Monthly Archives: October 2017

Forbidden Contact by M.A. Abraham – a Review

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Forbidden Contact by M.A. Abraham – a Review

 

Forbidden ContactAmazon / B&N / Kobo

Description:
Karia can barely stand to be around herself, never mind others. She has been confined to the Aerie, until after the birth of her child, but there are limits to what she can do to pass the time.

Mitchell understands, although there is little he can do about it. He doesn’t have the time to deal with her moods and needs.

Erin, remembers what it was like for her, when she had carried Karia, but the requirements of her position with the new inhabitants of Tantalus, due to Karia’s pregnancy, is taking up every moment she has to spare.

Only one, Alena, seems to know what to do to soothe her granddaughter as she enters the final stages of her pregnancy. She enters the room, sits by Karia’s chair and begins to speak: “Let me tell you of a very young Tantalarian girl, a handsome young Tantalarian Guardian and the love they shared.”

Review:

Forbidden Contact by M.A. Abraham is a novella from her Tantalus series. This story revolves around Michel and Karia as they await the birth of their child. With the soon arrival of humans from mars, Michel is sent to oversee the preparations for more food, and habitual caves.

Karia’s great grandmother and grandmother watch over her through the start of her contractions. To get her mind off of the pain, Alenia (great grandmother) tells her how she met her great grandfather, and the laws in those days that prevented them on acting on their feelings. When she became pregnant with Erin (grand mother), they were punished and separated. The laws were archaic, but the tribunal elder refused to listen, thereby causing much friction that would take decades to open doors.

When Erin gave birth to Karia in a similar way, only the fact that Karia was designated to belong to a high ranking Phoenix opened the way for things to slowly change.

To tell too much more, would be spoilers leading into the next full length novel. When the happy couple give birth, those changes will begin with a big, but nice twist. Forbidden Contact was a nice lighthearted story about the past and the changes that need to be made to bring the Tantalarians into modern times, as well as to be ready for the oncoming flux of humans. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

Halloween is MurderAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Beware of all that goes bump in the night…
 
Sean and Sara McKinley are excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a Halloween charity fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the reporter covering their story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about how she died, Sara’s curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the investigation through their PI firm.
 
But this case is not without its challenges. The police are actively investigating it, as well, and it’s not even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take a little cloak-and-dagger, dress-up, and finesse for the McKinleys to get to the bottom of it, but they aren’t the kind to give up.
 
As they troll for leads and work through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet, they unearth a few suspects, but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if they’re going to find her killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even be time for a little trick-or-treating.

 

Review:

Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold is the 11th book in her McKinley Mystery series.  Though this is the 11th book in this series , this was my first book and it read very well as a standalone. I have been reading Arnold’s other two series (Madison Knight and Brandon Fisher), which are both violent intense murder mysteries. When I decided to read this book, I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised, as this was a fun mystery with a great couple who lead this series.

Sean and Sara McKinley are our heroes, who are married private detectives. Halloween is Murder begins with Sean and Sara promoting their haunted house to a TV reporter, promoting that all the profits go to charity. When the television spot did not appear on the local channel that evening, they learned that the female reporter died. Though they should not get involved in an open police case, nothing keeps Sara and Sean from doing their own investigation.

What follows is a nice murder mystery with multiple possible suspects. What I really
liked about this story was that we did not have any stress, or intense moments, just a nice &  fun old fashion mystery. Sean and Sara were both fun to watch, as well as their team. Halloween is Murder was very well written, a fast read, great characters, and a fun mystery with a resolution that I did not see coming. Carolyn Arnold has given us a different type of murder mystery and I enjoyed it very much.. If you like mysteries that are light,  fun reads, you should give this one a try.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Stud Finder (1001 Dark Nights) by Lauren Blakely-Review and Excerpt Tour

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STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely-Review and Excerpt Tour

Stud Finder Banner

STUD FINDER
Big Rock World/ 1001 Dark Nights
by Lauren Blakely
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: September 26, 2017

Stud Finder

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 26, 2017

Man seeking woman: Hot, rich, smart, witty, self-made multimillionaire Internet genius seeks classy, intelligent, sexy, fun-loving woman who’s interested in settling down and sharing all the good things.

There. Best. Ad. Ever.

I will absolutely find the woman of my dreams, someone who’ll love me for me. Even if my sister thinks I need help dating, I’m confident I can pull this off, courtesy of the great worldwide web.
Let me just hit the upload button right now…
***
No. Just no. As a woman and a professional matchmaker, I can’t let Dylan Parker run this ad. He’s the catch of all catches. That’s why his sister has asked me to help her ridiculously good-looking, insanely rich, but socially clueless brother find a woman. As a broker of happily ever afters, I’m known as the Stud Finder since I make a great living pairing wildly successful women with men who won’t fleece them but will adore them. After all, what woman in her right mind wouldn’t fall in love with Dylan?

I mean, besides me. It totally won’t be me.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely is a stand alone, contemporary adult, romance story line set in the author’s Big Rock World, and latest installment in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights. This is business entrepreneur Dylan Parker, and matchmaker Evie’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dylan and Evie) STUD FINDER focuses on the search for a woman for Dylan Parker. Taking matters into his own hands, APP developer and successful businessman takes out an online ad to procure the perfect woman but finds himself inundated with messages from h*ll. Enter matchmaker Evie, his sister’s best friend, and the woman with whom he will fall in love. What ensues are Evie’s attempts to get to know Dylan, in the hopes of finding him someone to love.

STUD FINDER is a quick read ; a fun and sexy story of friends, family, flirty banter and falling in love. Several non-dates find our leading couple drawn to one another but Evie struggles with falling for a client-a client, for whom, she is contracted to find love. The premise is heartwarming; the characters are sassy and energetic; the romance is passionate and inspiring. STUD FINDER is a delight to read; a playful and encouraging story line with a happily ever after.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Stud Finder Teaser

Excerpt

The problem solver in me comes out in full force. I must show him the beauty of a made bed. “Come with me.” I grab the basket of mostly-eaten chips, dump the rest, return the salsa tubs to the counter for cleaning, and reach into my wallet to leave a generous tip in the jar.
He clasps his hand over mine, shaking his head. “My treat,” he says, his voice a soft, sexy whisper. I want to protest, to tell him I insist, but he curls his hand tighter, and I’m speechless.
His hand on mine sparks a wave of goosebumps on my arms, my body telling me I like his hands on me. I want more of his touch. I imagine how I’d feel if he ran his hand up my arm, to my shoulder, through my hair. A shudder races through me, and I do my best to tamp down my reaction to a suddenly overactive imagination.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice like a feather.
“You’re welcome.” His eyes never stray from mine, and for a sliver of time he holds my gaze by the counter at Mama une’s.
Then I wrestle my attention back to my plan. We leave, and fifteen minutes later, I stroll through the front doors of the Luxe Hotel. My friend Nate Harper is the CEO, and I’ve texted him for a quick favor. The concierge greets me and hands me a room key card. Dylan and I walk past the chichi sushi restaurant in the lobby, head to the elevator, and soon arrive at room 521. I slide the card in the door.
Dylan sets a hand on my arm. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
“No,” I say quickly. Too quickly. I’m not trying to seduce him at all.
I open the door, and a perfectly modulated blast of cool air greets us. We stroll across the navy carpet to a king-size bed perfectly appointed with a gorgeous white duvet and mountains of blue velvet pillows. I gesture to it, as if I’m a saleswoman, showing it off. “Tell me. Doesn’t this bed make you want to do everything on it?”
Then, to demonstrate my point, I fall back onto it, like a snow angel.
I prop myself on my elbows and meet his eyes. His green irises darken, and his lips part. He stares at me, and something shifts. The look in his eyes is no longer challenging. He’s not asking me to prove a point. His eyes are hungry. He stares as if he’s considering my question seriously, and I realize that maybe it does sound as if I’m trying to seduce him. I’ve pushed the limits here. I’m in a hotel room, trying to prove a point to a client, and in reality, my skirt is riding up my thighs, and I’m sprawled on a pristine, inviting bed.

 

 

About the author

Lauren BlakelyA #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In October she’ll release HARD WOOD, a sexy, standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

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The Wicked Billionaire (The Tate Brothers #2) by Jackie Ashenden-a review

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THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE (The Tate Brothers #2) by Jackie Ashenden-a review

The Wicked Billionaire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 3, 2017

The Tate Brothers were once orphans and they have been raised to do one thing only: protect what is theirs.

As a trained sniper and Navy SEAL, Lucas Tate found the courage to distance himself from the wealthy, wicked patriarch who adopted him. Instead, he’s devoted his life to the elite band of brothers from his unit. So when the widow of one of his former comrades finds herself in apparent danger, Lucas makes it his job to protect her against all enemies. . .and not let her out of his sights.

Grace Riley feels overwhelmed by Lucas’s presence, but the cold-eyed marksman will do anything to keep her safe. Soon the special attention he pays her becomes a wild romantic distraction―one that troubles Grace, since Lucas was so close to her deceased husband. Still, how can she resist Lucas’s intense, ice-blue stare? All she knows is that a life without strong, passionate Lucas is one not worth living. Can Lucas can find a way to honor his former brother-in-arms by saving Grace. . .and loving her, too?

••••••

REVIEW:  THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE is the second installment in Jackie Ashenden’s contemporary, adult THE TATE BROTHERS romantic, suspense series focusing on three foster brothers-Sullivan (Van), Wolf and Lucas Tate-as well as their foster sister Chloe Tate. This is Navy SEAL Lucas Tate, and artist/painter Grace Riley’s story line. THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary although I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and backstory. Some of the events of THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE run parallel to, and cross over with the events of book one-The Dangerous Billionaire.

SOME BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of their father Noah Tate’s death, Van, Wolf and Lucas Tate are called home from active duty to find themselves the recipients of three letters outlining what the future has in store-letters from the grave asking each son for a final favor. There is a dark history between father and sons, marred by secrets and lies, and a father ill-equipped to look after the family he chose to raise.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Grace and Lucas) THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE focuses on the protection of artist Grace Riley. Grace’s husband Griffin Riley died with a secret, and that secret has come back looking for the payout that never came to fruition. A former Navy SEAL and a member of Lucas Tate’s team, Griffin worked the darker side of the military and his untimely demise finds his widow on the receiving end of a series of threats against her life. Enter Lucas Tate, the man with whom Grace will fall in love, but a man whose heart and soul have been destroyed by the sins of his past. What ensues is the building relationship between Lucas and Grace, and the fall out when Lucas pushes away the only woman he has ever loved.

Lucas Tate is a man surrounded by the demons of his past; memories that refuse to rest or let go of guilt that continues to destroy our story line hero. Alone and separated from the brothers of his heart, Lucas is the epitome of a broken, alpha male who is unable to forgive or forget about the past. Grace Riley believes herself to be the ugly duckling; the ‘plain Jane’ whose talent and artistry are unacceptable-a belief reinforced by a father whose own career failed before it began.

The relationship between Grace and Lucas is fraught with mutual self-doubt reinforced by childhoods fraught with disapproval, humiliation and degrading remarks. Lucas doesn’t have a very high opinion of our story line heroine-an opinion that clouds his perception of the woman he believes to be ugly and plain. Basic social interactions are difficult with a man who isn’t willing to accept Grace for the woman she has become. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative.

THE WICKED BILLIONAIRE continues to focus on the Tate family dysfunctional dynamics-three brothers who struggle in the aftermath of their father’s death, and the directives each has been ordered to follow through until the end. The premise is heartbreaking and engaging; the characters are broken, colorful and charismatic; the romance struggles with one man’s belief is he incapable of love.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one-THE DANGEROUS BILLIONAIRE

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

About the Author

Jackie AshendenFOLLOW: Goodreads /Website / Twitter / Facebook

Jackie Ashenden lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr. Jax, and their two kids and two cats. When she’s not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.

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