Monthly Archives: April 2020

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown.

On Abeth the vastness of the ice holds no room for individuals. Survival together is barely possible. No one survives alone.

To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.

Yaz is torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger.

Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength. And she learns to challenge the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people.

Only when it’s darkest you can see the stars.

 

 

Review:

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence is the 1st book in his fantasy Book of Ice series. I have become a big fan of Mark Lawrence after I read and loved his Book of Ancestor series.  I did enjoy The Girl and the Stars, and though it was a good story, I felt this was totally a different kind of read, even if it does take place in the same world as Book of Ancestor. 

We meet Yaz, our heroine, at the start, as the clans, who live in a brutal cold ice-covered world, have to attend every few years a gathering run by the priest regulator.  Yaz fears that she will die, as the priests will push away the children who they consider broken (no ability, disabled, too small or big, etc) into a large hole in the ice never to be seen again.  To Yaz’s shock, the priest keeps her and pushes her younger brother down the black hole; she throws herself down the gap to try and save him. This was an amazing and shocking start that kept us enthralled, as Yaz lands in the dark, and is immediately attacked by a giant monster.  As she tries to run, she is helped by strangers who come to her rescue.

We get to meet many of the survivors (young and older) who live in the ‘Missing’ cities below.  Yaz will join with Arka (who has lived there for 20 years) and her team, who have to survive the dangers, such as Gerant (large beings), Tainted, Hunters (vicious creatures).    I really liked many of the secondary characters Lawrence created, such as Thurin, Erris, Arka, Maya, Quell, and even the bad ones such as Theus and Pome.

What follows is a nonstop action filled story, with everyone trying be a step ahead of the enemies, who are constantly trying to get them to join their team or kill them.  Yaz is determined to find her brother at any cost.  She is pulled away from her group many times along the way, and in doing so, learns about the powers she has with the stars, that will help her and her friends survive.   I loved Yaz, as she became such a great heroine, especially using her stars to guide her. 

The Girl and the Stars was a fantasy in a different kind of world that is beyond normal.  The cruel conditions, the dangerous people, the constant battles and the need to survive keeps us engrossed into this story. To tell too much more would be spoilers, as you really need to read this to understand all the factions involved.  I will say there is sort of a cliffhanger at the end.  If you enjoy fantasy, you can never go wrong with Mark Lawrence. I suggest you read The Girl and the Stars.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Magick & Moonlight-The Missing Piece by Marie Lavender- Reviews

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Magick & Moonlight-The Missing Piece by Marie Lavender- Reviews

 

Magick & Moonlight
Magick series – Book 1
Release Date: April 1, 2020

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Description:
Love spells are dangerous, even more so for those who cast them…

Ethan Hamilton moves to a lazy little town in Oregon, hoping to escape his demons. Instead, he discovers a woman dancing nude in the moonlight. This woman who claims she is a witch dazzles him with her sensual presence. He thinks she’s crazy, but what if she’s not? 

Jessie Anderson has been taught that her kind hides who they really are. And she has a problem on her hands. Someone knows her secret and she must do all she can to protect herself. What other choice does she have? Jessie casts a spell on a good man, a man with whom she can’t fight her attraction. The spell doesn’t work quite as planned. 

Messing with free will is always a bad idea.

To top it off, Ethan’s treatment of her is so addictive. Deep down, she knows the effects will wear off, and yet his feelings seem genuine. It’s just a spell…right?

 

Review:

Magick & Moonlight by Marie Lavender is a short story that will lead to a new series (Magick).

I had fun reading it, it’s hard to pack enough information into a short read, too much and your ending the story too abruptly. Not enough, and you have to fill the empty pages (usually with sex!) 

Ethan comes across a young naked woman dancing in the woods “cue smut”, but what we got was not what I expected….. 

Jessie is a witch, she is out in the woods doing what she loves, hearing a noise she confronts her watcher. They share a kiss, (short story remember) and both are attracted to one another, it’s not until she gets home that reality hits!!! What’s a witch to do? Cast a spell of course…. She can’t have Ethan telling the town she’s a witch, that could lead to all sorts of things. But spells being spells …… 

It’s a fun read. I liked where this was going. Think it could have made a decent full length story. Wanted a little more. Loved the characters, but couldn’t get too involved, before you know it, the story is done!! 

Upon tracking the author down, I confirmed that this is indeed a new series. It tells us of Ethan and Jessie in the future. 

 

The Missing Piece
Release Date – February 28, 2020

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Description:
When Alyssa wakes up in a strange place at school, she can’t remember what happened the previous night. A new friend, Justin, offers to help her out. As she makes discoveries that force her to accept a different reality, she finds herself drawn to Justin for a number of reasons.

Can the biggest mistake of Aly’s life turn into the promise of new love?

 

Review:

The Missing Piece by Marie Lavender is a New Adult Romance.

Alyssa wakes with no memory of the previous night. It’s a scary situation, what the hell happened to her? 

She’s told by a young man that she was drinking plenty and went upstairs with a man! Fear races through Alyssa (was she attacked?) but Justin assures her that wouldn’t have happened, and walks her back to her dorm. She’s not the type of girl to do shots, and certainly not the type to go upstairs with a man. And why can’t she remember? 

Alyssa and Justin start on a journey to find out what happened to her. But what I find difficult to understand is why….. Why would someone who usually does drink, who doesn’t party, who usually stays in her room and study, go out? 

It’s a short read, and one I didn’t want to end, I think it could have been made into a full story. I thought it was going to be more of a mystery (well that’s what the background led me to think) what we got was a romance! 

It’s a fast paced read, but with lots missing I felt a little lost! Will it lead to a fuller story at some point? I do hope so. 

So do you find out why? I guess your going to have to read it to find out. ?

Reviewed by Julie B

Copies supplied for reviews

 

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Mercy Academy 1-3 by L.A. Hart-a series review

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Mercy Academy 1-3 by L.A. Hart-a series  review

Have Mercy
(Mercy Academy #3)
by L.A. Hart
Genre: new adult,contemporary, romance

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 28, 2020

My relationship with Royal Fitzpatrick has always been complicated and messy. At times, it’s even been incredibly painful.

When I finally decide to stand up to him our senior year, unable to take another second of his bullying, Royal does the last thing I expected – he promises to change his evil ways.

But I’ve been hurt by him for too long. He’s a lost cause.

We are a lost cause.

At least that’s what I tell myself for months until I see him actually become the good, kind man I knew he could be.

Unfortunately, Royal still has secrets, ones he’s intentionally kept from me and his best friends.

So while I was stupidly planning our future together, Royal was just trying to make amends before he says a final goodbye.

••••••

REVIEW:HAVE MERCY is the third and final? Instalment in L.A. Hart’s contemporary, young adult to new adult MERCY ACADEMY romance series. This is Royal Fitzpatrick, ,and Hannah Morgan’s story line. HAVE MERCY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Some of the events of HAVE MERCY run parallel to, and over lap with the events of Beg for Mercy #1, and Crave Your Mercy #2.

WARNING: Due to the some of the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Hannah and Royal) following two timelines ( and six years) HAVE MERCY focuses on the acrimonious relationship between high school frenemies Royal Fitzpatrick, ,and Hannah Morgan. At sixteen years of age, Royal Fitzpatrick was struggling with a direction in life, and found himself ‘volunteering’ at the local church camp where he would face several classmates including Hannah Morgan but Royal’s life was no bed of roses, and his surly attitude and growing anger made life miserable for our story line heroine. A summer romance ended when the requisite mean girls and jealous friends ensured Hannah and Royal never spoke to one another, again. Fast forward two years, to graduation wherein Royal’s life continues to spiral out of control but his love/hate for Hannah continues to burn. What ensues is the ongoing caustic and acerbic relationship between Hannah and Royal as they prepare for their post-secondary futures.

HAVE MERCY has all of the hallmarks of a young adult story line including mean girls, jealousy, a love triangle, abusive / oblivious adults, and the requisite heart break for our leading couple. Royal Fitzpatrick is the ultimate bad boy but a bad boy whose home life is battered and bruised. Hannah Morgan struggles with her attraction to a young man whose reputation is further destroyed by the actions of others resulting in Royal’s decision to walk away from it all. The premise is heart breaking and emotional; the romance is full of teenaged angst and misgivings; the characters are broken, energetic and lost.

_________

BEG FOR MERCY : High School Bully Romance
(Mercy Academy #1)
by Lane Hart /L.A. Hart
Genre: New Adult, contemporary, bully romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 18, 2019

Aric Prince is an All-American high school football star with a body built like a Greek god and hair so beautiful he could sell shampoo by the boatloads.

The only problem is that Aric’s also a rich, arrogant, and gigantic prick. Nothing but filth and insults come out of his smirking mouth, constantly reminding me that poor trailer park trash girls like myself don’t belong in his pretentious academy.

Aric and his best friends all think they’re untouchable.

But the cocky bastard is finally going down this year.

I’ve hit the motherload of blackmail on the jerk, pun intended, and I can’t wait to give him exactly what he deserves.

Aric Prince’s reign at the academy is coming to an end.

Before I’m done with him, he’ll be on his knees, begging for mercy.

••••••••

REVIEW: BEG FOR MERCY is the first instalment in Lane Hart’s (writing as L.A. Hart) contemporary, young adult MERCY ACADEMY erotic, romance series. This is high school football star Aric Prince, and Maddie Collins’ story line.

NOTE: BEG FOR MERCY focuses on the exploits of eighteen year old high school seniors but reads more like a new adult to adult story line due to the language and sexual content.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Aric and Maddie) BEG FOR MERCY follows the acrimonious relationship between eighteen year old high school football star Aric Prince, and Maddie Collins. Maddie Collins is from the wrong side of the proverbial tracks; a scholarship student at Mercy Academy, Maddie is treated with disdain and disrespect by the school’s all-star quarterback, a young man with whom Maddie will fall in love. Two years earlier, Maddie discovered Aric’s dark and dangerous secret, and our heroine blackmails Aric Prince in return for keeping quiet, and agreeing not to reveal the disturbing videos she has in her possession. What ensues is the back and forth antagonistic relationship and friendship between Maddie and Aric, and the fall-out when secrets are revealed and Maddie is caught in the cross-fire.

Eighteen year old Maddie Collins struggles to house, feed and clothe her much younger siblings. Having been left on their own for more years that she can remember, Maddie is desperate to keep a roof over their heads, staying under the radar of the local family and childrens services. An opportunity to blackmail Aric Prince eases our heroine’s struggles but not everything goes according to plan when Aric begins to develop feelings for our story line heroine.

BEG FOR MERCY is a story of bullying at an elite, California high school academy but our heroine gives as good as she gets. There is a fine line between who is the bully and who is bullied, and in this Maddie Collins is as guilty as the smug, spoiled rich kids she despises the most. From the requisite controlling, oblivious, drunken and immoral parents, to the mean boys/girls at the high school level, BEG FOR MERCY has all of the features of a YA story line but the lines between YA and NA are completely blurred with the graphic language and questionable behavior and ethics of some of the characters including the not-so responsible adults. The premise is entertaining; the characters are spirited, energetic and dramatic; the romance is provocative.

Copy supplied for review

__________

CRAVE YOUR MERCY
(Mercy Academy #2)
by L.A. Hart
Genre: new adult, contemporary,romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 31, 2020.

Blake Sullivan’s perfect life is imploding. His father threw his mother out of the house, and now they’re going through a nasty divorce while the whole town watches.

Since I’ve been away at college, I had no idea that my brother Aric was the one responsible for destroying Blake’s family.

Or that Blake would stop at nothing to get back at Aric.

And I never thought that I would be used as a pawn in Blake’s revenge, not until it’s too late.

Now I have to make an impossible decision, one that will change everything.

I’ll never forget what Blake did to me; and no matter how much he begs, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive him.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: CRAVE YOUR MERCY is the second instalment in L.A. Hart’s contemporary young adult to new adult Mercy Academy erotic, romance series. This is high school senior Blake Sullivan, and first year college student Caroline Prince’s story line. CRAVE YOUR MERCY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary. The events of CRAVE YOUR MERCY cross over with, and run parallel to the events of book one BEG FOR MERCY.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Blake and Caroline) CRAVE YOUR MERCY focuses in the aftermath of a scandal wherein two families are destroyed by the affair of a woman and her son’s best friend. Struggling in the first few weeks of college Caroline Prince returns home, embarking on a weekend affair with her brother’s best friend, only to discover weeks later that her life is about to change forever. The Christmas holidays prove a complicated time for both the Prince and Sullivan families but none more so than Caroline Prince when she announces she is failing school, and is taking time off to deal with other matters. While no one is happy, Blake is determined to stay in touch with the girl he has loved from afar, the girl who is about to break his heart. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship and friendship between Blake and Caroline, and the fall-out as Caroline must consider her plans for the future.

Caroline Prince is an immature young woman; a privileged girl whose life is about to implode not only on a personal level but with the revelation of her brother’s illicit affair. Blake Sullivan’s family has been destroyed leaving Blake to survive, mostly on his own while his father drinks himself into a stupor, landing in any available bed.

From the absentee and judgemental parents, to the immature attitudes and troubling behaviour, CRAVE YOUR MERCY has all the familiar characteristics of a young adult story line with a new adult to adult story line premise. Caroline Prince’s initial behavior and attitude is questionable; her treatment of others is rude, as is the behavior of most of the story line parents and adults. The premise is captivating but I struggled to like or forgive a number of the story line characters.

Copies supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy

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PLAY FAST by Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott-a review

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PLAY FAST (Brooklyn Dawn #2) by Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 17, 2020

Five reasons I should never go near Oz Taylor:

• He’s a hot as sin world famous rockstar with a big…ax.
• He’s a huge, tattooed older guy with a piercing dark gaze that can destroy a woman’s virginity.
• He’s my forever best friend’s older brother.
• He hasn’t spoken to me in more than five years.
• Oh, and I’m pretty sure he hates me...

••••••••••

REVIEW: PLAY FAST is the second instalment in the contemporary, adult BROOKLYN DAWN erotic, rock, romance series co-authored by Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott. This is Brooklyn Dawn’s bassist Oz Taylor, and hair stylist/make up artist Daisy Flannigan. BROOKLYN DAWN is a spin off from the authors’ numerous rock series including Lost in Oblivion, Found in Oblivion, and Hammered.

Told from three first person perspectives (Oz, Daisy and Lindsey) PLAY FAST follows the enemies to lovers relationship between twenty-three year old hair stylist/make up artist for Brooklyn Dawn, Daisy Flannigan, and bassist Oz Taylor. Five years earlier Daisy’ best friend, and Oz’s sister Kerry Taylor died, and in the ensuing years Oz’s anger towards Daisy has broiled and brewed. Now that Daisy is the make-up artist and hair stylist for Brooklyn Dawn, Oz struggles between his hatred for, and attraction to a woman he blames for everything that went wrong. But two day together at Oz’s home away from home from Oz acting on his attraction but continuing to struggle with what was, and what will never be.

Meanwhile, someone is determined to destroy Ripper Records, the label for which Brooklyn Dawn, Lost in Oblivion, Found in Oblivion, and Hammered work. Accidents, graffiti, and personal attacks aimed at hurting the musicians who work for Donovan Lewis, finds Ripper Records hiring extra security, after having lost one of their own.

The relationship between Oz and Daisy is a little sister’s best friend turned enemies to lovers wherein Oz will discover that Daisy is more than he could have imagined. Two days together finds Oz lowering his defenses but an attack against our heroine pushes Oz over the edge, and in doing so, threatens their tentative hold on an already fractured relationship. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate with some bondage, and discipline scenarios.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including several members from the other bands and the aforementioned previous series including Ripper Records executives CEO Donovan Lewis and Lila Ronson Shawcross Crandall, and her husband Mal Crandall. We are re- introduced to the members of Brooklyn Dawn: drummer Cooper Dallas, lead guitarist Jamie DuCaine, keyboardist Teagan Daly and rhythm guitarist Zane Landry; as well as Roth Defense specialist Noah Jordan.

PLAY FAST is a story of family, friendships, grief and loss; of blame and acceptance; of love and understanding. Oz Taylor struggles with the guilt and grief of his sister’s death, and places the blame on the woman with whom he will fall in love. The character driven premise is engaging and sensitive; the characters are broken and intense; the romance is spicy and edgy.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one PLAY DIRTY

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Hostile Pursuit by Juno Rushdan-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

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Hostile Pursuit by Juno Rushdan-Review,Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 1, 2020.

When ruthless killers target them, even a safe house isn’t safe.

Only twenty-four hours remain until marshal Nick McKenna’s informant, Lori Carpenter, will testify against a powerful drug cartel. Nick has kept her safe for an entire year, but now all hell is breaking loose. With a team of cold-blooded assassins closing in, the by-the-book lawman decides to go rogue. He’ll risk his life for duty…and put it all on the line for his irresistible witness.

••••••••

REVIEW:Pulse pounding and oh so exciting! A first-time reader for this author, and I can honestly say I can’t wait to get my hands on the next piece.

Nick is a marshal, sworn to protect his informant, that informant being a fiery woman by the name of Lori. With a small amount of time with her before she has to testify against one of the most powerful drug cartels in the country, Nick finds himself drawn to her in a way that catches him off guard. Nick must keep Lori alive to take them down, but the sexual tension is high, the danger even higher and the clock is against them both.

Hostile Pursuit is an edge of your seat book that you will not be able to put down. It’s jam packed with sexy goodness, romance and suspense, what better to spend this lovely quarantine doing but reading this awesome book!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah L

 

 

Nick had kept Lori safe for three hundred and eighty-six days. What could possibly go wrong in the next twenty-seven hours?
They reached the women’s clothing store. As they walked inside, a chime dinged from a motion-activated PIR sensor he spotted.
An employee behind the register, wearing a blazer and sporting a curly bob, made eye contact and gave a perky smile. One female customer perusing a row of blouses didn’t glance their way.
“Hello,” the young sales associate said, her warm voice rich with enthusiasm. “Let me know if you need help finding anything.”
“Thank you,” Lori said.
“You’ve got twenty minutes.” Nick looked at his watch while Ted swept the rest of the store. “We’re in and out, okay?”
Lori went to a rack of suits. “You don’t give a gal much time.”
“One hour away from the property,” he said, reminding her of the US Marshal Service rules that kept witnesses alive. “Not a minute more.”
Nick’s attention flickered to the other customer.
The woman was in her early forties, petite, olive complexion, coal-black hair pulled in a tight bun. No jewelry, wore slacks and a blousy top and carried a leather purse. She reached up, taking a shirt from the upper rack, and the frilly bell sleeve of her blouse dropped an inch, revealing a tattoo of a black rose on the back of her hand. The ink fit her. Beautiful. Elegant. Dark.
Reflexively, Nick pressed his arm against the Glock 22 in his shoulder rig.
“This is a big deal.” Lori checked the size on a navy suit. “Forgive me for not wanting to rush.”
Tomorrow she was testifying in federal court against her in-laws’ financial firm for laundering millions. He could tell she was doing her best to hold it together and not let nerves derail her. If he could give her more time, he would.
The low chime at the front rang. Another woman entered the store. Bottled-bleach-blonde. Tall and thin. Jeans and a buttoned shirt. Sneakers that squelched lightly against the tile floor.
“I’m sorry. Eighteen minutes,” Nick said, telegraphing with his tone this was nonnegotiable.
Lori picked a navy two-piece from the rack. “This should work. I better go try it on. Tick-tock.”
Nick looked to Ted, where his partner stood at the entrance of the dressing rooms. Ted nodded, signaling the stalls were empty and he’d make sure no one followed Lori inside.
Blondie headed straight to some dresses hanging in the rear of the store, grabbed one almost mindlessly, or perhaps she’d been in before and knew what she was looking for, flicked a glance at a tag and made a beeline for the dressing rooms.
Ted lifted a palm, not letting the blonde in after Lori. The woman huffed and protested, raising a loud stink, but his partner held firm.
Show her your badge, Ted, and be done with it. Flashing the Eagle Top five-pointed star had a way of shutting down any complaints lickety-split.
“Who do you think you are?” Blondie asked with a fist on her hip.
“A US Deputy Marshal, ma’am,” Ted said. “Sorry for the inconvenience and the wait.”
“Listen, jerk. I need to get in there now.”
Ted laughed in his self-deprecating way. “Sorry. Not going to happen.”
The sales associate went over to the scene unfolding. “Hi,” she said brightly, her sunny disposition almost disarming. “Is there a problem?”
Nick maintained his position, monitoring the rest of the shop and the entrance.
Black Rose circled silent as a fox around to an ornate display of scarves and ran her fingers across the silk. Not once since they’d entered had she acknowledged their presence in the slightest. Until now.
Her gaze lifted, meeting his, her face an expressionless mask, but her sharp eyes were those of a merciless predator.
Prior experience as an army ranger in Afghanistan before becoming a marshal had taught him the hard way never to underestimate a woman with a slight build, or even a child for that matter, and the deep scar under his chin was a testament.
For a chilling instant they stared at one another, sizing the other up. Not from a physical perspective. It was an assessment of will. And what Nick saw in her was fathomless.
Blondie threw the dress at Ted, dividing Nick’s attention, and stormed out of the store.
The bell chimed. Black Rose’s steely eyes narrowed before she turned and strode unhurriedly toward the door—as if she had all the time in the world.
Then he saw it. Her low-heeled boots that didn’t make a sound.
His neck prickled the way it did when he was on a hunt for big game with his siblings. Nick followed. He had no reason to detain or question her, but something about that woman was wrong. From the tattoo, those rubber-soled shoes, to how she’d looked at him. As if she’d wanted to slice through him like a hot knife through butter.
None of it was evidence of anything and not cause for more than suspicion, but training and years of experience had taught him not to dismiss either.
The woman strolled away, lengthening the distance between them with each store she passed. One, two, three. But the tightening in his gut didn’t ease.
Black Rose glimpsed back at him over her shoulder, caught his fixed stare and stopped in her tracks. Pivoting, she turned and faced him, leveling her icy gaze his way. The look she sent him was full of loathing and in a blink it changed. Her lips hitched in an ominous half grin and she winked. Almost daring him to pursue.
Old ranger instincts urged him to take up the chase, confirm what his gut screamed about the woman, shake something that made sense out of her, but his training overruled recklessness.
He looked back in the quiet clothing store, checking on things.
Ted no longer stood stationed at the entrance of the dressing rooms.
Nick touched his Bluetooth earpiece. “Ted? What’s your position? Do you have eyes on Hummingbird?” he asked, using the codename for Lori.
Deafening silence.
Nick’s pulse spiked, but he remained calm—never one to succumb to panic. He stepped past displays and racks, his gaze scanning, his mind assessing.
No sign of Ted. Or the sales associate.
Drawing his gun, Nick hustled toward the dressing rooms.
Anticipation coiled in his chest, adrenaline roaring through him. The weight of his backup piece strapped to his ankle was a small comfort. Nick’s fingers tightened on his Glock. He reached the threshold, scanned left, then right.
Ted lay on the floor beyond the entrance in a corner. Blood soaked his white hair at the base of his skull.
Son of a— Ted was down.
There was no time to check if his partner was unconscious or dead. A commotion deeper in the dressing room drew him forward. Two people struggled inside the second stall.
The horror in Lori’s terrified whimper jolted his heart.


 

Juno is a veteran Air Force Intelligence Officer who writes romantic thrillers with sizzle, pulse-pounding suspense, and plenty of action. Her stories are about strong heroes and gutsy heroines fighting for their lives as well as their happily-ever-after. Expect an intense emotional journey and a thrill ride to keep you turning the pages.

A native New Yorker, she currently lives in the Washington, DC area with her patient husband, two vivacious kids, and a spoiled rescue dog. Juno loves hanging out with readers and anyone friendly over a great glass of wine.

The Final Hour series features a covert, off-the-books unit sanctioned to operate beyond the black and white constraints of other intelligence agencies. They work in the shadows safeguarding national security. When a horrifying conspiracy hits too close to home, they’re the last line of defense. They’ll do anything to keep their country safe and sacrifice everything for the ones they love.

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Hideaway (Safe Havens #4) by Sandy James-a review

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Hideaway (Safe Havens #4) by Sandy James-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 14, 2020

In the wake of her father’s murder, Kayla Backer fled New York City and created a new life for herself in the Montana territory. As housekeeper and friend to Drew Pearson and Gideon Young, she has chosen a beautiful spot on their farm to build her own house—her first true home.

Once a respected cattle drive foreman, Drake Meyers lost his job after the payroll he was entrusted with was stolen. Drowning in alcohol and self-pity, he has nowhere left to turn until his skill as a builder lands him a job building Kayla’s house.

When Drew and Gideon travel to Missoula to assist Drew’s widowed mother, Kayla and Drake are left to cope with the treacherous Montana winter alone. Now Kayla must help Drake overcome his alcohol dependency and learn that his life has value, and that he is worthy of her love.

Then her past comes calling

••••••••

REVIEW: HIDEAWAY is the fourth instalment in Sandy James’ adult SAFE HAVENS historical, romance series set in White Pines, Montana. This is Kayla Backer, and Drake Meyers’ story line. HIDEAWAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Drake was first introduced in book three Redeemed.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Kayla and Drake) HIDEAWAY follows the building relationship and romance between former cattle driver foreman Drake Meyers, and housekeeper Kayla Backer. Months earlier Drake Meyers lost everything including his reputation when the payroll he was entrusted to deliver was stolen. Fast forward to present day wherein Drake’s reputation continues to deteriorate as his drunken escapades precede his introduction to our story line heroine. Kayla Backer wants a house of her own but when Drew Pearson and Gideon Young, the young men with whom she is currently living, must return to Missoula to help their mother, Drake is hired to ‘assist’ Kayla with building her future home. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Kayla and Drake, and the potential fall-out as Kayla’s past comes looking for revenge.

Kayla Backer is on the run; hiding out in White Pines, Montana but her past has been desperately looking to even a score, and Kayla is determined to run again. Approximately one year earlier, Kayla’s life was destroyed when her father was murdered, and the people responsible are hoping to end her life, as well. Drake Meyers is unable to let go of the anger that has resulted in his life spiralling out of control. Working for and with Kayla Backer, gives Drake hopes for a future, until Kayla’s past threatens everything and more.

The relationship between Kayla and Drake begins acrimoniously as Drake continues to drink to excess. Having suffered enough, Kayla forces Drake to get clean, and in doing so realizes there is more to Drake than the bottom of a bottle. As our couple endure the winter weather of White Pines, Montana, Kayla is drawn to Drake, a man who believes he is not worthy of love or affection. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters include Ty Bishop and Cassandra Shay (Runaway #2), Caleb Young and Sara Fuller (Redeemed 3), Caleb’s brother Gideon and his partner Drew Pearson, as well as newcomer Brigit Ryan, Marshal Matthew Riley; Gregory Carrington, his mother Chantal, and Chantal’s right hand man Otto.

HIDEAWAY is a story of family, discrimination, retribution and revenge; a story of one man’s struggle to move on from the past, and one woman’s battle between head and heart. The premise is engaging and intriguing; the romance is captivating; the characters are energetic, colorful, broken but recovering.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of books 1-3 of the Safe Havens series

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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THEODORE (Eagle Ridge Cowboys #1) by Crimson Syn-Review Tour

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THEODORE (Eagle Ridge Cowboys #1) by Crimson Syn-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 13, 2020

A one night stand.
An undesired inheritance.
An unjustifiable suicide.
And a love that will supersede all odds.
Theodore Maverick is about to meet his match.

Eagle’s Ridge, Montana has always been a quiet town, that is until Benjamin Maverick’s unexpected death. Now the Maverick brothers find themselves returning to Maverick’s Hollow to seek justice for their father. They will do anything in their power to protect their name, the ranch, and the land that’s been in their family for generations. Get ready to meet these five irresistible and fiercely protective cowboys, and the feisty women who bring them to their knees and capture their hearts.

•••••••••

REVIEW: THEODORE is the first instalment in Crimson Syn’s contemporary,adult EAGLE RIDGE COWBOYS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the Maverick brothers. This is eldest brother Theodore Maverick, and PA Sierra Blackburn’s story line.

Told from three first person perspectives (Theodore, Sierra, Isaac) THEODORE follows in the wake of Benjamin Maverick’s death, a death deemed a suicide but a suspected murder by the Maverick family. Upon his return to the ranch, a one-night stand finds Theodore facing the daughter of his father’s enemy, a man the family believes is behind the murder of their father. Enter Sierra Blackburn, and the woman with whom Theodore will fall in love. What ensues is the quick building romance and relationship between Theodore and Sierra, and the potential fall-out as both Theodore and Sierra are living with a target on their backs.

Sierra Blackburn is a pawn in her father’s need for revenge but a pawn who is no longer willing to be used and abused. Working for Theodore Maverick places Sierra in the direct line of fire, a fire meant to destroy the Maverick family.

The relationship between Sierra and Theodore is highly sexual; insta-lust to love; a one-night stand that quickly turns into something more but not all is well between Sierra and Theodore, as our hero struggles with issues of trust believing Sierra could be working for the other side. The $ex scenes are intense and erotic. Theodore is quick to declare his love for a woman who struggles with

There is a large ensemble cast of animated secondary and supporting characters including Theodore’s brother Daniel, Sierra’s father Isaac Blackburn, as well as her best friend Nina, and her father’s partners in crime, Simon and Chad Blakely.

THEODORE is a quick read; a novella-length story of betrayal and revenge; abuse of power and control; suspense, intrigue, murder, family and love. The character driven premise is startling and dramatic; the romance is energetic and provocative; the characters are dynamic and edgy but I was hoping for a little more development including background and history.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Star Crossed by CD Reiss-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Star Crossed by CD Reiss-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Add STAR CROSSED to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3aKjFgH

ABOUT THE BOOK: Re-release Date April 14, 2020

Michael Graydon has it all – looks, fame, and a couple of Oscars.
Does he see me in the crowd of paparazzi?
Does he know I sell pictures of him to the tabloids as if money could ever erase the feel of his lips on me?
Does he think I forgot the way he broke my heart?
Or does he know that I’ve ruined everything I’ve ever loved?

We were seventeen when I left, and I never forgot Laine. Not for one minute.
Since that day I’ve measured all women against her and every one of them has come up short.
We’re in the same town, on the same block, in the same building, and the gulf between us is just too wide to cross.
Until I stop running from trouble long enough to throw her camera off a balcony.
She’s a career-killer. A PR disaster.
Loving her again is career suicide, and I don’t care.
This time, I’m running toward her, even if it ruins me.

Star Crossed is a new and improved version of previously published title, Shuttergirl, with a brand new epilogue and previously unpublished, totally swoon-worthy and emotional new scenes.

••••••••

REVIEW:Star Crossed is an exciting, tantalizing love story of glitz and glam, true love and second chances. Laine and Michael first meet in school, both young and unsure of the feelings they invoke in each other, due to a situation they couldn’t control, they are separated from each other.
After years, Laine and Michael find each other again, but things are much different than they were when they were kids.

Laine is now a blood thirsty paparazzi, taking pictures of the rich and famous for money, and Michael, well he’s the rich and famous. Michael, with his good looks has become one of the most famous movies stars out there. However, time means nothing when Laine walks back into his life. Will their second chance at love slip through their fingers? Will they let the limelight of fame come between them?

Laine is a character I feel so much for, what’s she’s endured, the fear and loneliness. She is a strong, independent woman and her love for Michael was one that made me not want the story to end. CD Reiss wrote the best compelling story and I am so joyful I could experience it.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah L

“Really.” I grabbed my camera. “Thank you for the eggs. Your apology is accepted, and your warning… I get it. Thank you. I’ll keep my eyes out.”
Fifteen steps to the door. Why were those lofts so damn big? What was I thinking?
Five steps, and I heard a shuffle behind me, the scrape of a chair. I picked up the pace, and I knew he was behind me. By the time I got to the door, his chest was against my back and his hand was over the door jamb.
“Don’t,” he said.
“Don’t what?”
“I’m going to get between you and this. I don’t like anyone knowing where you are. I don’t like you walking around at night unprotected. Especially because of me.”
I turned, putting my back to the door. “I haven’t seen you in ten years. Now this?”
“I should say it’s that I feel responsible for what’s happening. But you’re in this business as much as I am, so it’s not that. It’s you. I was up half the night thinking about you in those bleachers. The things you told me. The stuff I told you. How I felt. Back then, I was so confused, and I left you without a call or checking on you for reasons that…” He shook his head. “The reasons were pathetic. No one would have approved of you, and I lived on approval.”
He touched my hair, and those long strands became nerve endings for desire. The little hairless spot on his chin shifted, and I wanted to touch it so badly that I did so without thinking.
“Whatever it was I felt before, I’m not hiding from it this time. This time, I’m not going to worry what anyone else thinks,” he said.
“What if I’m worried?”
“I’ll make you not worried.”
His breath warmed my cheek, and I believed he could change things, even as I knew he couldn’t. He could only drag himself down. This could only go bad. But I turned my face until my lips touched his, and he stopped being a movie star. He was the boy in the bleachers, the one who worked too hard and cared too much, and I became the girl who could be anything she wanted, the one who was accepted and whose life was about to turn around.
But I’d wanted it then. I’d wanted his hand in mine to be the warning bell for change. In the penthouse loft, with his lips and tongue growing more urgent and his hands on the sides of my face, I didn’t want my life to change. I’d done everything I’d set out to do since he’d left, and there he was again, ready to destroy everything I’d built in exchange for a mouth that fit mine like a palm curled over a fist.
I turned to face the door, still trapped by his arms, and opened it a crack. He slapped it shut.
“If you’re not busy, I want to take you somewhere.”
“I’m always busy,” I said, leaning into him.
“Doing what?”
“Taking pictures of Hollywood royalty.”
“Bring your camera then.”

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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