Monthly Archives: May 2020

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe – a Review

Posted on by
10

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
It’s been sixteen years since Caretta “Cara” Rutledge has returned home to the beautiful shores of Charleston, South Carolina. Over those years, she has weathered the tides of deaths and births, struggles and joys. And now, as Cara prepares for her second wedding, her life is about to change yet again.

Meanwhile, the rest of the storied Rutledge family is also in flux. Cara’s niece Linnea returns to Sullivan’s Island to begin a new career and an unexpected relationship. Linnea’s parents, having survived bankruptcy, pin their hopes and futures on the construction of a new home on Ocean Boulevard. But as excitement over the house and wedding builds, a devastating illness strikes the family and brings plans to a screeching halt. It is under these trying circumstances that the Rutledge family must come together yet again to discover the enduring strength in love, tradition, and legacy from mother to daughter to granddaughter.

Like the sea turtles that come ashore annually on these windswept islands, three generations of the Rutledge family experience a season of return, rebirth, and growth. “Authentic, generous, and heartfelt” (Mary Kay Andrews, The New York Times bestselling author), On Ocean Boulevard is Mary Alice Monroe at her very best.

 

 

Review:

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe is the 6th book in her Beach House series.  This is the first book I have read in this series, but it read very well as a standalone.  This story revolves mostly around two women, Linnea Rutledge and her aunt, Cara Rutledge taking place near Charleston, South Carolina.

Linnea returns home after losing her job, as well as breaking up with her boyfriend. She plans to stay with her parents, but stops to see her Aunt Cara, at Primrose Cottage, which has been a mainstay during Linnea’s childhood, and the memories of her grandmother, Lovie.

Cara is not home when Linnea arrives, as she is busy with her friends planning on her upcoming fancy and expensive wedding, which she privately prefers to be a simple small one.  Cara is 55 years old, and after being widowed for many years, she is happily in love with David, as well as having a young child, Hope, who David also loves.  When she finally comes home, she is thrilled to see Linnea, and together they talk about each of their own issues; Linnea always seeks Cara for advice.  What I loved about this story was the close relationships between most of the women, whether it be mother and daughter; aunt and niece, friendships- old and new and how when things get tough, these people will always find a way to be there for each other.  Beautifully done. 

What follows is following Cara’s life as things fall apart, when a terrible illness brings everything to halt, with her questioning the decisions she has made, including her upcoming marriage. We also get to see Linnea’s life changing for the better, as with some help from her aunt, she finds a temporary job that could lead to permanent employment, and a boyfriend she never expected to find. I also loved when Linnea also found two new friends upon returning home. 

On Ocean Boulevard also revolves around Cara’s Primrose Cottage on the Isle of Palms, which has so much meaning to her, as well as to Linnea, who always visits.  Again, since this is the 6th book in this series, the meaning of this cottage beach house is little lost since I have not read the earlier books, but I do see how much it means to everyone.  Monroe has created some wonderful characters, besides Cara and Linnea; such as Hope, Emmi, Flo, David, Palmer, Julia, Annabelle, just to name a few. I enjoyed the insights to the loggerhead turtles nesting, and the conservative groups to prevent plastics into the oceans.

On Ocean Boulevard was a sweet wonderful story, with fantastic characters, friendships, family, love; as well as various issues pertaining to environment or important home issues. Mary Alice Monroe has written a wonderful story that you will enjoy.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Share

Sicarii Series 1-3 by Adrienne Wilder-Review & Giveaway Tour

Posted on by
12

Sicarii Series Parts 1-3 by Adrienne Wilder-Review, Excerpt  & Giveaway Tour

SICARII part 1
Release Date: April 28, 2020

from 99¢ or £.99 Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Ben Corbin lost his parents then his uncle and clues to the man responsible take him to the small town of Spencer. While Ben is determined to get justice for the murder of his family, he finds himself drawn to Jacob Moser, an ex-prostitute with ties to the killer.

Jacob Moser owes his life to Marcel Serghi. A man forged into a killer under the most brutal conditions. A man who saved him when no one else would.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

••••••••

REVIEW:

SICARII part 1 by Adrienne Wilder is a contemporary, adult, dark, erotic psychological thriller focusing on Ben Corbin, Jacob Moser and Marcel Serghi.

DEFINITION: In ancient times, in Judaism, the Sicarii were assassins and murderers who carried a dagger known as the sica.

WARNING: SICARII part 1 contains graphic scenes of M/M sexual situations that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from three third person perspectives (Ben, Jacob and Marcel) SICARII part one introduces the players and sets the premise that follows a betrayal and vendetta in the world of the SICARII. Marcel Serghi is a member of the House Sicarii; an assassin who has disobeyed the laws of their covenant and as such finds himself the target of a woman seeking vengeance for someone she lost. Marcel is no longer the assassin of memory but a man who is much more. With former rent-boy (aka male prostitute) Jacob Moser as his part-time companion and sexual partner, Marcel bides his time knowing someone will come seeking revenge, and that someone has come looking for justice, at a cost to his own family and the people he loves. Enter Ben Corbin, a twenty-something young man who has last everyone and everything, and with one final act of rebellion, Ben sets out to take down the man he believes killed the only family he has ever known.

We are introduced to Marcel’s young neighbor, high school teen Sam Waters who is struggling with his sexual identity. Sam has been bullied most of his life, and Marcel Serghi sees something in Sam that calls to his heart. Building up Sam’s confidence, Marcel sets up a series of tasks for the young boy but his reasons and determinations have yet to be revealed.

SICARII part one is a story of betrayal, vengeance, power and control; of obedience and resignation; of family, love, and eroticism; of loss, lessons, deception, acknowledgement and acceptance. A complex and original story line, SICARII part one is compelling and dramatic that barely touches the surface of Marcel Serghi’s dark and dangerous history.

_______________

SICARII part 2
Release Date: April 28, 2020

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Ben Corbin has been swept up in a vicious game of revenge. A pawn to be sacrificed in a life or death game of chess.

In order to survive, Ben must make a deal with the devil, Marcel Serghi.

A mistake from Jacob’s past is brought into the game. And it could cost Jacob more than his pride.

It could cost him Ben.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

••••••••••

REVIEW: SICARII part two is a contemporary, adult, dark, erotic psychological thriller continuing to focus on the growing relationship between Ben Corbin, Jacob Moser and Marcel Serghi.

WARNING: SICARII part 2 contains graphic scenes of M/M sexual situations that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from four third person perspectives (Ben, Jacob, Marcel and Sam) SICARII Part two follows two paths: Ben Corbin’s reasons for searching out Jacob and Marcel have spiralled into a murderous rampage by someone else. In need of security and reassurance, Marcel will offer Ben his protection but payment will come at a cost to both Jacob and Ben. Jacob has been in love with Marcel for as long as they have been together, and Ben is a threat to Jacob’s peace of mind. When Jacob is instructed to prepare Ben for repayment of his debt, Jacob and Ben find themselves pushed together in an effort to overcome their mutual fears.

For all intents and purposes, Marcel Serghi is an emotionless manipulator: a lonely old man who continues to be a bit of an anomaly with super human strength and power. I am not sure if there is a slight paranormal and preternatural edge to Marcel Serghi but some of the characters also question the who, what and how of the older man’s strength.

Meanwhile, teenager Sam Waters befriends another gay teen at school, a young boy who is bullied as much as Sam. Having been attacked and pushed one too many time, Sam takes action, earning him a reputation amongst the student body, but a reputation that is building animosity from the homophobic crowd.

SICARII Part two focuses more on the sexual relationship between Jacob, Ben and Marcel, and Ben’s education and preparedness for Marcel’s taking. Jacob, although deeply in love with Marcel Serghi, finds himself attracted to a man who isn’t prepared to make restitution with his body or his mind. The $ex scenes are intense and dramatic with questionable issues of consent and force, regardless of what Marcel pressures the two young man to believe- in this I struggled with the acquiescence of Ben in the face of threats both real or perceive. SICARII Part two is a twisted and unusual tale of love, relationships, protection and control.

__________________

SICARII part 3
Release Date: April 28, 2020

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Marcel Serghi lives by the rules of his House Sicarii where he was honed into the perfect killer; merciless, emotionless, incapable of remorse.

Jacob Moser has always had undying loyalty to Marcel for saving his life.
Until Ben.

Now Jacob must make a choice, to love or live. Because breaking a vow with Marcel means returning what he gifted Jacob.

A chance to live.

Ben and Jacob, two men from completely different worlds, who have no idea how much they need each other until a killer brings them together.

••••••••

REVIEW:SICARII Part 3 is the third and final instalment in Adrienne Wilder’s contemporary, adult, dark, SICARII erotic psychological thriller focusing on Ben Corbin, Jacob Moser and Marcel Serghi, as well as the burgeoning relationship between high school students Sam Waters and his friend Roshan.

NOTE: SICARII contains scenes of graphic violence and assault, and M/M sexual situations that may not be suitable for more sensitive readers.

Told from several third person perspectives (Ben, Jacob, Marcel, Sam and Yvette) SICARII Part 3 is the culmination of three story lines that follows the controversial relationship between Ben, Jacob and Marcel, and the vendetta against Marcel Serghi for sins of the past. Marcel Serghi is a member of the House of Sicarii, a House of assassins who must abide by the rules of the covenant. Believing Marcel must sacrifice himself for the death of her brother, twenty years earlier, Yvette wages a war against Marcel, threatening everyone in his life including Ben, Jacob and Sam. When Marcel is called to present himself before the Court of Justices to speak to the accusations by Yvette, Ben and Jacob take their own relationship to the next level, a relationship of which Marcel is no longer in control.

Meanwhile, Sam Waters continues to do battle with the high school bullies, a battle he wages with determination and might. Sam’s relationship with Roshan becomes public fodder for the homophobic tormentors but Sam, with the help of Marcel, endures yet continues to suffer throughout the story, having become the target of vengeance and hate.

SICARII is a story of power and control; of discrimination and abuse; of betrayal, vengeance, acceptance and love. Sam and Roshan’s relationship is symbolic of the struggles for many young men coming to terms with the sexual identity but also is representative of Marcel’s relationship with his first love Alexander. Jacob finds love with Ben Corbin, a love he was unable to find with Marcel Serghi; and Marcel uses his membership in the House of Sicarii to protect them all. A strong final instalment SICARII part 3 leaves a little bit of mystery surrounding Marcel Serghi, an emotionless, anti-hero with almost preternatural abilities, and a dark past shrouded in death, personal loss and destruction.

Copies supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy

 

Chapter I
The killer watched.
Light bled from Sam Water’s window, backlighting his silhouette. The pencil danced in his hand. Whatever drove him from his bed must have been important. He was up early, even for a school day.
Marcel leaned against the porch railing and coaxed a cigarette from the package in his hand. The momentary flame from the lighter outlined the web of scar tissue across his palm and three and a half fingers. The car bomb had also spared his thumb. A good thing. Learning how to write with his left hand would have been a bitch.
Not that an old dog couldn’t be taught a new trick. He was no old dog, but the teachings ingrained in him had been done so under conditions leaving no room for change.
The cherry of his cigarette flared in the darkness.
Night in this suburban neighborhood was nothing like where he’d grown up. Tucked in the mountains, there were only the stars, the moon, and the occasional candle. There the darkness wasn’t just a state of being. It was a living thing. All-consuming and unforgiving, conspiring with the wilderness to kill those too weak to survive.
Here the darkness was just a veil; once lifted, life returned, shattering any chance of reaching such perfection.
The storm door to the house opened, and the wooden slats on the porch creaked.
Mild green tea and aloe mixed with the honeysuckle blooming along the split rail fence nestled between the houses. The heat left over from the shower clung to Jacob’s skin.
“I wish you wouldn’t smoke.” In the darkness, there was only the sound of his breathing, the rustle of his clothes, the weight of his body pressing against the space around Marcel. A space that shrank to nothing with another small step.
Jacob’s caress traced the line of Marcel’s jaw. Layers of scars disrupted the gentle movement.
“Did you find your money?” Marcel exhaled a stream of bitter smoke.
“You gave me too much again.”
“It is a tip. For…you know. Good service.”
Jacob teased his fingers down the back of Marcel’s neck. There was more in his touch than physical contact. There was longing, yearning, endless want. But Marcel would never be able to give the man what he yearned for.
“You don’t need to tip me. You already give me so much.”
“I make you live in a motel.”
“Only because it’s close.”
“I could buy you a house.” The tip of the cigarette flared. Jacob was right, he shouldn’t smoke. Damn things never tasted like anything but shit.
“I don’t want a house.”
“You should. You are young. Young people should want a house. A family. A car. You have nothing.”
Jacob rested his cheek on Marcel’s shoulder. “I have you.”
“Nothing.” Marcel snuffed out the cigarette between his finger and thumb, then slid the butt into his shirt pocket. “You should go. Get some sleep.”
“I napped.”
Marcel cupped Jacob’s chin. He didn’t need the light to know how Jacob pleaded with his eyes.
Marcel saw it every time they were together. “No. I have told you many times.”
“Maybe I keep hoping.”
“It is a waste.”
“I don’t see it like that.”
“I could let you go. I could give you enough to go wherever you wanted. Back to school, maybe. What was it you wanted to do again?”
“I don’t want to go to school.”
“You should.”
“I’m happy.”
“You need more than an old man’s cock in your ass. You could go back and get your degree.”
“It takes years to be a doctor, and that dream sailed a long time ago.”
He was young enough to catch up to it. Or simply change direction altogether. All Jacob needed was motivation. A reason to want more. Someway for him to see there was more.
Marcel leaned down, and Jacob tipped his face up, leaving his mouth an inch, maybe less, but definitely not more, away from Marcel’s.
“You need to save those for someone you love.” Marcel traced the bow of Jacob’s lips with his thumb.
“Maybe I have.”
“No, Jacob. I fuck you. That is all.”
“And I’m okay with that. I—”
Marcel stopped him with a press of his finger. The tremor running down Jacob’s body was nothing more than a flutter of his pulse.
Jacob swallowed. “Please don’t send me away.”
One day Marcel would. But not today. Or tomorrow. Jacob wasn’t ready. “Friday. Ten o’clock.”
Marcel went back to tracing Jacob’s lips. He deserved to be kissed, to be loved. But that part of Marcel had been stripped away those nights on a mountain ledge when he was a boy.
“Go home.” He patted Jacob’s cheek. “Rest. You will need it.”
The whisper of tennis shoes against wooden slats faded into steps of rubber soles on concrete. Then those too were gone, leaving Marcel to the darkness.
In the window of the house next door, the boy finished writing whatever had pulled him out of bed. He folded the piece of paper in careful movements. Then he disappeared from view, and the patch of light coming from his lamp winked out.
And the killer watched. 


 

I am a writer of contemporary and speculative fiction and artist of all things monster. I live to create new worlds and the people in them. Several of my books have been best sellers both nationally and internationally. I have also been a finalist in the LAMDA awards, the “Oscars” of gay literary works.

I do my best to write original stories with powerful characters and emotion as well as a fast-paced plot. My goal isn’t just to deliver a good story but to take the reader into the story and let them experience the characters as if they are right there with them.

While almost all my books have a romantic element, I will be the first to admit, they are not traditional romance. In fact, I’d like to think there is nothing traditional about them. And the stories I paint are done so way outside the lines of traditional genres.

One of my favorite things to do as a writer is push the boundaries of what makes a story and to deliver the unexpected and maybe even change the perspective of the reader.

My characters are more often than not, beautifully flawed, not always the good guy, and make mistakes. Their stories will take dark turns which, in the end, make the light at the end of the tunnel all the brighter.

If you’re looking for something different, exciting, and unique, my books are for you. 

Website * Facebook * Readers Group * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * DeviantArt * Patreon * Newsletter

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

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share

A Duke Will Never Do by Darcy Burke-a review

Posted on by
12

A Duke Will Never Do (The Spitfire Society #3) by Darcy Burke-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 19, 2020

The Spitfire Society… Meet the smart, independent women who’ve decided they don’t need Society’s rules, their families’ expectations, or, most importantly, a husband. But just because they don’t need a man doesn’t mean they might not want one.

After failing on the Marriage Mart, Jane Pemberton has two choices: submit to her parents’ edict to marry their boring neighbor or become a self-declared spinster and take up residence in the official headquarters of the Spitfire Society. It’s really no choice at all, and Jane is eager to embrace her newfound independence. She soon finds an unconscious viscount on her doorstep and nurses him back to health. When he offers to compensate her, she requests payment in the form of private instruction of a scandalous and intimate kind.

Having spiraled into a self-destructive abyss following the murder of his parents, Anthony, Viscount Colton, physically recovers under the care of an alluring spitfire. But it is her charm and flirtatiousness that soothes his soul and arouses his desire—until an extortion scheme forces him to face the sins of his past. Now, to save the woman who’s given him everything he lost and more, he’ll have to pay the ultimate price: his heart.

••••••

REVIEW: Author Darcy Burke has blessed us with another lovely Spitfire Society story. A Duke Will Never Do, is the story of Jane Pemberton and Lord Anthony Colton. It is book three of the series.

If you have never picked up a “Spitfire Society Novel”, and have a love of historical romance, I urge you to do so. Each is written as a standalone, however, it makes sense to begin with novel one. This is a three-book series. If you search Spitfire Society in Amazon, you will easily get the reading order. These are stories of good friends whose lives intersect each other. You learn about each character in previous novels but get the in-depth focus of their lives and problems in their own story. It makes each novel like going home to a group of close friends.

I don’t do spoilers but let me give you the beginning gist of the story and what I like so much about it.

Anthony’s back story is that he was a reckless youth. He had many gambling debts that his father refused to pay off. So, he was led to a crime boss, the Vicar, by a supposed friend. That led to not being able to pay the Vicar. He was supposed to be going to their country property, but he didn’t go. His father and mother made the trip instead and were killed by a highway man. Then he learns that it was the Vicar’s man…he was to have been the target. His guilt eats away at him, he believes he’s responsible for his parent’s death. Drinking is his way of numbing the guilt, causing his reputation to suffer.

Jane’s parents are extremely disappointed in her failing to secure a marriage. They are pushing her beyond reason to marry a neighbor she finds boring and unacceptable. Her friend Phoebe has married a duke and has moved out of her house. When Jane let her know she is declaring her spinsterhood and needs to move out of her parent’s home, Phoebe lends Jane her house. She gives Jane a stipend to care for the staff and keep the house repaired, even a small stipend for Jane’s own income. A very generous gift for the times, but she knows Jane will take good care of her staff and home. However, Jane’s parents will no longer see her, nor will they let her come to her sister’s wedding. One morning, Jane finds a man on her doorstep, beaten and injured. It turns out to be Lord Anthony Colton. She has the butler take him to an upstairs room and decides to care for him there, discretely.

That’s pretty much the setup. How they care for each other, how they heal each other and hurt each other simultaneously is the very heart and soul of this intriguing story. What I love is the way they interact for the period. It’s very eye-opening about the brutality of the times and yet heartwarming in how love can overcome so much. I love the idea of spirited and independent women forming a group, even those who are not in Jane’s circumstances. The writing is professionally done, and the conversations and characters are remarkable. I’m a huge fan of Darcy Burke’s work and this is the last of the series. I personally cannot wait to see where she goes next.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Never Have I Ever
A Duke is Never Enough

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Georgianna S

Share

Malcolm (Dirty Aces MC #1) by Lane Hart & DB West-Review tour

Posted on by
11

Malcolm (Dirty Aces MC #1) by Lane Hart & DB West-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway  tour

From 99¢ or £.99.  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 30, 2020

Covered in tattoos and leather, Malcolm Hyde is a smoking hot biker who was born to be a ruthless outlaw.

As the president of the Dirty Aces MC, Malcolm is known for being cold and calculating. One bad decision – getting into business with the wrong person – is all it takes to bring down the entire MC. It’s happened before to his predecessor, which is why Malcolm refuses to let it happen again on his watch. He doesn’t trust anyone except for the few men who wear the same ace of spades patch on their back.

And that’s exactly why he doesn’t ever take his eyes off of me – the new girl. I never intended to make an enemy out of Malcolm or the MC when I was sent to steal everything I could from them.

After Malcolm finds out what I’ve been doing, he’s furious and shows no mercy until I spill all of my secrets, ones that could very well end my life. That’s when he makes me a surprising offer – he’s willing to take care of all of my problems, and the only thing he’s asking for in return is for me to completely surrender myself to him.

Spending two weeks in bed with a bad boy biker sounds more like a reward than a punishment.

There’s just one little catch – once he claims my body, there’s no guarantee he won’t steal my heart too.

•••••••

REVIEW:MALCOLM is the first instalment in the contemporary, adult DIRTY ACES MC erotic, MC, romance series co-authored by Lane Hart and DB West. This is Dirty Aces Club president Malcolm Hyde, and waitress Naomi Dawson’s story line. The Dirty Aces series is a spin-off from the author’s Savage Kings MC but you do not have to have read the previous series to understand or follow the story.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Malcolm and Naomi) MALCOLM follows the acrimonious relationship between Club president Malcolm Hyde, and waitress Naomi Dawson. Naomi Dawson finds herself in trouble having stolen a valuable historical collectible and the owner is demanding restitution otherwise he will sell Naomi to the highest bidder. In an effort to repay the money, Naomi is forced to steal from the Dirty Aces MC, and the man with whom Naomi will fall in love but all does not go according to plan when Malcolm discovers Naomi’s betrayal. To make restitution, Naomi will become Malcolm’s sex slave for two weeks, two weeks wherein Naomi will fall in love. What ensues is the highly sexual and tempestuous relationship between Malcolm and Naomi, and the potential fall-out as Malcolm and Naomi’s time together comes to a close.

Malcolm Hyde battles between head and heart as it pertains to Naomi Dawson. With his mind on Naomi, things with the Club begin to fall apart, forcing Malcolm to push Naomi out of his life. Naomi knew her time with Malcolm was coming to an end but our heroine was hoping for something more. Everything will spiral out of control when Naomi comes bearing news of her own, news that will send Malcolm into another tail spin pushing Naomi even further out of his life.

The relationship between Naomi and Malcolm is one of immediate attraction but Malcolm doesn’t do relationships having been burned in the past. Naomi is a strong willed, stubborn, fesity and independent heroine who knows that to steal from the Dirty Aces MC could mean her life is no longer her own but our heroine is willing to take the risk knowing that what awaits her is worse than anything Malcolm would ever do. The $ex scenes are erotic, aggressive and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Malcolm’s MC brothers: Devlin, Fiasco, Nash, Silas, Drake and Hudson; Greg the local store owner; and drug king pin Harry Cox.

MALCOLM is a gritty story of obsession and lust; of betrayal and vengeance; of love and loss. The fast paced premise is engaging and spicy; the romance is questionable, provocative and edgy; the characters are impassioned but challenging

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers due to strong language and content

 

~ Malcolm ~“So, how long have you been stealing from me? Since day one?” I ask Naomi as I stick the smoke in my mouth and light it up.
“Could I…could I maybe put some clothes on first?” she asks, reaching for her discarded and ripped dress on the floor. My boot gets there first. I stomp on the black fabric and slide it over to my chair so I can snatch it up in my fist to keep it from her.
“No clothes until you answer all of my fucking questions,” I inform her. Besides, it’s no hardship to talk to her with her tits out. Or they were visible before she lets out a heavy sigh and pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, blocking all but a peek of her cunt from view. “How long have you been skimming cash from my drinks and stealing from my customers, Naomi?” I ask again.
“Since…I started working on the boat,” she tells me without even a hint of remorse on her face or in her voice.
“Why?”
“Because…because I had to.”
“Try again,” I say.
Her big, blue eyes stare up at me pleadingly. “I swear I didn’t want to, Malcolm. But I didn’t have a choice!”
“Bullshit. There’s always a choice,” I counter, unaffected by her acting like the innocent victim. That shit doesn’t fly when she’s sitting naked on the floor of my office after I was inside of her, the smell of our combined bodily fluids still lingering in the air so thick I can almost taste the sex on my tongue.
“There wasn’t a choice in my case,” she mutters while tightening her arms around her knees.
“Come on, honey. Just spit it out already! Now you’re just wasting my time, which is only going to piss me off even more,” I say, getting annoyed now thanks to the way my dick overtakes my common sense where this girl is concerned. That shit has never happened to me before. There have been plenty of women I wanted to fuck but didn’t because I knew they were either not worth the hassle, off-limits, or trouble waiting to happen.
Naomi shakes her head in refusal. “I can’t tell you.”
“Yes, you can, and you will. All you have to do is open your pretty little mouth, you know, like you did to convince Fiasco to give you this job. Just use your words now instead of your gag reflex.”
“No, really. I can’t,” she replies.
I reach above her head to flick the end of my smoke into the ashtray, crowding her when I say, “Then you’re not leaving this room or getting clothes again until you change your mind.”
Her eyes widen as they lock with mine, like she’s trying to judge my sincerity. I’m as serious as a fucking heart attack. We’re both gonna sit right here until she talks.

 


 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lane Hart has more than forty steamy stories currently available on Amazon. Sign up for her newsletter to receive updates on new releases and free promotions by copying and pasting this link into your web browser: http://bit.ly/LHDBWNewsletter

Lane lives in North Carolina with her husband, author D.B. West, their two daughters, a few lazy cats and a pair of rambunctious Pomeranians. She has a Masters in Criminal Justice and spent ten years working as a paralegal for a criminal defense attorney before walking away to become a full-time writer.

In October 2015, the paranormal romance anthology Wicked After Dark, including her standalone, Let Him Reign, hit #13 on the New York Times bestseller list. Since then she’s been climbing the Amazon charts with hot new releases. So whether you’re looking for MMA superstars, hot cops, arrogant football players, sweet millionaires, or romantic weddings, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

Lane loves to hear from her readers on Facebook, Twitter, on her website, or by email!

Author links:
USA Today bestselling author D.B. West was born and raised in the southern United States. While studying at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he met his wife and fellow author, Lane Hart. They now reside together with their two young daughters and their pets, a pair of Pomeranians.

After losing his father to a lingering illness, West began writing ‘Awakening’ as a way to channel his emotions, and honor the memory of a true friend. In addition to writing, he enjoys video games, motorcycles, and traveling.

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share

Broken Bonds (Crimson Point 4.5) by Kaylea Cross-Review Tour

Posted on by
11

Broken Bonds (Crimson Point 4.5) by Kaylea Cross-Review Tour

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

Add it to your TBR Pile: http://bit.ly/33NHyj0

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 26, 2020

Autumn winds and rain have returned to Crimson Point.

It’s November in the Pacific Northwest and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Beckett and the Crimson Point gang are looking forward to celebrating the holiday together. This year they all have more to be thankful for than ever…but that also means they have even more to lose.

But this year a different kind of storm is looming.

Recent problems at work have left Beckett and crew scrambling to get projects completed. It’s all hands on deck, and just as the end is finally within sight, a deadly threat emerges from the shadows. When things take a lethal turn, the Crimson Point team must once again come together to save one of its own, and hunt down the vengeful killer before he can strike again.

*Note: This novella is a final wrap-up of the Crimson Point Series and is not intended to be read as a stand-alone.*’

•••••••••

REVIEW:  BROKEN BONDS is the final? Instalment and novella in Kaylea Cross’ contemporary, adult CRIMSON POINT romantic suspense series focusing on the people of Crimson Point, Oregon, and a group of former Special Forces soldiers- Beckett, Mac, Noah and Jase and the women they love.

Told from several third person perspectives BROKEN BOND focuses on the friendships and relationships of a group of former US Special Forces soldiers who are about to face down an unknown enemy with the potential to kill them all. An armed man has been stalking Beckett Hollister, and thusly the men who work for Beckett’s custom home renovation company. With the firing of three employees in the past several weeks, all three men are suspects until two are able to confirm they are not involved. A sudden storm, a landslide, a shooter, and a missing man force the tight-knit group of former Special Forces soldiers to work together to save one of their own.

BROKEN BONDS is the culmination of several story lines wherein we get a glimpse into the lives of the couples we have met throughout the series. Growing families, the approach of the holidays, and the possibility of one or more killers on the loose, the friends must battle between head and heart knowing the lives of the people they love have been threatened. The fast paced and dramatic premise is a quick read; a wonderfully lively and edgy story; the characters are familiar and heart warming.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Fractured Honor
Buried Lies
Shattered Vows
Rocky Ground

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards and has been nominated for both the Daphne du Maurier and the National Readers’ Choice Awards. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.

FOLLOW: Goodreads / Website /Twitter / Facebook /

Share

Sleepwater Static by Kathrin Hutson – a Review

Posted on by
11

Sleepwater Static by Kathrin Hutson – a Review

 

Sleepwater Static
Blue Helix series – Book 2
Release Date: May 26, 2020

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

 

Description:
They say home is where the heart is. Now that Sleepwater’s on the run, home is just another place to hide.

Wyoming’s Sleepwater chapter is on the run, hunted for their ability to spin a beat. With little time to mourn the members they’ve lost, Bernadette Manney takes the group to the one place she swore she’d never see again: the cabin in Hollywood, South Carolina. It’s remote enough to lay low and catch a break, but not for long.

Their beats are condemned as mutations, radical terrorist tactics, and felonies punishable both by and outside the law. Bernadette thought Sleepwater would be safe here, but returning to her Southern roots unleashes more demons than she left behind. Her past, her love, and even her own flesh and blood won’t let her move on through a venomous society intent on rooting out her people. Now, to bring a mother’s first child safely into an unsafe world, Bernadette must face her own shame from before Sleepwater itself was born. But redemption and forgiveness may be too much to ask, and it may just be too late.

 

Review: 

Sleepwater Static by Kathrin Hutson is the second book in her Blue Helix series. We met Bernadette in the last book, she’s one of the original members of the group. They are now on the run, the government want them, the public don’t understand them, and they don’t understand what’s going on themselves.  You don’t need to read the first book, but it does help. There is lots going on in the first book that will put stuff into perspective. 

Again this book jumps from past to present, this time showing us Bernadette’s story, I liked the messages from her friend, it actually filled in a few questions, without going into too much detail. We get the why she left South Carolina, what her ability or “beat” is and why she is the way she is……

It’s been six months since the last book. They are on the run from the government facility that captured a few of them. The Doctor that captured them did something to them, something terrible and half of the group will never be the same again. Sadness fills the air, losing friends that feel like family hurts them all. But Bernadette has a job to do, she needs to get them to safety, her family cabin seems like the best option. 

I have to admit I did like the first book better. But this one had its own good points. You expect a main character to be young, well Bernadette isn’t, she’s not a young woman, she’s not even middle aged, she’s an elderly woman with arthritis!!! 

She’s seen a lot in her time, a bully for a father, a jealous sister, a club owner who took advantage of her gift, friends who turned on her. But the turning point was when she turned her gift on her daughter!! She couldn’t take the guilt, and so Bernadette ran, and never stopped running. She’s collected strangers along the way, turning them into a family of sorts. We also catch up with a few old friends from the previous book, and a few surprises along the way. 

I really like Bernadette, she’s a very complex character, a hard life made easier with a few wonderful years, then given a second chance with her new family. She also comes into contact with her old family, how will she react with that? 

The ending definitely ended a little abrupt, so I’m hoping it’s not the end. 

Description:
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. In Sleepwater’s world, words are literally more powerful than bullets.

Leo could always make people believe anything she says—really believe. When her chest burns and the words come from her mouth, her targets’ eyes glaze over, they forget their own thoughts, and they’ll do anything she says. It’s what keeps her alive after being on the run and living on the streets for years. But after using it on her girlfriend and her dad’s drug dealer, it’s
also what got her here on the streets in the first place.

Then Sleepwater finds her. When Leo discovers there are others out there with similar powers, scattered across the country, she can’t say no to the underground organization. After all, what’s a little sit-down with the only people who may ever understand her? What she doesn’t expect is to be thrust into Sleepwater’s guerrilla war, hunted by government agencies, and used as a weapon. Worse than that, she might be more valuable not for what she can do but for who she was before they found her.

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

Review:  Sleepwater Beat by Katrin Hutson is the 1st book in her Blue Helix series.  Leo can persuade people to see things her way, convince others they didn’t see it, or that they imagined it a different way. Living on the streets has taught her a few things, suspicion is one of them. So when a random man takes her in, she readily accepted the offer. (I was surprised she wasn’t more resistant, but could a spinner be making her mind up?).

To be honest, I think Leo was looking for a connection, maybe even someone to care about her. And when she gets a job spinning stories and illusions, Leo thinks she’s found a home…..

We do jump from past to present a lot, and it does take a little getting used to. But persevere, it’s well worth the read. I think it’s more of a thriller, the other “beat spinners” are hiding something, so it makes me wonder what they are really planning. They seem to know more about Leo than they are letting on.

The way I see the beat spinners are a type of hypnosis, the suggestion is in their voice, they can weave you into the story, so you think you are there. This reminds me of  the X-Men, people that are different from humans, in hiding from the rest of the world, scared to show their true selves. (But it didn’t use to be like that, now it’s illegal). But they also need to hide, wealthy people want them as “pets”, to show their abilities in clubs and private homes, the spinners are forming resistance groups, targeting drugs companies (this is one of the reasons why Leo leaves home) there are a few surprises that kept me reading. The ending didn’t stop on a cliffhanger, but it does leave a few unanswered questions.

The story is dark, Leo has had many knock backs in her life, her mother abandoning her, her father dying of an overdose, living on the streets. So I did understand where she was coming from, always wary, always angry. Sleepwater gave her another chance at a normal life, but she had to earn her way in, and I did find that a little hard going (it seemed as the rest of the group were always laughing behind her back). But there is something going on in the background, I get a feeling that the death of her father, the drug he was using and the Sleepwater beat spinners are all connected. You’ll have to read the book to see if I’m right?

I liked how all the people seemed to be lost, and Karl and Bernadette were bringing them all together. Each person had a different ability, no one seems immune. The voice seeps inside your soul and the mind brings it into focus. I think this borders on adult rather than young adult. There are a few moments in the book I felt aren’t suitable for the market it’s aimed for.

But I did enjoy it, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copies upplied for review

Share

Honor Avenged by Tonya Burrows – a Review

Posted on by
12

Honor Avenged by Tonya Burrows – a Review

 

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

Description:
Leah Giancarelli makes balancing her new role as a single mom look easy, but she’d have crumbled if not for her late husband’s best friend, Marcus. She has her issues with HORNET, an elite hostage rescue team—after all, Danny would still be alive if he’d never accompanied them on their last mission—but Marcus has always been by her side, a strong shoulder to lean on…

Until, after one impulsive kiss, he’s so much more.

Eaten alive by guilt, Marcus takes off, leaving both HORNET and Leah behind. Alone is easier. Safer. Because his feelings for Leah are all kinds of wrong, the worst kind of betrayal, and he can’t trust himself not to act on them.

But Danny’s death was only the beginning. Whoever hired the hitman is looking for something, and they think Leah knows where it is…

Each book in the HORNET series is STANDALONE:
* SEAL of Honor
* Honor Reclaimed
* Broken Honor
* Code of Honor
* Reckless Honor
* Honor Avenged

 

Review:

Honor Avenged by Tonya Burrows is part of the Hornet Novel series. If you haven’t read the other novel, Hornet is the name of the organization of mercenary operations taken on by this group. This is a good organization of heroes with military or enforcement service who take on operations. This is the story of Marcus Deangelo and Leah Giancarelli (the widow of Marcus’s friend Danny Giancarelli).

Author Tonya Burrows has written another fast-paced adventurous novel with exceptionally emotional entanglements. It’s beautifully written and this one is heart rending on occasion with the added burden of guilt over a building love between the hero and his best friend’s widow.

The Hornet organization is even more dynamic and interesting than ever. I love getting to know the characters and their back stories.

The friendship between Danny and Marcus was strong and with his death, Marcus struggled with guilt at having asked him to join Hornet. He’s driven to find the person that shot his friend but finding that person leads to more misunderstanding and guilt.

Leah is confused and angry. She thinks Hornet failed to protect her husband and got him killed. She doesn’t want anything to do with them, but finds she needs them. Learning what actually happened and why is a game changer.

I love the interactions and conversations. The experiences are seriously lifelike, and the writing is intense, and I simply can’t wait for more from this great author and her band of heroes.

I highly recommend you grab a copy of this latest addition and have yourself a wonderful read.

Reviewed by Georgianna

Copy  provided by Publisher

 

Share

Pretty Nightmare (Creeping Beautiful #2) by JA Huss-Review tour

Posted on by
11

Pretty Nightmare (Creeping Beautiful #2) by J.A. Huss-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway tour

 

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 12, 2020

INDIE

I have them all now. Just the way I want them.
McKay, the one who loves me deepest.
Adam, the one who protects me fiercely.
Donovan, the one who tells the truth.
They are my friends, they are my lovers, they are my world.
And Maggie belongs to all of us—no matter who her father is.
This is the family I’ve always wanted.
This is the family I deserve.
And I will do whatever it takes to keep them.

McKAY

I have a secret that could ruin everything.
But I’m not keeping that secret to hurt her.
Nathan St. James needed to go.

ADAM

I made a plan that could ruin everything.
But I did it to save us in the end.
The Company needed to come back.

DONOVAN

I told a lie that could ruin everything.
But I didn’t tell the lie to them—I told it to myself.
Carter is closer than we think.

There is something truly wrong at Boucher House on the Old Pearl River.
Some hidden evil lurking deep inside the woods.
Nothing about their blissful life is what it seems.
Because just when they think they have it all—he shows up to take it back.

•••••••

REVIEW: PRETTY NIGHTMARE is the second instalment in JA Huss’ contemporary, adult CREEPING BEAUTIFUL suspense filled, mind-bending, dark, psychological thriller focusing on four ‘friends’: Core McKay, Adam Boucher, Donovan Couture, Indie Anna Accorsi, and their neighbor Nathan St. James. CREEPING BEAUTIFUL is a spin off of, and set in the same world as the author’s THE COMPANY –Dirty, Dark and Deadly series (2017)-several characters cross-over for back story and continuity. PRETTY NIGHTMARE should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book one Creeping Beautiful.

SOME BACKGROUND: At ten years of age, Indie Anna Accorsi was sold and bought by the next generation of an organization known as The Company, an organization that trained child killers and assassins to do the work of cleaning up when society has gone wrong. As Indie grows into adulthood, all is not well as she suffers with memory lapses, disappearances, psychotic breakdowns, and the attempted murder of the men that she loves.

Told from five first person points of view (McKay, Adam, Donovan, Indie and Nathan) using present day and memories from the past, PRETTY NIGHTMARE continues to focus on the dysfunctional dynamic of McKay, Adam, Donovan and Indie, a dynamic that includes sexual liaisons, ménage M/M sexual scenarios, buried secrets, lies and several missing ‘Company’ personnel, once presumed dead who have now resurfaced to take down the remaining few. Donovan continues to psychoanalyze Indie Anna; Adam Boucher searches for the classified and long buried information from his past; Core McKay hides the truth about a death in the family; and Indie needs to keep everyone together for her sake and that of the men that she loves, but their world is about to implode with the return of an enemy desperate to end them all. A long held secret reveals a darker betrayal, a secret that threatens McKay, Adam, Donovan and Indie in more ways than one; a secret I guess from the very start.

PRETTY NIGHTMARE is a psychological thriller about an embittered, flawed and broken ‘family’ –heirs to The Company; a generation caught between walking away or continuing to get pulled into the depths of depravity, manipulation, mind control and murder. PRETTY NIGHTMARE is a story of deception, delusion, and nightmares; of altered timelines, manufactured memories, and the reality of what was, what is and what will never be. PRETTY NIGHTMARE ends on a cliff hanger –you have been warned.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one CREEPING BEAUTIFUL

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

 

EXCERPT – ADAMShe holds my hand as we walk, squeezing it a little. It feels natural, but then again, weird.
This girl—woman, now, I suppose—she has been off limits to me for so long. It’s really hard to get that out of my head. And sometimes, when I look at Maggie, I see Indie.
It’s just… weird.
Indie doesn’t lead me to the front porch. She takes me around the side. “Where are we going?”
“To spy on them, of course.”
“Ahh, I don’t know.”
She stops us on the side of the house in front of the office window. “Stop being a baby. Don’t you want to be with McKay?”
And this is weird too. Since when do I talk about my feelings with Indie? With anyone, actually?
“You’re really trying hard to find an excuse, aren’t you?”
“I’m not.” It comes out defensive. “Of course I love McKay. Of course I want to be with him.”
“So what’s the problem?”
I hesitate. She just shakes her head at me and drops my hand. “Fine. Then stay here. I’ll spy.”
She turns away and continues walking along the side of the house, then looks over her shoulder one last time before she disappears around the corner.
I jog to catch up.
Fuck it.
When I round the corner, Indie has her face pressed against the glass of the family room window. The only lights on inside are the ones under the kitchen cabinets. So it’s a low light. A soft glow of yellow But it’s more than enough to see them.
Donovan and McKay are kissing.
I exhale and then heat fills me up. And I don’t remember breathing, but I exhale again. And then again. My chest rising and falling as emotions flood into my bloodstream.
“It’s kinda hot,” Indie whispers.
I have to agree. It kinda is. But it’s a lot of other things too.
They are both shirtless. And I’m not gonna lie, Donovan is just as nice to look at as McKay.
That’s not the only reason it’s hot though. This looks like a real fucking kiss. McKay is even kissing him back. And then Donovan’s hand slips down McKay’s chest, then down his ridiculous sixty-four-pack abs and rests on the waistband of his jeans.
Indie sucks in a little breath of surprise. “Damn. I didn’t think they’d… ooohh. Wow.”
Donovan is gripping McKay’s cock through his jeans. And McKay pulls out of the kiss. I have a moment of hope that he’ll push Donovan away. McKay looks down at Donovan’s hand as Donovan grips his cock and begins massaging his hand over his groin area.
But McKay doesn’t push him away. He closes his eyes and leans back against the counter. Practically giving Donovan permission to do whatever he wants.

 


 

Follow: Goodreads /Website Facebook /Twitter /Instagram

J.A. Huss never wanted to be a writer and she still dreams of that elusive career as an astronaut. She originally went to school to become an equine veterinarian but soon figured out they keep horrible hours and decided to go to grad school instead. That Ph.D wasn’t all it was cracked up to be (and she really sucked at the whole scientist thing), so she dropped out and got a M.S. in forensic toxicology just to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible.

After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.

So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.

She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.

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

To celebrate the release of Pretty Nightmare, JA Huss is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card. Giveaway ends June 9th. Open International. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share