to sea as much as half a mile or more before it ended. It wouldn’t pull its victim under; usually, those who drowned had attempted to swim against the flow, panicking in an effort to return to the shore through the path of the rip current, tiring them
to the point of exhaustion. If she was a good swimmer and knew how to navigate horizontally to the beach, or remained calm and treaded water until the rip lost its drive, she should make it just fine.

But he didn’t want to risk her safety.

He raced around the beachgoers soaking up the sun. No one seemed to notice the possible danger.

Rafe reached the incoming waves, bolted through the water, and heard his friend splashing behind him. The woman was up to her shoulders in the surf, and
Rafe dove for her just as the current swept her off her feet and pulled them both out to sea.

About The author

Terry Spear Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Love, love, love romance, the paranormal, hunky Highlanders with their delicious brogue and hot kilts, so Terry Spear writes about those hunky Highlanders both in medieval times and as wolves in contemporary times. Jaguar shifters too! And young adult urban fantasy. And romantic suspense. She grew up reading mystery, adventure, mythologies from around the world, ghost stories, the paranormal, fell in love with Dracula and Wolfman, and felt they needed loving too. Everyone should have someone to love. Which means her stories always have a HEA. USA Today Bestseller residing in Central Texas from Sacramento, California who creates award-winning teddy bears too!

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Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt – a Review

Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt  – a Review

 

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Description:
In the first Afton Tangler thriller, the unforgiving cold of a Minnesota winter hides the truth behind an even more chilling crime…

On a frozen night in an affluent neighborhood of Minneapolis, a baby is abducted from her home after her teenage babysitter is violently assaulted. The parents are frantic, the police are baffled, and, with the perpetrator already in the wind, the trail is getting colder by the second.

As family liaison officer with the Minneapolis P.D., it’s Afton Tangler’s job to deal with the emotional aftermath of terrible crimes—but she’s never faced a case quite as brutal as this. Each development is more heartbreaking than the last and the only lead is a collection of seemingly unrelated clues.

But, most disturbing of all, Afton begins to suspect that this case is not isolated.  Whoever did this has taken babies before—and if Afton doesn’t solve this crime soon, more children are sure to go missing . . .

 

 

Review:

Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt is the first book in her new Afton Tangler series.  This is a mystery thriller about a baby kidnapping, but it is not a whodunit.  We know from early on who the kidnapper is.  Little Girl Gone revolves around Afton Tangler, who is a family liaison for the Minneapolis police department.  While she is out mountain climbing with her friends, she gets the call to help on this kidnapping.  Afton will team with Max, the detective in charge of the case, as well as the FBI, who are also involved. 

Besides watching them look for clues, as they race to find the baby alive; we also get an up close look at the baby’s parents, Susan and Richard Darden.  All during the book we can see the Dardens life falling apart, as each blames the other.  As in any investigation, everyone is suspect, but Afton doing a lot of research keeps coming back to the lady at a doll show, whom Susan Darden had met the day before the kidnapping.  Afton will also discover similarities to other baby’s deaths.

What follows is an interesting and at times exciting and tense mystery thriller that will be a race against time.  I felt the writer did a good job in showing us the emotional turmoil in those involved, as well as making the villains totally evil.  I did think at times it was a bit slow early on, with some parts a bit unrealistic.  But overall, it was a very good story. If you like mystery thrillers, with a lot of police procedurals, I suggest you read Little Girl Gone.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Aeronaut’s Windlass – The Cinder Spires by Jim Butcher – Review & Giveaway

The Aeronaut’s Windlass – The Cinder Spires by Jim Butcher – Review & Giveaway

 

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The Aeronaut's WindlassAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace.

Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy’s shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion—to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predator to its fighting glory.

And even as Grimm undertakes this dangerous task, he will learn that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity’s ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake…

 

Review

The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is the first book in his The Cinder Spires series. I was not sure of what to expect when I decided to read this new series by Jim Butcher, as I am a fan of his Dresden series. This was a bit different with a steam punk background in a different fantasy world, with aristocrats, magic, technology, ships and people who have some powers.

Early on we meet the leading characters who will all play a big role in the story.  Captain Grimm, of Spire Albion, is the Captain of the ship Predator, which despite it being an older ship, is one of the most successful.  In the midst of an attack, Predator holds its own, until Spire Aurora sends in a battleship that will damage Predator, as they limp home.  We are in the middle of war between the two Spires, which is now escalating even more.

In another area, we meet Gwen Lancaster, of the Lancaster Vatterys.  Gwen is determined to join the Spire Guard, and leaves home to do what she was expected to do.  Gwen meets up with her cousin Benedict, a seasoned warrior, who will help her.  Gwen is tough, and speaks her mind, even if it turns off others.  Benedict is the opposite and he has no qualms teasing  Gwen about her abrasive nature.

Next we meet, Bridget Targwen, who is forced by her father to go out and join the guard, as it is what she has to do when you reach a certain age.   My favorite character is Rowl, a blueblood cat from his own tribe.  Rowl loves Bridget, who can speak cat language; he stays with her to protect her. 

All of them are commissioned by the SpireArch of Albion to help find out how Aurora is finding out Albion information, and who the leak is.  They will work with together, and have been assigned to work with Master Ferus, an Etherialist  and his apprentice, Folly.  Both Ferus and Folly seem somewhat mad, especially in the language; but they have so much power, seeing things in the future.  I did like Ferus, but Folly, who needed her Ethereal crystals, to keep her mind clear. 

What follows is an interesting, and early on confusing adventure that will put them very much in danger, especially as the war escalates.  Once we get the feel of the story, it becomes very exciting, with each of them finding themselves right in the middle of death defying situations.   They will discover an evil that will threaten their world as they know it.  The main villain, Cavendish, is a counter part of Ferus, but her powers are used to kill others mentally, as well as creating evil beings.  I liked all the characters created by Butcher, and found myself becoming totally into this story in the last half.  Many times throughout the adventure, we thought some of our heroes would die. 

Butcher does a wonderful job explaining the naval battles between Predator, other ships and those from Aurora.  We could feel the men on Predator doing what they could to salvage the ship against the attacks.  Very well done.  As I said before, Rowl was  a great addition, especially when he had to get other cat tribes to help save Bridget and the others from those violent beings.  After a slow start, which is to be expected when starting a new world, and trying to introduce the main characters; the story line picked up full speed ahead, with a wild exciting finish.  I look forward to what comes next in this series by Jim Butcher.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Marked by Honor (Knights of Valor #2) by Lauren Linwood-a review

Marked by Honor (Knights of Valor #2) by Lauren Linwood-a review

Marked by Honor

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 6, 2016

Lady Beatrice Bordel blames herself for the riding accident that cost her father his life when she was a child. Tragedy strikes again when her mother and grandfather die on the same day, leaving her homeless. The young woman decides to travel to visit her grandfather’s closest friend, hoping she can use her domestic skills and lute-playing talent to find a permanent place in his household. Barely into her journey, a band of highwaymen accosts Beatrice and her sole servant. All seems lost—until Raynor Le Roux arrives.

As a knight of the realm, the code of chivalry guides Raynor’s life. While returning to his family’s home after many months absence, he rescues Beatrice, who tells a white lie to this handsome stranger. Raynor takes her to safety at Ashcroft, but his home has changed during his time away. No longer a thriving estate, Ashcroft has fallen into disrepair because his brother Peter is no longer interested in its welfare after his wife’s untimely death. Raynor determines to restore his home before he escorts Beatrice north so she may unite with the man he believes is her betrothed.

The couple’s growing attraction turns to love, but Beatrice’s dishonesty stands between her and Raynor’s happiness. Will she finally tell him the truth—and hope he forgives her deception—or will it be too late?

•••••••••

REVIEW:

Marked by Honor is the second book in this romantic series of love and adventure by Lauren Linwood. It’s the story of Raynor Le Roux  and Beatrice

The setting is Southern England, beginning in 1363. There’s a tragic scene as Beatrice, just a little girl of three, was riding with her father. He held her in front of him and they galloped across a field, she loved going fast and was thrilled to be with her father. Just as she was about to tell him she loved him, the horse stumbled and they fell. Her father held onto her and turned to cushion the fall. Unfortunately, he broke his neck or back and died, leaving her with a fear of horses.

This marvelously complex and twisting story then takes us to meet a grown Beatrice, living not in luxury but with some comfort with her grandfather and mother. Her life is one of housework, cooking and taking care of her sickly mother and aging grandfather. But soon both her mother and grandfather died. She was left with little money and nowhere to go, except for an old friend of her grandfathers. He had invited her and her grandfather to come visit and attend the wedding of his grandson. She wasn’t sure she would be welcomed alone, if she could manage to get to Brookhaven.

Raynor departed Kinwick castle bidding goodbye to his cousin Geoffrey de Monfort, his wife Merryn and their children. According to Ashcroft’s steward, he was sorely needed at Ashcroft. Raynor meets Beatrice when he rescues her from highwaymen who killed her one servant and were to rob and rape her. Being late at night, he took her the rest of the way to Ashcroft and gave his word to see her safely to Brookhaven as soon as possible.

That’s the gist of the beginning. As usual, I didn’t give you all the details or interesting points. Those must be discovered by each reader. Let me just say that this talented author has written a tale of honor, love, romance, issues, and more. It’s so well woven you really find a hard time with a place to start, it’s difficult to explain all the marvelous ins and outs of this story without giving away all the great surprises in store for the reader.

Marked by Honor is a complicated tale that is well worth the read. It’s indicative of the times. Both exciting and frustratingly steeped in tradition. If you love knights and ladies and all the wonderful things that this world holds…you won’t want to miss this story or this series!!

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Always My Girl (The Shaughnessy Brothers #3) by Samantha Chase-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

ALWAYS MY GIRL (The Shaughnessy Brothers #3) by Samantha Chase-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

Always my Girl

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 5, 2016

Sometimes the love that’s closest to you is the hardest to see.

Quinn Shaughnessy’s two older brothers have found their true loves … but Quinn’s not about to join that parade. Nope, as he tells his best friend Anna, there’s a lot more to life than getting tied down to one person. He’s positive tomboy Anna will be on his side – except she’s inexplicably developing other interests – even dating! Suddenly Quinn is seeing Anna in a very different light.

Quinn has been Anna’s buddy since they were both five years old. She can tell him anything – except the one big secret she’s been hiding for years – that she’s fallen in love with him. Now Anna is determined to make a life for herself that doesn’t include pining for Quinn. Falling in love with your best friend? Easy. Telling them how you really feel? Impossible.

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: ALWAYS MY GIRL is the third installment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult THE SHAUGHNESSY BROTHERS romance series focusing on the Shaughnessy siblings. This is former NASCAR driver Quinn Shaughnessy, and real estate agent Anna Hannigan’s story line. ALWAYS MY GIRL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: Seventeen years earlier the Shaughnessy’s lost their mother to a drunk driving accident that left six siblings (including a one year old infant daughter) without a mother. Fast forward to present day where each child continues to struggle with the loss.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Anna and Quinn) ALWAYS MY GIRL is a friends to lovers romance that sees life-long friends Anna Hannigan and Quinn Shaughnessy struggle when the relationship crosses the line into something more. Anna has been in love with Quinn most of her life. They are best friends who tell one another everything but Anna is in love with her best friend and Quinn is oblivious to Anna’s heartbreaking pain. To complicate matters, Anna begins to ‘change’ for Quinn, hoping our hero will see her in a different light-perhaps treat her like a woman rather than one of the guys. When Quinn finally takes notice, he hides their relationship believing himself unworthy of Anna’s love- this is reinforced by the comments from his family and friends.

Quinn is a runner when the going gets tough, and as their romantic relationship begins to develop, Quinn believes his reputation will destroy any chance of happiness with his best friend. His ego will be battered when friends and family begin to reveal the truth about his self-centered attitude and open his eyes to the events of the past.

The relationship is a friends to lovers trope between two people who have loved one another most of their lives but a love that is different on both sides of the relationship. For years, Quinn has taken advantage of his friendship with Anna, while Anna quietly hopes for Quinn to see the woman behind the friend. The $ex scenes are implied, and fade to black.

ALWAYS MY GIRL has a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including all of the Shaughnessy siblings, their father Ian and his new lady Martha, as well as Anna’s brother Bobby Hannigan. Bobby is a police officer who is struggling with his new position on the force and his new partner on the beat. The world building continues to focus on the Shaughnessy family dynamics and finding love.

ALWAYS MY GIRL is an entertaining story although some readers may take issue with the heroine’s need to change for a man; and Quinn’s need to hide his relationship with the woman he loves. Another Shaughnessy sibling finds love where it always was.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Excerpt

Clearly Anna was a glutton for punishment. She had just finished showing a house and was on her way home. This particular route took her past Quinn’s shop. She hadn’t seen or talked to him since the wedding and…well…she missed him. It wasn’t unusual for them to go for a week without seeing or talking to one another, but right now she just really wanted to see him.
Pulling into the parking lot, she noticed Aidan’s car and smiled. It was on her mind to give Zoe a call and now she knew for certain they were back from their honeymoon.
Waving to one of the mechanics, she was immediately told—without asking—that Quinn was over in the restoration building. It was separate from the main shop, out back with its own office and setup. She knew why Quinn set it up that way, and she was excited because if he was back there, it meant he had some new cars to restore. She almost got giddy at the thought of what kind they were.
Letting herself in, she immediately heard the loud male laughter and knew both Quinn and Aidan were there. A minute later, she heard a voice she’d never heard before. As she stepped into the bay area, Aidan spotted her first.
“Anna!” He walked toward her, his arms open wide. “How are you?” He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. “Have you spoken to Zoe yet? I know she was dying to tell you all about the trip.”
She hugged him back. “As soon as I saw your car, I made a mental note to give her a call when I got home.” She stepped back and smiled. “Was it wonderful?”
His grin was the only answer she needed.
“So what brings you here?” he asked.
“I was driving by and thought I’d stop in and say hello.” Aidan was looking at her a little funny until Anna started to squirm. “What? What’s wrong?” She looked down at her outfit and wondered if she’d spilled something on herself.
“I still can’t get used to seeing you in career-girl mode. I miss the girl in the blue jeans who makes the world’s greatest burgers.”
Anna blushed. “I’m still the same girl, Aidan,” she said shyly. “But sometimes a girl has to grow up.” She was saved from saying anything else when Quinn walked over with a guy she didn’t recognize.
“Hey, Anna,” Quinn said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Hey,” she said, forcing her own smile while checking out the attractive guy standing beside her. Without waiting for an introduction, she held her hand out. “Hi, I’m Anna. I’m a friend of Aidan and Quinn’s.”
Mr. Tall, Dark, and Muscular gave her a sexy smile and took her hand in his. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jake. Also a friend of Quinn’s.”
“Really?” she said, her smile growing until her cheeks hurt. “Then how come we haven’t met before?”
Jake stepped in closer, shouldering Quinn out of the way. “I have no idea. I used to race cars with Quinn. We met on the circuit.” He still hadn’t let go of her hand. “Do you follow racing, Anna?”
For a minute she almost wanted to pinch herself. Here was an incredibly attractive man—almost too good-looking for his own good—practically flirting with her, and she hadn’t had to lift a finger. Aidan was grinning and Quinn looked ready to spit nails. It was almost as if she had scripted the moment herself!
“Oh, I follow all kinds of sports, Jake.” She quickly wracked her brain for racing stats until she remembered something about Jake’s. “You used to drive a Chevy, right? Number thirty-four?”
His smile grew and his grip on her hand tightened before his thumb began to stroke her wrist. “That’s right, darlin’,” he drawled. “I had a lot of good luck with that car.” Then he leaned in close. “And in Quinn’s last season, I beat him by twenty points.”
“It was two, Jake,” Quinn interrupted. “Two. Not twenty. Every time you tell that story, you embellish.”
Jake stepped back and finally released Anna’s hand. “So what is a lovely woman like you doing in a dirty garage like this?” he asked.
Before she could answer, Quinn spoke. “Dude, what the hell? It’s a brand-new shop and it’s just Anna. She’s been in my shops before.”
Anna shot him an annoyed look. “Oh, I don’t mind coming to the shop. It’s not a big deal. A little engine grease and some exhaust fumes don’t bother me. I actually do some work on my own car.”
“Since when?” Quinn demanded.
She ignored him and focused on Jake. “Of course I don’t drive anything like these cars.” Looking over at the classic cars, she sighed. “Those are real beauties. Whoever owns them is really lucky.”
Quinn groaned, Aidan chuckled, and Jake stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Anna’s shoulders. “It just so happens I own them.”
“No!” she cried.
He nodded. “I sure do.” Then he led her over to them, leaving Quinn and Aidan behind.
It took a full minute before Quinn could find his voice. “What the hell just happened here?”
Aidan was practically wiping tears from his eyes from the laughter. “I think your friend just swooped in here and swept Anna off her feet.”
“No,” Quinn said firmly, defiantly. “No way. Anna doesn’t go for that type.”
“What? The tall, dark, good-looking, and successful type?” Aidan teased.
Quinn glared at him. “Are we talking her type or yours?” He shook his head with disgust. “Anna is not impressed with that kind of stuff. She’s been around drivers before and it never made a difference.”
“I’m sure there’s a big difference between the way they treat someone they meet while on the track and off.” He nodded in Jake and Anna’s direction. “There’s no distractions here, and if you ask me, she definitely seemed…impressed.”
He shook his head. “Uh-uh. No way. She’s just being nice. There’s no way Anna would go out with a guy like Jake.”
“How much you wanna bet?”
Just then, Anna let out a very feminine giggle that echoed off the shop’s walls. And suddenly, Quinn wasn’t so sure about anything.

about the author

Follow: Goodreads / Twitter / Website / Facebook

Samantha ChaseNew York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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Once Upon a Moonlit Night / Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

Once Upon a Moonlit Night / Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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ONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT
Maiden Lane 10.5
by Elizabeth Hoyt
Genre: adult, historical, romance
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Maiden Lane

________________

Once Upon a Moonlit NightONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT
(Maiden Lane #10.5)
by Elizabeth Hoyt
Genre: historical, romance

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Add Once Upon a Moonlit Night to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1S30uww

About the book: Release Date July 5, 2016

Hippolyta Royle is running for her life. Pursued by hounds on a cold rainy night, the heiress flags down a passing carriage and throws herself at the mercy of the coach’s occupant. Whoever this handsome traveler may be, he is her only hope to escape a terrible fate. But should he agree to escort her to safety, he’s in for much more than he bargained for.

At first Matthew Mortimer doesn’t believe Hippolyta’s story, that she’s a fabulously wealthy heiress who’s been kidnapped. He assumes she’s a beggar, an actress, or worse. But once his new travel companion washes the mud from her surprisingly lovely face, and they share a breathtaking kiss, there is no turning back.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: ONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT is installment 10.5 in Elizabeth Hoyt’s MAIDEN LANE historical romance series. This is Hippolyta Royle, and Matthew Mortimer’s story line. Some of the events of ONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT run parallel to the events of book ten –DUKE OF SIN. If you are a fan of the series, you will recognize Hippolyta from the previous two to three story lines.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Hippolyta and Matthew) follows the escape and rescue of Hippolyta Royle. In the previous installment Hippolyta was held prisoner by the Duke of Montgomery in a blackmail scheme aimed at her mother. With the help of the Duke’s housekeeper Mrs. Crumb, Hippolyta found herself on the run, and into the less than companionable carriage of Matthew Mortimer- a cartographer and explorer struggling in debt. What ensues is a quick cross country adventure wherein Matthew believes his carriage mate is nothing more than an educated whore or actress, and Hippolyta finding some solace with the man by whom she had been rescued.

The relationship is quick to develop due to the novella length of the story, and days to weeks will pass without preamble or reveal. From declaration of marriage to threats against his new wife, Matthew Mortimer becomes Hippolyta’s hero, and the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and romantic without the use of over the top graphic text or imagery.

ONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT answers the question about what happened to Hippolyta following her escape from the Duke of Montgomery. Because of the length of the novella, the character development is lacking although some of Hipployta’s background and family history are revealed. I would have liked to know a little more about Matthew’s story and his travels. The epilogue fast forwards the story line one year. The premise is an entertaining and quick read that looks at mistaken beliefs, betrayal and revenge.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

___________________

Duke of SinDUKE OF SIN
(Maiden Lane #10)
by Elizabeth Hoyt
Genre: historical, romance

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About the book: Release Date May 31, 2016

A MAN OF SIN

Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.

A WOMAN OF HONOR

Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery’s household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.

A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH

Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can’t resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear .

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REVIEW: DUKE OF SIN is the tenth installment in Elizabeth Hoyt’s MAIDEN LANE historical romance series. This is Valentine (Val) Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, and his housekeeper Bridget Crumb’s story line. DUKE OF SIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. The Duke is the brother of Eve Dinwoody-Sweetest Scoundrel #9.

Told from several third person points of view DUKE OF SIN focuses on Val Napier-the Duke of Montgomery- a man despised and feared for his blackmailing threats and ability to make people disappear. Valentine is the villain; more of an antihero- a man who is dishonest, is disagreeable, and lacks integrity but a man who is strong and yet capable and skilled where and when is matters. His inventory of blackmail information is beyond the scope of most men.

Throughout the series Val has been ostracized from British society, and his return comes with threats of blackmail against the King and others. He is a self confident and powerful man with the ability to destroy lives and take down governments. While Val attempts to reintegrate through dark and dangerous means, our heroine searches, on behalf of the mother she barely knows, for incriminating evidence that the Duke has on her family. What ensues is a game of cat and mouse, push and pull as Bridget struggles to stay one step ahead of the Duke as she tries to uncover his secrets.

DUKE OF SIN is a story with colorful and animated characters. The Duke is spirited and exuberant while Bridget is intelligent and in control at all times. The premise reveals Bridget’s heartbreaking past, and Val’s abusive childhood-a sadistic father and a mother who despised the ground upon which he walked. The romance softens the rough edges of Valentine’s heart but he will always be a little bit naughty and devious.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

about the author

Elizabeth HoytElizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing “mesmerizing.” She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr. Hoyt.

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From Kiss to Queen by Janet Chapman – Review & Giveaway

From Kiss to Queen by Janet Chapman – Review & Giveaway

 

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From Kiss to QueenAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Jane Abbott knows that she’s nobody special, so instead of looking for romance she’s hunting partridge in the Maine woods when a plane crashes into a nearby pond. Diving in to save the pilot, Jane instinctively gives him air by way of a lifesaving kiss, and leads him to safety through a barrage of gunfire. 

The handsome stranger returns the favor by kidnapping her.

Clearly no ordinary man, and insisting Jane’s life is in danger, Mark spirits his stubborn guardian angel to an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean. Only then does she discover that the mysterious Mark is actually Prince Markov Lakeland. 

Soon to be crowned king of the young country of Shelikova, can Mark persuade Jane that she has what it takes to be his queen?

 

Review:

From Kiss to Queen by Janet Chapman is a standalone novel.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I decided to read Chapman’s new standalone book, which would take place for the most part in a small country in Europe.  All I can say after reading From Kiss to Queen is…Wow…I really enjoyed this book, and loved both Mark and Jane, our heroes. 

Jane Abbot lives in Maine, and was out hunting when she hears a crash and jumps into the lake to save the victim.  When she gives him a life saving kiss, Jane’s life will never be the same.   Jane helps Mark, who was trapped in his car, and together they must go on the run, as someone is hunting them.  Jane grew up in an orphanage, and is somewhat of a loner.  With Mark pushing her to safety, she is not sure how to take him, as he is a bit bossy.  Since Jane is independent, her and Mark seem to fight a lot.  When they travel to a place where there is a phone, Jane figures it’s time to say goodbye to Mark.

Everything changes here.  Mark refuses to leave Jane behind; since he knows whoever was trying to kill him will go after her to get to him.  Jane is not only independent, but she is very stubborn, not to mention a lack of self esteem.  She fights with everything she has against Mark, as they take a long trip to his home in Shelikova.  In between their disagreements, Mark manages to kiss her a few times, and Jane finds herself with feelings she never had before. 

What follows is a wonderful slow built romance, that will find Jane in a foreign country and the man she did not really know, was now the heir apparent to the throne in Shelikova.  Jane refuses to believe that Mark cares about her, especially since she feels she is nothing.    Her stubbornness was a bit annoying at times.  Poor Mark, finds himself at his wits end many times, but no matter what he is determined to win her over to be his Queen.  I loved his family; from his father, the King,; to his hilarious brothers, who were so much fun.   All of them have no idea how to handle Jane, who steps into situations that she feels is unjust, but they all quickly love her as their sister/daughter.  I love Mark and Jane together, and all the antics and even dangerous situations were fun.  Bravo to Janet Chapman, who has given us a wonderful, entertaining and charming romance that I strongly suggest you read. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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