Monthly Archives: January 2020

Walk Me Home by Liza Kendall – Review and Giveaway

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Walk Me Home by Liza Kendall – Review and Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Firefighter Jake Braddock is used to fixing things, and he’s never met a problem he couldn’t solve–except for his sweet ex-girlfriend Charlotte Nash.

Charlie Nash has been a big-city girl ever since her family made a clean break from their small town, after the tragedy that drove a wedge between Jake and her wealthy parents. She’s never gotten over abandoning Jake–and he hasn’t, either.

Then Charlie returns to Silverlake to stand as a bridesmaid opposite Jake in her cousin’s wedding. The event sparks awkwardness, laughter, and heartbreak as they dance to the tune of the craziest bride in the west…and repair broken family bonds.

Can their long-lost love find a second chance?

 

 

Review:

Walk Me Home by Liza Kendall is the 1st book in her new Silverlake Ranch novel.  We meet our heroine, Charlie Nash, who has just returned to Silverlake, Texas to be a bridesmaid for her cousin’s wedding.  Charlie and her family left Silverlake years before, after a tragic fire destroyed their home, and caused the death of her grandmother.

Jack Braddock, our hero, and a firefighter in town, is determined to avoid Charlie at any cost.   Jack and Charlie were teenage sweethearts, and have not seen each other since the day of the fire, which caused a rift between them when Jack was falsely accused of starting the fire.  Charlie, who was only 16 at the time, still has guilt at not defending him when her family accused Jack.  Forced to be around Jack, who is pushed to be a groom for the wedding, their relationship slowly rekindles, even though there are major obstacles along the way.  Can Jack forgive Charlie for not standing by him?  Can Charlie get past her guilt and her grandfather’s belligerent attitude towards Jack?

What follows besides the slow building of their romance are the major obstacles; the grandfather, was really nasty to Jack, and was determined to destroy his firefighting career.  Charlie tries to make him understand that Jack was innocent, but gets manipulated into hurting Jack and his follow firefighters, which pushes them apart.  But another fire will open eyes and hearts, and bring people together. 

The wedding is the backdrop of this story, especially involving many in town, since the bridezilla is driving everyone crazy.   I did love Jack and Charlie together and rooted for them to find a second chance at love.  I thought Kendall did a fabulous job in creating some wonderful secondary characters, whom I look forward to reading about in future books.

Walk Me Home is a heartwarming small-town romance that had many emotional moments.  It is a story that brings forth a rekindling of a romance that was destined to be, a family that needed to face the truth and forgive, and a town that comes together to help.  Liza Kendall gives us an emotional and sweet romance in a wonderful small town that l plan to continue to read.  I suggest you read Walk Me Home.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Liza Kendall’s publisher, Berkley, is offering a paper copy of WALK ME HOME  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from  January 9 to 13, 2020

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Code Name:Heist (Jameson Force Security) by Sawyer Bennett-Review tour

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Code Name:Heist (Jameson Force Security #3) by Sawyer Bennett-Review tour

CODE NAME: HEIST
Jameson Force Security #3
by Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: January 7, 2020
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 7, 2020

I am a world-class thief. Or I was, before I got pinched and landed in prison. After I served my time, I decided to get on the right side of the law, or as much as my job at Jameson Force Security allows. The lines sometimes blur, which suits me just fine. My name might be Saint, but I’m a devil to most.

My plan to go legitimate is going as anticipated, until my past and present collide in a big way. While in Paris preparing to take down a ring of highly specialized thieves, I come face-to-face with my biggest threat—and my most dangerous temptation.

Sindaria “Sin” Westin was the love of my life, until her betrayal landed me behind bars. Now I’ve got to find a way to trust her again, at least long enough to pull off this job. When it becomes clear the price for this heist will be our lives, I realize I need to do whatever it takes to keep Sin safe, even if it means trading my life for hers. Because no matter the lies I’ve told myself, Sin’s greatest theft was the day she stole my heart.

••••••••

REVIEW:CODE NAME: HEIST is the third instalment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult JAMESON FORCE SECURITY erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Jameson Force Security. This is former Marine/ thief Saint Bellinger, and art thief Sindaria ‘Sin’ Weston’s storyline. CODE NAME: HEIST can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary. The Jameson Force security series is a spin-off from the author’s WICKED HORSE VEGAS series, which in turn is a spin-off from her Wicked Horse Series. There is also a slight cross-over with the mention of the author’s Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Series, and Jameson Force Security agent Malik Fournier. You do not have to have read any of the previous series to follow or understand the current series.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Saint and Sin) CODE NAME: HEIST follows former Marine and new Jameson Force Security agent Saint Bellinger on his latest assignment in Paris, face to face with the woman who almost destroyed his life. Saint, a one-time thief, has been tasked with infiltrating a high end, organized art theft ring in Europe, a ring that now uses the woman who betrayed him, landing him in prison. Enter Sindaria ‘Sin’ Westin. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Saint and Sin, and the potential fall-out as Saint battles between head and heart in an effort to protect the woman he hasn’t stopped loving.

Several years earlier Saint was destroyed when Sin set him up in a robbery gone wrong, a robbery that landed Saint in prison for two years but Sin had her reasons, reasons of which, she hoped Saint would forgive. Sin Westin is a virtual prisoner; an indentured slave to a man who has threatened the people she loves. Hoping one final job would grant her her freedom, Sin and Saint are forced to work together on a job that was the biggest they would ever encounter.

The relationship between Sin and Saint is one of second chances; a rekindling romance between two people destroyed by betrayal, vengeance, and secrets. Saint had never stopped loving Sindaria Westin, and is willing to save her at any and all costs. The $ex scenes are passionate, steamy and hot.

Several of the Jameson Force Security team members play secondary and supporting roles but when one of their own goes missing on assignment the team struggles to find the man who was as close as a brother.

CODE NAME: HEIST is a story of second chances; of secrets and lies; of relationship and love. The premise is captivating and engaging; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are energetic, dynamic and charismatic. CODE NAME; HEIST is an intriguing and delightful addition to the Jameson Force Security.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Wicked Force-prequel
Code Name: Genesis
Code Name: Sentinel

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | INSTAGRAM

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the author

Her name was Sindaria, but I called her Sin. We laughed together over the yin and yang of our names.

She’d later become my lover.

Later still, she’d betray me and send me to prison.

••••••••

W I N a Code Name: Heist prize pack containing the following:

★ Ring Video Doorbell with HD video (venetian bronze)

★ Echo Dot (3rd Gen) smart speaker with Alexa

★ TaoTronics Bluetooth 5.0 wireless earbuds

★ Signed paperbacks of:

★ Wicked Force

★ Code Name: Genesis

★ Code Name: Sentinel

★ Code Name: Heist

E N T E R –>  HERE

Retail value approximately $200. Facebook not affiliated.

Code Name: Heist by Sawyer Bennett releases January 7! A second chance romantic suspense standalone, #preorder Code Name: Heist now:

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Gabriel’s Promise by Sylvain Reynard-Review & Giveaway

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Gabriel’s Promise (Gabriel’s Inferno 4) by Sylvain Reynard-Review & Giveaway 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 7, 2020

When Gabriel and Julia Emerson first lay eyes on their newborn daughter, Clare, they realize life as they know it will never be the same. Gabriel has vowed to be a good father when he suddenly receives an invitation to give a series of lectures in Edinburgh, Scotland–an opportunity of high prestige–but that would mean leaving his wife and newborn child in Boston. Hesitant to bring it up, he keeps the opportunity from Julia as long as he can, not knowing she has a secret of her own.

When a frightening situation arises that threatens to break their new family apart, both parents must make sacrifices. With the family in danger, the looming question remains: Will Gabriel pursue his lectureship in Edinburgh, leaving Julia and Clare unprotected in Boston, or will he abandon the chance of a lifetime in order to ensure his family’s safety?

•••••••••

REVIEW:GABRIEL’S PROMISE is the fourth instalment in Sylvain Reynard’s contemporary, adult GABRIEL’S INFERNO erotic, romance series focusing on Professor Gabriel Emerson, and his wife Julianne Emerson. GABRIEL’S PROMISE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there are a number of references to previous events that affect the current time line.

Told from third person perspective GABRIEL’S PROMISE picks up immediately after the events of book three GABRIEL’S REDEMPTION wherein our heroine, Julianne Emerson has given birth to their daughter Clare, a difficult birth of which Julia is slow to recover. Not wanting to put her PhD dissertation on hold, Julianne will struggle with the future of her studies when her husband is offered/wins a prestigious position overseas in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Meanwhile the Emerson family is being stalked. From the numerous appearances of an unmarked car to the mysterious break-in at their once-secure home, Gabriel Emerson battles between head and heart knowing to turn down the prestigious offer means destroying his career in the blink of an eye. But his family comes first, in all matters of the heart and our hero is willing to walk away from his career to protect the people he loves.

There is a large ensemble cast of dynamic and familiar secondary and supporting characters including colleagues, family, and friends-former or otherwise.

GABRIEL’S PROMISE is a story of family, love, vengeance and betrayal. Once again, there are numerous comparisons of, and references to Dante’s Inferno and the Divine Comedy, Purgatorio and Paradiso, as is to be expected from our leading couple, as well as the author Sylvain Reynard. The series, in part, focuses on the writings of Dante Alighieri, and references many examples applying the poetry to Gabriel’s life.

Someone is hoping to destroy the Emerson family but the list of potential suspects is convoluted and long. From both Julianne and Gabriel’s exes, to the jealousy of colleagues and former friends, threats to Gabriel, Julianne and their daughter Clare force Gabriel to take drastic measures to protect the woman and child he loves. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is energetic and hot; the characters are numerous, colorful and energetic.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow Sylvain: Goodreads / Website /Facebook / Twitter

My New York Times Best Selling Gabriel Series has been acquired by Passionflix. “Gabriel’s Inferno” is currently filming and the cast has been announced. You can read the most recent update and learn how to sign up for Passionflix here: http://sylvainreynard.com/film-series…

And you can view a video clip here:

Introducing Gabriel, played by Giulio Berruti, and Julia, played by Melanie Zanetti #GabrielsInfernoMovie pic.twitter.com/q5vcQ0VMg0

— Passionflix (@PassionFlix) November 5, 2019

Recently, Huffington Post Books ranked “Gabriel’s Inferno” as the best teacher/student romance novel.

I am honoured to have had my novels appear on the New York Times and USAToday Bestseller lists.

I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. “Gabriel’s Inferno” was a Semifinalist for Best Romance in 2011 and “Gabriel’s Rapture” was a Finalist for Best Romance in 2012, in the Goodreads Choice Awards, as well. The final novel in The Gabriel Series, “Gabriel’s Redemption,” debuted at #6 on the New York Times Bestseller list. It was a Finalist for a 2014 Goodreads Choice Award as Best Romance.

I’m interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition – particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.

I’m also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, food, drink, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House.

The Reading Cafe and Berkley Romance are offering a paper copy of GABRIEL’S PROMISE by Sylvain Reynard to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE Sylvain Reynard on Facebook

4. Please LIKE Berkley romance on Facebook

5. Please LIKE The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. LIKE The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.

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8. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

9. Giveaway open to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from January 8-12, 2020

 

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Release by Aly Martinez-Review & Excerpt tour

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RELEASE by Aly Martinez-Review & Excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK; Release Date January 5, 2020

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.
At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.
By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?
But for Ramsey, it did.
Love failed him.
I failed him.
The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on, he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.
Start a new life, he urged.
I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don’t even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.

•••••••••

REVIEW:RELEASE by Aly Martinez is a contemporary adult, stand alone, erotic romance story line focusing on best friends Ramsey Stewart and Thea Hull.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the subject matter, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Ramsey and Thea) following two time lines RELEASE focuses on the childhood friendship, and adult relationship between Ramsey Stewart and Thea Hull. Thea’s mother died when our heroine was ten years old, and she found herself in an acrimonious and acerbic friendship with the new boy in town but their childhood friendship grew into a teenage love affair that would bear witness to trauma, drama and the imprisonment of our story line hero for protecting the woman with whom he had fallen in love. Fast forward to present day, wherein a now thirty-year old Ramsey Stewart, having served twelve years for killing a man, finds himself face to face with the woman he blames for destroying his life. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Thea and Ramsey, as our couple must come to terms with what happened and why.

Ramsey Stewart’s home life was less than ideal. When his mother left without looking back, Ramsey and his sister Nora struggled in the face of abuse from their alcoholic father. Thea was a safe haven for Ramsey and Nora but not all was well in Thea’s life following the death of her mother, and the neglect of her father who struggled with the incredible grief. Years as friends developed into a teenage love affair but all was destroyed in the blink of an eye, one night that ruined four lives, sending Ramsey to prison, leaving Thea and Nora struggling to move forward.

The relationship between Thea and Ramsey is a childhood friends to lovers/ rekindling romance. Ramsey’s release from prison found Thea facing a man she barely recognized, a man who despised a world where Thea now lived. Thea, hoping to rekindle their relationship must take baby steps in her seduction of the man she hasn’t stopped loving for most of her life. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters include Ramsey’s sister Nora, their father, as well as Thea’s father Joe Hull.

RELEASE is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and revenge; a story of power and abuse; of trauma and recovery. The premise is heart breaking and emotional; the romance is seductive and sensitive; the characters are dynamic, captivating , broken yet strong. I am hoping for Nora to get her own story.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers 18+ due to strong language and text.

 

It was funny. I’d spent almost half my life surrounded by the biggest, baddest criminals the state of Georgia had been able to capture. Yet, I was terrified of a five-foot-five woman who for some asinine reason was still in love with me.
I couldn’t be around her. Not if I wanted to keep my head straight and my eye on the prize. I had three years before I got off parole. I needed to get a job, tuck away some cash, and, the second I was allowed to leave Georgia, get the hell out of there. Maybe, if I was lucky, I’d be able to convince my sister to come with me. We didn’t have to go far. We could stay in the south if she wanted. South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee—there were schools everywhere. Nora wouldn’t have trouble finding a job. The hardest part would be convincing her to leave Thea.
However, maybe if she did, Thea would finally move on with her life and stop obsessing about me.
I’d known they lived together for a while. I didn’t want anything to do with Thea while I was locked up, but I was happy as hell Nora had someone to lean on. I had been under the impression that Nora had gotten her own place when she found out about my release. I had been under that impression because Nora had straight-up told me she was getting her own place after I’d declared there was no way I was living with Thea.
Now, I was hiding in my room, waiting for Nora to wake up, open my door, and escort me to breakfast like a damn bodyguard so I could avoid confrontation.
Next up in my efforts to kill time was a workout. Sit ups, push-ups, planks, running in place. This was when I realized Nora hadn’t bought me any deodorant.
Another shower.
Another naked lap around the bedroom, and this time, I managed to keep my hands off my cock.
Finally, I got dressed. This required me to pick through a bunch of preppy shit Nora had bought for me to find tattered jeans and a fitted green tee that clung to my chest like a damn glove. In my closet, I found a belt and a pair of distressed brown lace-up boots that maybe could have doubled as combat boots if the war was taking place on a runway. But what the hell did I know about style? I’d been wearing orange or puke beige for almost half my life.
When I was done with all of that and there was still no sign of Nora, I sat on the edge of the bed and decided to give the phone thing a try. I wasn’t totally out of the technology loop. We had computers at the library and we were allowed to use them if we earned the privileges. But they might as well have been dinosaurs compared to the phone she’d bought me. I couldn’t even get it to read my face with the fancy secret laser thing. I gave up trying pretty quickly.
So there I was, bored out of my mind, starving, and poking at my newfound wrinkles in the bathroom mirror, when I heard a knock at my door.
“Ramsey?”
I froze, my eyes locked on the mirror, panic staring back at me.
Thea.
Jesus. I needed to find somewhere else to live.
Leaning out of the bathroom, I stared at the door. If I was super quiet, maybe she’d think I was still asleep and go the hell away.
When I didn’t reply, she knocked again. Her voice was timid and sweet, not at all like the fearless girl I’d grown up with. I hated it.
“Ramsey? You hungry? I’m making breakfast? I was wondering if you wanted something?” Everything from my name to the fact that she was making breakfast was a question, as if maybe she was asking permission to cook in her own house.
My stomach was currently feasting on my backbone. Still, I said nothing.
She sighed. “Okay. Well, if you change your—” There were several seconds of silence.
I quirked my eyebrow at the door, trying to figure out why she’d abruptly stopped talking, and then cursed my inability to develop x-ray vision.
I held my breath, hoping to hear her footsteps as she walked away.
No. Such. Fucking. Luck.
The door swung open and she came walking inside with her hands stacked over her eyes. “Look, I know you’re awake. I heard you running earlier. I also heard you take at least three showers. Sorry, but the house isn’t that big. Neither is the hot water heater. Are you at least dressed so I can open my eyes?”
Brave. Unapologetic. And completely oblivious to boundaries. Now that was the Thea I knew.
“Get out,” I barked.
“Dressed? Not dressed? Help me out here?”
“Get. Out.”
She kept her eyes closed. “You gotta eat, Ramsey. You can’t stay locked up in this room forever.”
I wanted to tell her to get the hell out again. Honestly, it was on the tip of my tongue. But it never made it past my lips because my traitorous eyes stole a head-to-toe of her lithe body. She was barefoot, wearing jeans—tight ones that tapered at her ankle. They looked like mine in the sense that they had a rip in the knee. They didn’t look like mine in the sense that they hugged the curve of her hips and more than likely her ass too. A pink tank top stretched across her chest, and I swear on my life, fuck x-ray vision because I could see the pebble of her nipples beneath the fabric.
It wasn’t a ridiculous dress.
It wasn’t stupid fucking heels.
She wasn’t wearing a face full of clown makeup.
She was just Thea.
The nostalgia pumped through my veins like acid even as my cock stirred. Fuck, I should have jerked off again in the shower.
“I’m dressed,” I bit out, desperate for her to put her damn hands down and maybe use them to cover her tits instead.
Her long, brown lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Those fucking eyes had once owned me. As a huge smile lit her face, I felt the claim all over again.
“Oh, look, you chose one of the outfits I picked out for you.”
Of course I had. Of fucking course. As soon as I got her out of my room, I was going to take the outfit off and light it on fire. 


 

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

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Website  | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon

 

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The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Forty years ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, “The Incident” occurred: an explosion in the cave system that released unknown gases, causing peculiar effects on its residents, such as strange visions and ominous voices. Not wanting the government to get involved, they chalked it up to the hallucinogenic effects of mushrooms. Little did they know these effects would linger through the generations….

Residents Catalina Lark and Olivia Dayton have been best friends for years and own an investigation firm together, using what they call the “other sight” to help with their business. When Olivia goes missing, Cat frantically begins the search for her alone when the town does nothing about it. When scientist Slate Trevelyan shows up, she has no choice but to accept his help even though there’s something about him she just can’t trust. The duo discovers someone is hunting the two witnesses of a murder in Fogg Lake fourteen years ago—the very one Cat and Olivia witnessed as teens, one that they couldn’t prove happened. Cat and Slate’s search for Olivia takes them down a rabbit hole that is far more dangerous and mysterious than they ever expected, and with a killer in their midst, neither of them can foresee who will come out alive.

Review:

The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz is the 1st book in her new Fogg Lake series.  The story begins around 40 years ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, when an explosion caused various effects on many of the residents; such as visions, auras and other paranormal things.  The community kept to itself, not revealing anything about those strange effects; leaving the town bare of updated mechanics, such as wifi, computers, cell phones, as the dense fog blocked those signals.  

We pick up with Catalina Lark and Olivia Dayton, best friends who grew up in Fogg Lake, and now work together in Seattle running a private investigative firm; both have the sight, and use those abilities to help in their line of work.  Both Cat and Olivia were involved years before, as teenagers, in an incident in one the caves in Fogg Lake, where they witnessed a murder, and managed to escape the murderer by going deep into the strange vibes of the cave. The town convinced them that they had been hallucinating due to the gases in the cave and the matter was dropped.

Now in present time, Cat is worried, as Olivia has disappeared. Enter Slater Arganbright, who is the nephew of the head of The Foundation, which monitors supernatural things.  Slater is a scientist, and also has unique and similar abilities as Cat.  She wants nothing to do with the Arganbrights, as they caused her grief in her business, but desperate for help finding Olivia, she agrees to team up with Slater.  They come to the conclusion that someone from the past, specifically the murderer from the incident years before, who is looking for both Olivia and Cat.  This will lead them back to Fogg Lake, as they race against time to find Olivia, and discover who and what in the past is hell bent on destroying them.  They will discover that there are dangerous things in the caves, that involve government experiments.

What follows is an exciting and intense adventure, with Slater and Cat working very well together.  It was nice to see a romance slowly build over their time together;  I really liked both Cat and Slater.  To tell too much more would be spoilers.  The Vanishing is a fast-paced suspenseful mystery thriller, with supernatural elements that add to the storyline.   Jayne Ann Krentz once again gives us a great start to a new trilogy, which I look forward to reading the next book.  If you enjoy suspense mysteries, great couple and a dose of supernatural, you need to read this new series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 


 

Chapter 5

By the time Catalina reached the lobby of the office building that housed Lark & LeClair, she was a little winded, tense with anger and vibrating with anxiety.
Daniel was already behind his desk. He took one look at her when she came through the door and got to his feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Has there been any word from Olivia?”
“No.” Daniel frowned. “Should there be some word from her?”
Catalina glanced at the clock. “In another five minutes she’ll be late. She’s never late.”
Daniel raised his brows. “The hot date, remember? She’s probably having a late breakfast with Mr. Perfect.”
“Probably,” Catalina said.
Daniel exhaled slowly. “You think something’s wrong, don’t you?”
“Olivia knows I would be worried about her by now,” Catalina said. “She should have checked in. She’s not answering her phone. I’m going to call Ferris.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Daniel said.
“I can apologize later.”
Emerson Ferris answered on the fourth ring. He sounded groggy; maybe hungover. Maybe angry. Whatever the case, it was clear from his first words that he was not in a good mood—certainly not in the mood one would expect from a man who had spent the night with a lover.
“No, Olivia isn’t here,” he growled. “Who the hell is this?”
“Catalina Lark, her friend and business partner. We’ve met a few times, remember?”
“Oh, yeah, I remember you. Well, you can tell your friend and business partner that I got the message. But, shit, she could have texted me to say it’s over. She didn’t have to ghost me. I spent half the day on that meal and she didn’t even bother to let me know that she wasn’t going to make it. I thought she cared. I was so wrong about her.”
Catalina stopped breathing. She clutched the phone so tightly it was a wonder the device didn’t shatter.
“Are you saying Olivia didn’t show up at all last night?” she whispered.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” Emerson paused. “Why? Do you know something I don’t know?”
“No,” Catalina said. “I don’t, and that’s got me scared half to death.”
“What the hell?” Sudden alarm erased the growl in Emerson’s voice. “Where’s Olivia?”
“I have no idea,” Catalina said. “Why do you think I called you? I’m going to hang up now and make some other phone calls.”
“Holy shit, do you mean you’re going to start calling the hospitals? Do you really think something happened to her?”
“I just told you, I don’t know,” Catalina said. “But something is very wrong. I’ve got to go now. Give me your word that you’ll call me if you hear from her.”
“Yeah, sure.” Emerson’s voice sharpened. “I’ll get in touch right away. What about her car? Is it gone?”
“Her car is still in the apartment garage. She said she was going to use a ride-hailing app to go to your place.”
“Maybe the car service can tell you when they picked her up and where they took her.”
“Trust me, I’m going to start there.”
“Let me know what you find out, okay? Call me immediately. Now you’ve got me worried, too.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Catalina said.
She hung up the phone and looked at Daniel. “Olivia never showed up at Emerson Ferris’s condo.”
Daniel reached for his own phone.
“I’ll call the hospitals,” he said. “You deal with the ride-hailing company.”
Twenty minutes later they both put down their phones. Catalina had to fight to suppress the raw panic that was eating her up inside.
“The car service guy says Olivia canceled the pickup,” she managed, trying to maintain a semblance of calm. “I called all of her other friends. No one saw her last night.”
“The hospitals have no record of admitting anyone by that name,” Daniel reported. “What in the world is going on? It’s not like Olivia to just up and vanish.”
“No, it’s not,” Catalina said. She grabbed her coat and handbag and headed for the door. “You stay here and start going through the morning news reports. You’re looking for anything that happened in the Seattle downtown area last night. Car accidents. Fires. Shootings. Robberies. Kidnappings. Anything.”

 

 

Jayne Ann’s Publisher, Berkley is offering a hardcover copy of THE VANISHING  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from January 7-11, 2020

 

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Demon Bound by Chris Cannon-Review & Giveaway Tour

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Demon Bound (Crossroads Chronicles #1) by Chris Cannon-Review & Giveaway Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play /iTunes/goodreads-badge-add-38px

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 6, 2020

When a summoning goes awry, suddenly booknerd Meena’s summer job becomes something drastically different. Instead of cleaning eccentric Carol’s house, she’s bound to a demon as his soul-collector. Soon Meena discovers that the boring, pageant-obsessed, bonfire-loving town that she’s never fit in to is a hotbed for soul-sucking demons, demon-hunting witches, and vampires who just wanna have fun… And then she comes into her own powers.

Could things get any stranger? Good thing she meets new guy Jake—who gets her and still hangs around.

When Jake’s mom sends him off to his Aunt Zelda’s for the summer, he thought he’d be bored. But nothing is what it seems in this town. His aunt isn’t just odd, she’s a witch who fights demons and tries to maintain the magical balance of the town. Jake should get the hell out of there and, he would leave, except for bad-ass newbie witch Meena, who looks at him like he matters.

He never counted on sticking around, but Meena’s bound to a demon who wants to destroy her soul—and Jake’s finally found someone worth fighting for.

•••••••

REVIEW:Not my usual read (A Young Adult book) but the backcover sounded really interesting.

It’s time to get a summer job, (books aren’t cheap, and Meena is a avid reader) but seventeen year old Meena doesn’t like or do hairnets, so it’s a cleaning job. And lucky her, the crazy lady (or Wacky Winslow as she’s called) in the town is wanting help….. Only Meena gets more than she bargains for.

Carol (Meena’s new boss) tries summoning a minor demon and gets not a minor demon, but the big man (demon) a soul collector, and now he has Carol working for him, and as Meena works for Carol, she also now works for the Demon Bane. And the big surprise, the town is full of people who made a promise to the Demon for more time to enjoy the life they had always wanted.

They’ve signed over their souls, well their time period is up, and now the Demon is collecting payment. Well actually Meena is now.

Jake is expecting a quiet visit to his aunts, what he got was a whole lot of action and adventure. And the unwanted attention of a vampire, (she wants to turn him, and keep him with her forever!!) the only bit of this town he likes is Meena, he should just leave and not come back, but he can’t, and the reason he thinks is Meena.

There are vampires, Demons and all manner of things that go bump in the night, and they all live in the town.

We have a vampire that wants Jake for her own. We have people trying to get out of the bargains they made with the Demon. And that’s where Meena comes into it, (at the moment Meena is just an errand runner, will that change?)

And Meena is now on their radar. Is she in danger, you bet she is (as a messenger to the Demon, the souls that need collecting will try to kill her to escape or give themselves more time)

Is Meena feeling guilty for taking people away? (You’ll have to read to find out) It’s really well written, descriptive and the attention to detail is really good. I feel there will be more to Bane and Meena as the series continues. And I felt the attraction between Meena and Jake could have been a little more decisive. And the female Vampire that’s after Jake…. will it alter how he feels about Meena, and will she get her fangs into Jake?
But give it a go and decide for yourself.

? Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review

Chris Cannon is the award-winning author of the Going Down In Flames series, the Boyfriend Chronicles, and the Dating Dilemma series. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts.

She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures or romantic comedies. You can find her online at www.chriscannonauthor.com.

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Moral Compass by Danielle Steel – a Review

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Moral Compass by Danielle Steel – a Review

 

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Description:
Saint Ambrose Prep is a place where the wealthy send their children for the best possible education, with teachers and administrators from the Ivy League, and graduates who become future lawyers, politicians, filmmakers, and CEOs. Traditionally a boys-only school, Saint Ambrose has just enrolled one hundred and forty female students for the first time. Even though most of the kids on the campus have all the privilege in the world, some are struggling, wounded by their parents’ bitter divorces, dealing with insecurity and loneliness. In such a heightened environment, even the smallest spark can become a raging fire.

One day after the school’s annual Halloween event, a student lies in the hospital, her system poisoned by dangerous levels of alcohol. Everyone in this sheltered community—parents, teachers, students, police, and the media—are left trying to figure out what actually happened. Only the handful of students who were there when she was attacked truly know the answers and they have vowed to keep one another’s secrets. As details from the evening emerge, powerful families are forced to hire attorneys and less powerful families watch helplessly. Parents’ marriages are jeopardized, and students’ futures are impacted. No one at Saint Ambrose can escape the fallout of a life-altering event.

In this compelling novel, Danielle Steel illuminates the dark side of one drunken night, with its tragic consequences, from every possible point of view. As the drama unfolds, the characters will reach a crossroads where they must choose between truth and lies, between what is easy and what is right, and find the moral compass they will need for the rest of their lives.

 

 

Review:

Moral Compass by Danielle Steel is another one of her wonderful emotional standalone novels.  The above description is perfect to lead into this storyline. ‘Saint Ambrose Prep is a place where the wealthy send their children for the best possible education, with teachers and administrators from the Ivy League, and graduates who become future lawyers, politicians, filmmakers, and CEOs. Traditionally a boys-only school, Saint Ambrose has just enrolled one hundred and forty female students for the first time.’

We get to meet many of the staff, as well as the students (boys) returning after summer vacation.  We learn about the wealthy parents, and the students who stood out.  We also meet Vivienne, an 18-year-old senior, who misses her friends, as she has moved from Los Angeles to New York and is enrolled in Saint Ambrose Prep.  Vivienne is pretty, smart and slowly makes friends with a few of the girls, but finds herself becoming friends with two of the most popular senior boys, Chase and Jamie. 

One evening after Halloween, Vivienne is walking and comes upon the boys drinking Tequila.  Both Jamie and Chase invite her to join them. They all become drunk on the Tequila, including Vivienne, who becomes under the influence of alcohol poisoning.   Chase and Jamie are best friends, and both like Vivienne, and soon a fight occurs; while the fight is going on, one of the other boys takes advantage of the inebriated girl and rapes her.  The other boys are shocked, not to mention drunk, and though they pull the boy away, they make the mistake of covering it up and leaving the girl unconscious (from the Tequila poisoning).

What follows is a criminal investigation, as we watch two cops on the case, use forensic evidence to discover the boys involved in the drinking, and the rapist.   We get to see the procedures, as well as the charges against the boys, and the families coming forth to protect their sons.   Vivienne does recover, and also keeps quiet, as she feels only one person was guilty and did not want them to go to jail and ruin their lives.  As things continue to unfold, I did like when two of the boys decide to go past their parent’s decision and tell the truth, which brings most of the others to do the same, with the exception of the rapist.

Moral Compass is a very compelling story that was very well written by Danielle Steel, and covers moral topics such as underage drinking, sexual assault, and things that change the course of the lives of so many innocents.   There were a lot of interesting characters throughout, such as the parents of the boys (some good and some belligerent), Vivienne; the school teachers and management, and the two investigators, who were very good.   Moral Compass was a very good story, which I suggest you read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Conquer the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

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Conquer the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 10, 2019

As allegiances shift and new powers align for Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity, one immortal defender knows the sweep of change brings danger—and possibility . . .

On the edge of the Mojave desert, out of the lights of Las Vegas, even a werewolf can expect a share of peace and solitude. For Ulric, the last surviving member of a pack hunted through centuries, it’s one of few places he’s willing to drop his guard. Until he spots Brigette, a beautiful wolf-woman he thought dead long ago. When he gives chase, he loses her—and discovers he’s being followed himself.

His pursuer is a zephyr sprite, Rainn, on the trail of a frightening prophecy she can’t predict or understand. All she knows is that Ulric is at its center. If he’s determined to find Brigette, she’ll do what she must to keep him with her.

When the search leads them to a place where Ulric’s ghosts and Rainn’s portents intertwine, a lurking evil waits to swallow them both. But as they fight for survival, their need for each other will become impossible to deny .

•••••••••

REVIEW:CONQUER THE DARKNESS is the fifteenth instalment in Alexandra Ivy’s contemporary, adult GUARDIANS OF ETERNITY paranormal / fantasy romance series. This is werewolf and casino operator Ulric, and zephyr sprite Rainn’s story line. CONQUER THE DARKNESS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives including Ulric, Rainn, Brigette and Levet CONQUER THE DARKNESS follows Ulric as he comes face to face with his past, a past he believed had been destroyed by Anasso hundreds of years before. With the return of his cousin Brigette, Ulric had hoped that perhaps more of his family had survived the destruction but not everything was as it appeared to be. Rainn suspected something wasn’t right with the return of Ulric’s cousin Brigette, and in an effort to protect the man with whom she would fall in love, Rainn played guardian and protector when Ulric headed to Europe in an effort to reconnect with his long lost cousin. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Rainn and Ulric, as our couple come face to face with an evil that is hoping to finish what was started years before.

Rainn is a zephyr sprite who has been fated by birth to do the Oracles’ bidding , and their bidding included destroying the evil that demands control of the world but Rainn and Ulric find themselves struggling to survive as the evil has taken control of the woman Ulric was hoping to find, an evil that has plans for our story line hero.

Meanwhile, Levet the gargoyle has stowed away on Ulric and Rainn’s flight to Ireland, where he will be tasked with locating an ancient book that will hopefully explain about the evil that is about to engulf the world.

The relationship between Rainn and Ulric is a friends/employees to lovers relationship wherein Ulric reveals, while on their search for Brigette, that Rainn is his mate but Rainn struggles with the task at hand, and refuses to accept that Ulric is her happily ever after. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including gargoyle Levet and ogress / mermaid Inga and her assistant Troy, vampires Chiron, Javad, Tarik and his mate Waverly ; Cyn, the clan chief of Ireland and his mate Fallon, Ulric’s cousin Brigette, and a powerful demon known as Zella. WE are introduced to Chaaya, a woman who calls herself the gatekeeper, but a woman who will find her place amongst the Guardians back home.

CONQUER THE DARKNESS is a story of betrayal and vengeance; of power and control; of fate and happiness. The premise is entertaining and imaginative; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are energetic and spirited.

Previous Reviews (this a list of books we have reviewed at The Reading Cafe. We have read most if not all of the books in the series but have not posted a review !)

When Darkness Comes
Embrace the Darkness
Darkness Everlasting
Darkness Revealed
Darkness Unleashed
Beyond the Darkness
Devoured by Darkness
Taken by Darkness
Darkness Eternal
Bound by Darkness
Where Darkness Lives
Fear The Darkness
Darkness Avenged
Darkness Eternal
Hunt the Darkness
A Very Levet Christmas
When Darkness Ends
Darkness Returns
Beware the Darkness

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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