Monthly Archives: March 2020

Lethal Game (Ghostwalkers #16) by Christine Feehan-Review & Giveaway

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Lethal Game (Ghostwalkers #16) by Christine Feehan-Review , Excerpt & Giveaway

LETHAL GAME
Ghostwalkers #16
by Christine Feehan
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic, paranormal, suspense

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 3, 2020

When Malichai Fortunes attacks a problem, he does it full force–a habit that earns the GhostWalker a painful injury and a forced vacation in San Diego, California. With nothing but physical therapy on the horizon, Malichai is starting to get restless…until a striking blue-eyed blonde makes all his senses come alive.

Amaryllis is kind and warm and sees beyond Malichai’s rough exterior, but he can tell there’s something she’s hiding. Her innate healing abilities indicate she might be a GhostWalker–albeit an untrained one. Malichai doesn’t think their crossing paths is anything more than coincidence, but he can sense that one wrong word could send Amaryllis running.

When strange events at his temporary retreat put Malichai on high alert, he knows he won’t be able to deal with the threat and keep his woman safe in his weakened state. But calling in his brothers means telling Amaryllis what he really is, and revealing that he knows the truth about her too..

••••••••

REVIEW:LETHAL GAME is the sixteenth instalment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary, adult GHOSTWALKERS erotic, paranormal romantic suspense series focusing on an elite group (4 teams) of enhanced men and women known as the Ghostwalkers (GW). These ‘super soldiers’ were once part of an unauthorized government experiment performed by Dr. Peter Whitney but several soldiers have, since, opted into the program on their own. This is US Air Force pararescue medic Malachai Fortunes, and B&B employee Amaryllis’ story line. LETHAL GAME can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion.

Told from several third person perspectives including Malachai and Amaryllis LETHAL GAME follows in the aftermath of a rescue that went horribly wrong. Shot several times while trying to rescue a number of American soldiers injured and caught behind enemy lines in Afghanistan, Malachai Fortunes would use a second-generation ‘zenith’ patch to stop the bleeding before seeking medical help but Malachai would quickly discover that not all was going according to plan when a forced leave would reveal the continuing deterioration of his injured leg. Meeting Amaryllis, at a B&B in San Diego, California found our hero instantly attracted to a woman who was obviously part of Whitney’s orphan’s experiment. What ensues is the quick building relationship between Malachai and Amaryllis; the discovery of a home-grown terrorist plot; and the on-going breakdown of Malachai’s leg.

The relationship between Malachai and Amaryllis is one of immediate attraction but Amaryllis knows to reveal the truth could mean imminent death if anyone were to find out our heroine had enhanced, super powers. A psychic healer injected with several animal and insect DNA, Amaryllis knows it is only a matter of time before Dr. Peter Whitney discovers her whereabouts, and forces her into his breeding program. Malachai Fortunes knows Amaryllis is a Ghostwalker and his mate, and is immediately drawn to the feisty female but Amaryllis is reluctant to reveal her true powers, lest Malachai is a member of Whitney’s extraction team. The $ex scenes are limited but intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large familiar and colorful cast of secondary and supporting characters including several Ghostwalkers from the other three Teams. Ken and Jack Norton make a cameo appearance; most of Malachai’s team and their significant others (Diego Campo, Ezekiel Fortunes, Gino Mazza, Team leader Joe Spagnola and Mordichai Fortunes, Draden Freeman, Trap Dawkins, Rubin Campo and Wyatt Fontenot) join our couple to take down a government led home-grown terrorist attack, as well as the return of Dr. Trap Dawkins and his mate Cayenne. Christine Feehan continues to address Trap’s behaviour by way of Asperger’s syndrome, found on the high end of the autism spectrum, an address meant to assuage the character’s deplorable behaviour in Spider Game (book 12).

LETHAL GAME is a bit of a departure from Christine Feehan’s recent style of writing in that the detailed, graphic violence, or mention of abuse and torture, are limited especially as it pertains to women and children. Our hero is not a manipulative, controlling, oppressive alpha male like many of the author’s more recent leading male characters but he is desperate to protect the woman with whom he has fallen in love.

I would also like to address the similarities between the author’s Dark Carpathians and the Ghostwalkers as it pertains to the ‘healer’s in both of her series. From the ability to ‘see’ into the body, and heal by psychic energy, alongside one or more additional healers is very reminiscent of the Dark Series, and their ability to heal. The descriptions and graphic details regarding the psychic surgery are familiar and comparable, almost parallel to the earlier works in the Dark series.

LETHAL GAME is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love; a story of power and control; of fate and love. The premise is engaging, entertaining and intriguing; the characters are energetic, dynamic and courageous; the romance is emotional and captivating.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Malichai made his way to the dining room. A prickle of awareness crept down his spine and his gaze swept the nearly empty room. One other person sat by herself at a table in the corner. She was reading a book—a romance—and he smirked when he saw it. She was a gorgeous woman and he tried not to stare at her. She was a blonde, but her hair was so thick, he doubted if the color could be natural. Most blondes just had finer or thinner hair than that. He must have been looking too closely because she glanced up. He could tell that first glance was simple idle curiosity but then she stiffened, and her gaze wholly focused on him.
Her eyes were gorgeous, a startling blue, like jewels. So deep blue they were almost certainly contacts. She glanced back down at her book, but he could tell she wasn’t reading it anymore. He’d probably scared her. He wasn’t like some of his fellow GhostWalkers, who seemed to walk into a room and have half the female population enthralled—and that had nothing to do with their enhancements and everything to do with their good looks, charisma, or both, none of which he had.
The breakfast was set up buffet style with a long row of warmers laid out on a table. He would have his back to the room when he served himself food, but he seemed to be the last man to breakfast. The moment he’d walked in he became uneasy, but no one was there but the two of them—the blonde and him. Was the threat coming from her? Was it even a threat? He was on vacation. Didn’t that mean there was no threat? Hell if he knew.
He dished himself food, standing sideways to keep her in sight. Her gaze jumped to him and she lowered the book partway, both feet coming to the floor, when she’d been relaxed, one leg curled up under her. He sent her a cocky grin.
“See you’re readin’ my favorite book.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You have no idea what I’m reading.”
He was an enhanced GhostWalker with the very sharp eyes of an eagle. “It’s a romance titled Toxic Game.” He hoped he didn’t have to describe what the book was about because he didn’t have a clue.
She glanced down at the book as if she couldn’t believe he knew the title. When she looked back up at him, his heart went a little crazy. The sun hit her just right, turning her blond hair into a waterfall of ice and gold sparkles. The strands actually dazzled his eyes for a moment, so that he lost sight of her. Her image blurred. He could only see that amazing, overpowering shine.
He blinked to bring her into focus. When he managed to get her back in his sight, he found himself staring into her vivid jeweled eyes, eyes blazing blue flames at him.
“You do not read romance books.” Her chin went up. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to read about men who believe in monogamy. I doubt you’d know anything about that.”
He took a chair facing her and drank his coffee slowly, studying her furious little face. She was beautiful all riled up. His heart was going a little crazy and all at once he felt very much alive. Maybe this vacation thing wasn’t going to be so bad.
“What makes you think that? If I read romances, clearly I like happy endings and I prefer books where men and women are faithful to one another.” It was all about thinking fast on one’s feet. Any GhostWalker should be excellent at that.
“I think you’re so full of—” she broke off as a woman came into the doorway, clearly agitated, so much so that she seemed to completely miss that Malichai was even in the room.


 

Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 70 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, Ghostwalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series and Torpedo Ink. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.

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The Reading Cafe is offering a paper copy of LETHAL GAME to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway open to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from March 3-7, 2020

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Crowne of Lies by CD Reiss-Review Tour

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Crowne of Lies by CD Reiss-Review & Excerpt Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /B&N Paper /

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Add CROWNE OF LIES to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2NjSS0T

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 28, 2020

Logan Crowne needs one year from Ella.
Twelve months living in his house, holding his hand, wearing his ring on her finger, and in exchange, she’ll get her father’s company in the divorce settlement.
They have one year to convince his skeptical parents that they’re happily in love, and he’s settled enough to run Crowne Industries.
Ella wants the company badly enough to live with a man who will never love her. She’ll sleep in his room and kiss him for show.
Her heart may melt whenever he’s around, and his touch may ignite a fire inside her, but surrender will break her heart.
She’s sure she can last a year without giving him her body.
She’s wrong.

•••••••

REVIEW:“Let’s hurt each other. Let’s hurt each other so bad we walk out of this thing on broken legs, screaming in pain. When it’s over, I want to be praying for death and wishing I could do it all over again.”

Contract marriage, one thing that people never think will turn out the best. This one however, well this one, is for the naughty bookshelf you keep in your bed room.

Logan needs a wife, but not just any wife, he needs Ella. Sweet, free spirted Ella to convince his parents he is happily married to keep what is his. Logan is a stuffy, hard working bore, but underneath all that beats the heart of a red blooded male ready to make this “fake” married real. The chemistry flares hot between the pair and when things finally start going their way, the lies shake the foundation they have slowly built. Emotions that they tried to keep out their “fake” relationship bleed through and the pair navigate through the mind field of truth over lies and a newfound trust.

Jump into CD’s book of adventure, love, lies and passion. Logan and Ella light up the pages with their story and it’s one readers will surely love!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah L

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

 

 

“I don’t think your mother’s convinced,” I said, letting him lead our dance.
He glanced up at his parents, then back at me. “Let’s fix that.”
When he leaned down to kiss me, I put my hands flat on his chest.
Logan wasn’t my type. He had things I needed now, but nothing I wanted for the future. I’d die of boredom with him, and I was clearly not what he had in mind when he imagined a happy marriage. But some things needed to be said out loud.
“Wait,” I said. “We have to get divorced at some point, and…” I paused to organize my thoughts and failed. “There’s a lot of kissing and… it’s necessary. I understand. But the thing is…” I stopped myself, meeting the cool blue of his eyes. “I don’t want you to get confused.”
“About what?”
“We’re getting divorced.”
Anyone who heard his laughter without hearing what we were talking about would have thought he was delighted with the woman he loved. “Yes, Estella. We’re getting divorced.”
“No feelings,” I said. “Right?”
“None whatsoever.”
“Okay. Kiss me.”
It must have been the champagne and the music. Definitely the way his arms held me so tightly, rocking back and forth with the rhythm.
No feelings, sure. But Logan kissed like he meant it, and the champagne fizzed inside me, bubbles popping up from the base of my spine, shaking long dormant nerves awake. His hands stayed in an appropriate position, but all I wanted was to feel them stroke lower, deeper, where I shuddered with desire.
“Stop,” I said, pulling away.
“You all right?”
“Fine, just… I need a second.”
“You’re flushed.” He brushed the backs of his fingers along my cheek. “That’s how I know you want to fuck. Make a note.” He spun me away and rolled me back.
“How do I know when you want to?”
“You’re in the room.”
I laughed. It was such an act. So fake. So over the top, yet when he guided me in the dance with a smile on his face, I let myself live it. For one dance, then two, we were at our most convincing, acting as if there wasn’t another soul for miles. He looked at me as if he wasn’t faking it, and when he kissed me, I kissed him back as if it was all real.
The music stopped as another round of trays came around.
“Are you hungry?” he asked, running his lips along my neck. “There’s a room with dinner somewhere.”
“We should mingle. I don’t want to make a bad impression.”
He looked away, then back at me with a heat I didn’t expect. “If they could see what was in my head, they’d be impressed.”
“What’s in your head?”
“Getting my hand under your dress and finding out if you’re wet.”
“Logan,” I scolded in a hiss. “We just said—”
“We said no feelings.” He took me by the chin. “If I took you right now, fucked you raw, gave you a dozen orgasms and came deep inside you, it would mean nothing to me.”
My panties were soaked through. “Me neither.”
He looked over my shoulder as if he needed a moment to think, then found my hand and squeezed it. “Come.”
He pulled me off the dance floor.
“Where are we going?”
We went down a stairway we hadn’t before, past a security guard, and into a closed hallway with double doors at the end. He pushed me into a wall with a kiss that wasn’t like the others. It was thoughtless, reckless, uncontrolled. It was a cyclone of desire I was already caught in, spinning upward, limp-willed with the force of it, because it was my whirlwind too.


 

 

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestselling author. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping a single cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

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We Are Us by Tara Leigh-Review & Excerpt tour

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We Are Us by Tara Leigh-Review & Excerpt tour

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2020

I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.
His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.
He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.
I am his.

I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.
His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.
He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.
He is mine.

The boy I once loved is now a man.
The man I once loved is now gone.
We are us.

I have been called many things.
Victim. Survivor. Daughter. Sister. Wife.
Now I am called something else.
Murderer.

Believe it or not, this is our love story.

•••••

REVIEW: We Are Us by Tara Leigh is a stand alone book of second chance romance, but nothing can prepare you for what awaits. This is arguably one of the most complex yet deeply moving love stories to be told. Reading the reviews before going in, no one wants to give anything away! Which is probably for the best. While there are delicate matters involved, the author does an extremely well and meaningful take on them.

Poppy wakes up from an accident with no recollection of how she has gotten there. She has no idea where her husband, Tucker is, or what has happened to him, but her first heartbreak / true love is there for her.

Special Agent Gavin Cross was Poppy’s first love, but then he disappeared – breaking her heart. But now he is back, and he means to keep Poppy safe from the fate she is facing.

This book is written from Poppy’s POV. Poppy was a brave 13 year old girl that grew up with not the best of childhoods.

She spent time in foster care due to her mother’s addiction, but she is back home with her mom and sister Sadie.

She doesn’t have the greatest home life and the only comfort she had in her life, she found in a boy that she met in the woods between their houses. That boy was Gavin Cross.

The woods, the preserve, “their” cave, the moment is theirs. Poppy and Gavin’s relationship was beautiful, sweet and everything you want in a teen romance. They both somehow needed the other. Healed each other. Built trust with each other. And it was beautiful. Their love is strong well into high school – until Gavin disappears.

Devastating Poppy. But she knows he will return to her in college. They had plans…

“I am his. He is mine. We are us.”
“I am hers. She is mine. We are us.”

But things at University does not go the way Poppy has planned. She gets there fully intending to see the love of her life – Gavin. But Gavin doesn’t show.

What has happened to him to not follow through with the plans they had made for their life together.

Poppy meets her roommate Wren, who’s personally leaves a lot to be desired. Wren’s best friend turns out to be Tucker Stockton. And, after one fateful night of over drinking Tucker and Poppy’s life is forever intertwined.

Poppy’s sadness and feeling of loss at Gavin not showing up at school, causes Poppy to make some decisions that she wouldn’t otherwise make. Trying to fit in, have fun, and excessive drinking has consequences. And those consequences do not make Poppy’s life any easier!

Not going to lie, some of her decisions truly upset me and I did not agree with them at all. But this is a broken child becoming a woman. My heart completely aches for her. Connecting with Poppy was easy, we have all had our own angst growing up. Hard not to feel that. This was not an easy read, your heart will be wracked with emotions, aching with pain – but there is healing, and hope, and promise.

Her choice to build a friendship with Tucker after their fateful night bothered me. But I completely understood it on a deep emotional level. You tend to seek comfort in those you have had trauma with. But what becomes of Gavin…

Where has he disappeared to and when we will find out where he is…

When Gavin returns to her life, Poppy has begun a relationship with Tucker.

And while she is happy to see Gavin, Tucker has manipulated the situation to benefit himself. But Gavin truly loves Poppy. And he has never stopped. Even when she pushed him away. The years has separated them, but what will the future hold.

Poppy continues with on paper – her fairy tale life! But in reality he life and relationship is anything but a fairy tale.

Tucker is manipulative, demanding and over-bearing. By the time Poppy wakes up in the hospital and her husband is missing – I was glad he was gone!

I completely hated the demeaning way Tucker has treated Poppy, and even more upset that she allowed it to happen. But it does happen. Even in real life the same happens. We lose ourselves completely….

This book was the most amazing roller coaster of emotions. And will leave you completely wrecked yet relieved.

Dismayed at the betrayal yes not surprised in the least.

Twists and turns – but true love will prevail.

Highly recommend if you want to a book that takes you to the emotional edge and then slowly builds to a fight your way to your happy ever after!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Erin K.

“Close your eyes.”
I slant a curious look at Gavin, taking in his kiss-swollen lips and flushed skin, his untamable mop of hair and the blaze of excitement lighting up the blue of his corneas.
Gavin squeezes my hand reassuringly as I do what he’s asked, then slowly walks me the remaining few steps toward our cave. Without vision, my other senses are heightened. The cry of birds sounds closer, like they are perched just overhead instead of on branches thirty or forty feet above. The bite of the breeze on my skin is sharper, each gust sending a chill racing along already sensitive nerve endings. The smell of ripe earth and rich evergreen and the clean, bracing scent of Gavin himself is downright intoxicating, my head swimming as I pull breaths deep into my lungs.
Most of all, the moonstone pendant laying against my collarbone is making my chest tingle, my heart fluttering against my ribcage.
“Okay, open them.”
I do, immediately gasping in surprise at what Gavin’s done to our little cave. There are candles burning and scattered rose petals—no, poppy petals—and a basket filled with drinks and snacks. A pile of blankets and pillows.
“You did all this for me?” I ask, my voice sounding whispery and weird.
I feel whispery and weird.
I’ve never had a birthday like this. I’ve never even imagined a birthday like this. First the necklace and now, seeing the lengths Gavin has gone for me…
Beneath the surface of my skin, I’m a chaotic mess of emotions. I don’t know what to say, how to act. This is uncharted territory for me.
“Of course,” he says, as if it’s nothing. But it’s not nothing. It’s everything.
Before I dissolve into a teary puddle, Gavin reaches into his pocket and pulls out a deck of cards. “You taught me how to play gin rummy—how about I teach you to play poker?”
A strangled laugh leaves my throat. “I think that’s fair.”
We sit down and Gavin spends a few minutes going over the basics of the game before dealing out the cards. It’s not as easy as gin rummy, but I get the hang of it after a few rounds.
And when Gavin lifts a mischievous brow and asks, “Want to make things interesting?” I know exactly what he’s doing. Not just poker. Strip poker.
That’s when I realize just how much planning has gone into tonight. Beyond buying me an expensive present. Beyond pimping out our cave. Gavin found a way to make my first time—our first time—a mix of old and new. An experience evoking our past and celebrating our future.
I’ve imagined the night Gavin and I would finally go all the way a million times. But I’d only focused on the physical aspects. Would it hurt? Will there be blood? What if I do it wrong?
It never crossed my mind that he would take such care with… everything.
But, of course, it should have.
Gavin Cross is one of a kind.
And he’s mine.

Tara Leigh is a multi-published author of steamy contemporary romance. A former banker on Wall Street, she graduated from Washington University and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, but she much prefers spending her days with fictional boyfriends than analyzing financial spreadsheets. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children, and fur-baby, Pixie.

Connect with Tara:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

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From Alaska With Love by Ally James – Review & Giveaway

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From Alaska With Love by Ally James – Review & Giveaway

 

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository / Google Play / Apple

 

Description:
A soldier has six weeks to convince the only woman he has ever longed for to take a chance on life with him in Alaska….

Sara’s letters were the only bright spot during Gabe’s devastating tour in Iraq. With each new correspondence he fell harder, needed her more, wanted to be with her. Now, after initially rejecting his offer to meet, she’s shown up at the door of his isolated cabin in Alaska looking for…what? Gabe’s not sure what made Sara change her mind, but he knows he never wants to let her go.

Major Gabe Randall is everything Sara Ryan wants but nothing she feels she deserves. A modern-day spinster, Sara hides behind family obligations and the safe, quiet life she’s resigned herself to living. But secretly, even though she may have stretched the truth about who she is in her letters to him, she wants Gabe. Will he still want her when he discovers the real woman behind the pen?

Once they meet, Gabe asks her for six weeks in Alaska. Six weeks to spend getting to know each other, and then she’ll have to decide whether they are better together or apart.

 

 

Review:

From Alaska With Love by Ally James is a sweet and different kind of romance.  We meet our heroine, Sara Ryan, as she attends a family function and is embarrassed by her aunt, who tells everyone she is a spinster.  Sara lives with her brother and his wife, as she takes care of her niece; and though she is beautiful, Sara has no confidence and does not believe she will ever marry.  Her family, other than her niece, takes advantage of her, and expects her to do their bidding.  During a local event, everyone is collecting Christmas cards to pass on to troops overseas; and Sara sends a sweet funny card to whomever receives it.

Major Gabe Randall, our hero, is now in his 7th deployment and when he is given one of the cards coming in, he gets a kick out of Sara’s card, and decides to respond, and a pen pal relationship begins.  What follows is a warm-hearted sweet story, where both Gabe and Sara welcome the friendship their correspondence has given them; especially with Sara’s funny posts, which were a bright light for Gabe during  his hard tour in Iraq.  With each new letter, which they now uses Facetime, they both begin to have feelings for each other; they decide they need to meet.

While in the planning stages for Sara to visit Gabe in Alaska, where he has 6 weeks before being deployed again; Gabe decides to make a surprise visit to North Carolina, which due to her brother’s comments turned into a fiasco, and Gabe leaves.  Sara is determined to fix things with Gabe, and tell him he misunderstood her brother.  She decides to fly to Alaska and spend time there as intended with Gabe, but at first, he was surprised she showed up and was somewhat cold.  In a short time, Sara learns to love Alaska, and Gabe’s army friends.  Slowly their romance heats up, and they succumb to their feelings for each other, as everything falls in place; Gabe knows he has to find a way to somehow bring Sara’s family and their lives to an acceptable arrangement.

I loved many of the characters that James created, especially Chloe, Jason, and especially Trouble the dog, who I absolutely adored.  From Alaska With Love was an enjoyable sweet romance, which was well written by Ally James. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Ally James’ publisher is offering a paper copy of FROM ALASKA WITH LOVE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway runs from March  2- 6, 2020

 

 

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Bottomless Cups by Joel Bresler-a review

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Bottomless Cups by Joel Bresler-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2020

Teddy Greenwald and Ray Starck have known one another since the Truman Administration. What began as a mutual interest in sneak-reading comic books in class evolved into a friendship which has outlasted a great many Presidents and a whole lot more, besides.

Teddy and Ray, along with two other boys, formed the core of a group of kids who did everything together. As teenagers, they discovered that restaurants gave free coffee refills even if you didn’t order anything else, leading to a lifetime’s worth of bottomless cups and frustrated restaurant owners. Now in advanced age, Teddy and Ray still meet regularly to drink too much coffee and talk about the things old guys usually tend to talk about. In between, they flash back to various times and events which helped shape their lives.

One of their once-close group, who has enjoyed a modestly successful career in Hollywood, comes up with the idea of making a movie about their youthful experiences together and what came after for each of them. This would, of course, include starring the surviving originals as the present-day versions of their cinematic selves. For some, however, facing their past, present and inevitable future all in one sitting proves considerably more difficult than it looks on the silver screen.

•••••

REVIEW: Bottomless Cups is a humorous and witty story of old friends, now octogenarians. It’s a long and warm tale of the two boys becoming friends and adding to their group as they grew up, through grade school, high school, and during and after their college years.

The story begins with the two main characters (Teddy and Ray) having a small quarrel, that they’ve been having for over fifty years, as to whether Ray’s father had an accent.

For those old enough to know, this story is quite eloquently told from the friends point of view, with a lot of quippy humor. Being of nearly that age, I found it sweet and nostalgic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna S

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Devil at the Gates by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Devil at the Gates by Lauren Smith – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo /

 

Description:
One dark night she meets her fate in the arms of shadowy duke…
Fleeing a cruel stepfather, Harriet Russell escapes into a stormy night, relying only on the mercy of servants to help her. Her coach overturns, leaving her and her driver injured. Seeking help from whoever lives nearby, she stumbles between a set of gates guarded by fierce demonic gargoyle statues. As she enters the shadowy, haunted lands belonging to the Duke of Frostmore, she’s afraid of meeting with him, but she must in order to help her driver. Harriet comes face to face with the duke, she understands why he’s called the Devil of Dover, with his fierce sensual magnetism and his frightening temper. He’s beautiful, tempting and dangerous…

He made a mistake once by falling in love and death followed…
After the tragic deaths of his wife and brother, Redmond Barrington, the Duke of Frostmore, wants to be left alone and has barred all strangers from his lands. When an injured young woman begs for help, he finds himself reconsidering his vow of solitude as Christmas draws near. Harriet is as unwilling to trust in love as he is. What begins with a terrifying tension between them soon becomes something else entirely, a sensual passion that frightens him with its intensity. The more time he spends with her, the more Redmond wonders if fate might give him a second chance to chase away the ghosts of his past.

 

 

Review:

Devil at the Gates by Lauren Smith originally started out in a box set, but the author has now released it on its own.  Devil at the Gates is a short story set in the late 1700’s.

The Duke of Frostmore, also known as the Dark Duke, or the Devil of Dover. Redmond “Red” Barrington wasn’t always like the title he was now known as. He’d been a better man, but after finding his new wife in bed with his brother, Redmond had stepped off the cliff and into hell. His heart black and cold, vowing never to love again…..

Harriet needed to escape, as her stepfather had plans for her, and they weren’t very nice ones. Escaping without her beloved mother was hard, but she was dying and Harriet   couldn’t risk her. So with the aid of the housekeeper and her coachman she makes a bid for freedom…..

Harriet goes to the Dark Duke’s home to ask for his aid, her carriage has over overturned and the driver is badly injured. it’s not a good idea, in fact it’s a dangerous idea, but what choice has Harriet got? She won’t go home, not whilst that man is there. She needs the Dark Duke’s help. An agreement is made, she will stay until she is well, and her coachman’s leg has mended. Then he will help her reconnect with her mother’s family.

Yes it has the predictable ending, and the journey getting there was a little rough. Red didn’t want anyone in his home or heart, but Harriet managed both. She stirs feelings in him that he thought were long dead. But he won’t love again, that hurt the last time he did it.

Once Harriet got to know Red a little better, saw past the bluster and anger, saw the man still hurting after seven lonely years. But she won’t trust him, he may give her back to her stepfather, or worse, take her himself. She must remain on guard at all times.

It’s a nice little read. I know it was intended as a Christmas read, but I didn’t get it then ?, but it’s nicely written, and can be read in a few hours.

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review

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