Monthly Archives: May 2020

Close Up by Amanda Quick – Review & Excerpt

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Close Up by Amanda Quick – Review & Excerpt

 

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

 

Description:
Welcome to Burning Cove, California where 1930s Hollywood glamour conceals a ruthless killer…

Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills.

After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims—details that only another photographer would have noticed—details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.

Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it—his curse—along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse—all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders.

 

 

Review:

Close Up by Amanda Quick is the 4th book in her exciting Burning Cove series.  This series takes place during the 1930’s in the small town of Burning Cove, California.  Some of the characters we met in the first two books have secondary roles, as we return to Burning Cove.  Burning Cove is a small resort town with many Hollywood stars or the very rich, but it seems that is it also a magnet for danger.

We meet our heroine, Vivian Brazier, who is a freelance photographer, trying to create and sell artistic photographs to galleries; but in order to make money, she also takes pictures at crimes scenes.  Vivian manages to have a different take on scenes, and uses her expertise to sell these crime photos to the local newspaper, for a cover shot, which helps her make ends meet.  After being turned down on a her new artistic series that she offered the local gallery, and after her recent cover photo of a murder from the night before, Vivian receives a visit from a private investigator, who tells her that her life is in danger.

Nick Sundridge, our hero, is the investigator that has been hired to become Vivian’s bodyguard, with his dog, Rex.  Vivian at first doesn’t take him seriously. Why would anyone want to kill her?  She learns that Luther Pell, who we have known since the first book, received information that someone is planning to kill her, and he is the one who hired Nick to protect her.  

Vivian is a wonderful heroine, who is independent, mature, smart, savvy and with an excellent ability to see special secretive things in her photos.  Nick is also a great hero, as he also has a psychic ability that give him visions in dreams of what may happen.  Their romance was slow built, as each began to learn more about each other, and their chemistry was great; in so many ways, they made a great couple who also worked well together, as well as understanding each of their abilities. 

What follows is an exciting story that never lets up, with Vivian and Nick in the middle of all the action.         This intriguing story had a few surprises, which had me guessing until the end.  I thought Rex, Nick’s dog, was a wonderful partner.  I did like Vivian’s sister, Lyra and would love to see her get her own story.   I do not want to give spoilers, saying anything more would ruin the book for you.

Close Up was a wonderful exciting, intense suspenseful story, with a bit of romance, great couple, as well as having a slight paranormal element.  Amanda Quick once again gives us a complex mystery that had a bit of everything and the fun of being in the glamorous world of 1930’s.  I suggest you start this series from the beginning to enjoy the setting of this series, as well as meet some very good characters. However, each book does read very well as a standalone

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Vivian Brazier was attractive but not in the traditional sense. Her features were too striking, too bold, too intriguing. Too compelling. The effect was definitely more than skin- deep. If she lived to be a hun¬dred she would still be a fascinating woman.
Her high-waisted trousers and black silk shirt emphasized her slim, graceful frame. A couple of combs anchored her whiskey-brown hair behind her ears, framing mysterious, unreadable green eyes. She watched him in a way that warned him she saw things other people never noticed. They were the eyes of a woman who viewed the world from a different dimension.
The smile she had given him when she had answered the door, polite and professional though it was, had sent a thrill of delight across his senses. Now he was aware of a deep, prowling curiosity; a need to learn more about Vivian Brazier.
“I don’t know this Luther Pell,” Vivian said.
Rex leaned forward far enough to put his head in the vicinity of Vivian’s right hand. She glanced down at him, frowning a little. Then she reluctantly gave him a couple of pats. Rex grinned a wolfish grin and inched a little closer to Vivian.
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never met Pell, either,” Nick said. He paused and then decided there was no point keeping the truth from her. “He owns a nightclub in Burning Cove. There are rumors that he’s got mob connections.”
“That’s not exactly a resounding testimonial.”
“I know. But my uncle says Pell also has connections with the FBI and with a certain clandestine government agency. Evidently Pell used to run an intelligence operation during the Great War. All I can tell you is that Uncle Pete trusts him, and that’s enough for me to take this threat seriously.”
“Well, it’s not nearly enough for me to believe what you’re saying.”
“You’ve got every reason to be cautious,” he said. “But if you will call a homicide detective named Archer at the Adelina Beach police station, he will vouch for me.”
“Detective Archer knows you?” Vivian asked warily.
“No, but he knows Luther Pell. They both served in the War. Why don’t you go inside, Miss Brazier, and make the call? Lock your door. I’ll wait out here until you’re satisfied that I’m not dangerous.”
Vivian eyed him with a considering look. “Does this have some¬thing to do with the Dagger Killer?”
He had already figured out that she was a very smart woman, he reminded himself.
“That,” he said, “is a very interesting question. What makes you ask?”
“It’s not as if I’ve got a long history of people trying to kill me. My only experience in that regard occurred about three weeks ago. Now here you are on my front step telling me that someone wants me dead. It strikes me that if there is no connection to the Dagger Killer, we’re discussing an amazing coincidence.”
He nodded, pleased that her reasoning paralleled his. “Strikes me that way, too. But I don’t know the answer yet. Until I do, we should not leap to conclusions. Make the phone call, Miss Brazier. Then I’ll tell you what I do know.”

 

 

 

 

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Lady Fiona’s Tall, Dark Folly by Cerise DeLand-a review

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Lady Fiona’s Tall, Dark Folly by Cerise DeLand-a review

 

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 27, 2020

Can you fall in love at first sight…twice…with the same man?

Lady Fiona Chastain hurries to her Aunt’s and Uncle’s May Day Frolic to brighten her dull existence…and accept her dwindling marriage prospects. When her coach breaks down, and the man who rescues her is the very one she’s yearned for these past six years, she’s angry with him for his dismissal of her. Still, she falls for his easy charm.

Then she learns his name, and she’s appalled that his family is among her father’s enemies. Dashing, tender Rory Fletcher, the earl of Charlton, is the one man she must never love!

But her heart is committed.

So is his!

Can their love conquer old hatreds?

Or are some family feuds too bitter to resolve?

•••••••••

REVIEW:Lady Fiona’s Tall, Dark Folly is a historical romance set in 1816 in Bath, England.

Lady Fiona Chastain, while not a completely typical woman of the period, is certainly one you can understand. Her father was an awful brute but has died. Her mother has become demented and needs to sometimes be restrained in a special “soft” room. She has complained to not one of her friends, she simply doesn’t want anyone, save the servants, to know. She also hides a small secret. She really can’t see much without her glasses. This led to a huge misunderstanding and the main plot of the story. However, I won’t spoil this for you…read this for yourself.

Rory is the earl of Charlton. Once a soldier he was not supposed to inherit. However, his older brother died and now he was the earl. He’s kind and caring, handsome.
I won’t do spoilers, so let me explain what I found so entertaining and fun about this novel. Author Cerise Deland has done a marvelous job of building her characters. Fiona has been through much, but she’s still a lovely and kind person. She takes good care of her demented mother, even though it embarrasses her. Her vision problems give us much entertainment as you will find out, as do her penchant for cards.

There’s a little family drama here and there as in most stories but these are well and interestingly handled. Romance between the two main characters sizzles from beginning to end. Can love bloom under such circumstances, awwww…that’s the real question! Grab a copy of this clever story and see for yourself. I found it entertaining and enlightening. A great read for days such as we have now.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Blue Embers by Courtney Leigh – a Review

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Blue Embers by Courtney Leigh – a Review

 

Amazon

Description:
The Draak, an ancient race of dragon shapeshifters, have been the dominant species on Earth for centuries, but new threats are lurking to upset the delicate peace.

Following a rebel attack that nearly cost the Draak their leader, Killian Valentyne is tasked with tracking down those responsible. With the development of a new museum exhibit underway that Killian hopes will build a better understanding between humans and Draak, he’s stretched a bit thin. 

Persephone Grant is a dedicated historian and the new curator for an exhibit funded by known Draak playboy, Killian Valentyne. She’s intelligent, mysterious, and exactly the kind of distraction Killian doesn’t need, but a connection to the rising conflicts might just put her in the middle of it all.

With Draak-killing weapons floating around in rebel hands and suspicions that an ancient enemy has made its way to Earth, having feelings for a human would only make things harder for Killian. He knows the pain of loss too well to get caught up in affections, especially with a war coming, but Persephone may prove to be a force all her own. One taste should have been enough to sate their urges. 

 

 

Review: 

Blue Embers by Courtney Leigh is the 2nd book in her Storm of Fire series.  We met Killian in the previous book “Ash Bringer”,  he’s a lover not a fighter, but that’s not to say he won’t pick up a weapon for his race. Always looking for his next conquest, his next fun time. 

After almost being killed in the latest terrorist attack, Killian is looking for answers. He has in his possession a piece of metal that is giving him nightmares, this metal has the ability to kill a Draak, how did the human resistance get hold of it? Is the old enemy of the Draak emerging? Why now? Why here? 

One of his projects is a museum, a way to bridge the gap between human and Draak. But his help is needed. So he’s off to find out what needs doing, but little does he know his life is about to change…..

Persephone loves her job, it gives her a purpose. She finds the history of human and Draak fascinating. Although her personal view is also a little off, her sister is laying in hospital a casualty of the Draak regime…..

Both Persephone and Killian have a mutual attraction to one another, but Killian is in no mood for a mate, he prefers variety. And although he finds Persephone a delightful distraction, he can’t let his mind wander too far from his job, he needs to find out who is supplying the rebel faction weapons to destroy the Draak race!!  Persephone is drawn to Killian, but after seeing the effect it had on her sister, she wants no part of that life….. 

But both are thrown by their desire for one another, they can’t keep their eyes (or hands) off each other.

But someone is watching them, is it a friend or a foe? 

I’m liking this series more and more. The characters, the storyline. 

They aren’t here as friends, the Draak race came here to conquer and rule, and they have done for centuries. They aren’t a nice race, and in the first book, I really wasn’t happy with the male hero, in fact I almost hoped that the heroine did get her chance to kill him. But Killian is different from Draven, he was a warrior, a true warlord, Killian is more of a diplomat. That’s not to say he can’t fight, he just chooses his battles. 

In the last book we see a resistance/rebel force forming to other throw the Draak rule, but they are using both propaganda and fear to aid their cause. I’m all for overthrowing tyranny, but the way they are doing it! I’m not sure, they seem to want war more than a way to drive the Draak out, it feels like they want to rule instead! Will their leadership be any better? 
We also find out that if a Draak takes a human for ? Then a link is made, and if not maintained the human will slowly die!! 

I do like to watch the mighty fall, how they believe they deserve to be loved, but won’t reciprocate. They think it will be all one sided. And to fall for a human, that won’t happen. But when it does, it’s fun to read. 

Beautifully written, descriptions are detailed but not to the extent that you feel the author is just page filling. The world is growing nicely, meeting key characters at just the right time, not being overloaded with too many. Love the characters, even the bad guys. They make you want to boo at the page. There is so much scope for this series, I’m hoping we get many more. 

Reviewed by Julie B.

Copy supplied for review

 

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HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS by Paul Dalzell-a review

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HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS by Paul Dalzell-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N paper/

 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 24, 2020

He Might Still Be On Mars is a thriller set in the latter years of the 26th Century. Mankind has spread out into the rocky planets of the Solar System and the rocky moons of the Gas Giants such as Jupiter and Saturn. Despite light speed and near light speed travel, the number of people emigrating to these new worlds is in the doldrums.
This lack of enthusiasm is driven primarily by the savagery of raids by pirate chief, Wilson Black. Powerful politician and scientist, Stella Ling, sends Owen Bone and his Synthetic partner Sandi Shaw on a manhunt for an absconded husband, Freddie Ling. This is camouflage for a plan to eliminate Wilson Black. Owen and Sandi are subject to terrifying injuries and stresses that test what it means to be human and Synth. In overcoming these challenges, they find help in the most unlikely places, leading to a showdown with Black in the frozen remote taiga forest of Siberia.

••••••••

REVIEW: HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS by Paul Dalzell is an adult, sci-fi stand alone story of suspense focusing on galactic bounty hunter Owen Bone, and his synthetic partner (synth), an artificial intelligence being named Sandi Shaw.

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

Told from first person perspective (Owen Bone) HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS is set in the year 2586 wherein millions of people have emigrated to a number of the planets in the solar system, planets that have been augmented to sustain human life but like present day Earth, there remains the political wars, racial tension, specieism, classism, discrimination, and evil that break the laws, and perpetrate heinous crimes upon innocent victims. Owen Bone is a renowned bounty hunter who has been hired by the wife of a missing Chinese billionaire but our hero will soon discover his real target is an intergalactic space pirate, a cyborg whose methods are dangerous and often fatal. As Owen begins his hunt for Wilson Black, our hero will amass a posse of powerful politicians, scientists, thieves, hunters and his own band of pirates in an effort to stop the man who intends to stop them all.

HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS is a slow building story in which we are witness to the numerous attacks against Owen Bone; his ill-fated capture, imprisonment and eventual rescue; and his dogged determination to take down Wilson Black. From Mars to the frozen tundra of Siberia, Russia HE MIGHT STILL BE ON MARS pulls the reader into a galactic journey; a hunt and rescue; a take down and capture; a story of love, life (artificial, real or a combination thereof): revelations and retribution; a little bit of Star Wars ala Han Solo episodes 4, 5, & 6 😉 , Star Trek Total Recall and Babylon 5. There is plenty of scientific and fictional terminology-prepare to be transported to a world that is but a dream – or- nightmare  away.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Dirty Work by Regina Kyle – a Review

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Dirty Work by Regina Kyle – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple

 

Description:
Millionaire nightclub owner Jake Lawson works hard, but executive concierge Ainsley Scott is showing him how to let loose…in the sexiest possible way!

I knew I was in trouble the moment millionaire Jake Lawson walked through the door of his swanky Tribeca loft. The definition of tall, dark and handsome, he’s hired me to take care of his parents’ Irish wolfhound. But one game of strip Scrabble later and we’re taking care of each other all night long…

Starting my concierge business was my way out of the rat race I ran as a lawyer until it cost me my fiancé. And Jake is a full-on workaholic, certain his high-end nightclub will fall apart if he loses focus for a second. We couldn’t be more different. But the chemistry between us is off the charts!

From drag-queen karaoke to movies at Hudson River Park, I’m showing Jake how to lighten up and enjoy everything New York City has to offer. But I can’t help wondering if blowing each other’s minds in bed is enough to make up for our different values. Can Jake step away from his smartphone long enough to give us a chance?

 

 

Review:

An uptight, workaholic millionaire and a carefree “dog walker” sounds like your usual “rich boy, poor girl” story, but …… 

Ainsley isn’t a poor girl, and isn’t from the wrong side of the tracks. She was a high flying lawyer, and a good one. But recovering from a broken heart made Ainsley re-evaluate her life, so now she runs a successful concierge service. 

Now I’m assuming it’s like a concierge at a hotel (you ask and they try and get it for you, or find someone who can)  She enjoys the work, she’s living the life she loves…..

Jake is a workaholic, he eats, sleeps (when he has to) and breathes his club, he thinks that if he leaves it alone, it’s going to fall apart (talk about micromanaging) he’s got no time for fun, and certainly no time for love…… 

Written in the first person. It gives us both perspectives. 

I get the feeling Jake can relax, but at the moment his mind is on his new club opening soon. Trying to get him to relax is a full time effort on Ainsley’s part. But when he does let his hair down …… boy is she in for a fun ride. 

I loved the banter, the innuendos in most of the conversations. Laughed at the karaoke scene. And don’t even get me started on the scrabble moment. It’s really well written. The dialogue flows as do the scenes. The characters really come alive and you get this chemistry between them that really works on the page. 

It’s also nice to see a woman that works and thinks for herself, a woman who isn’t afraid of what she wants, and isn’t afraid of going after it. 

The secondary characters are a laugh. Her work force, his sister, and Ainsley’s mum is a woman I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of. 

I really enjoyed Dirty Work by Regina Kyle and would happily recommend it. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review

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MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward-Review Tour

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MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward-Review Tour

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

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Goodreads ➜ https://fave.co/2T0vXcS

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 27, 2020

My planned trip for two unexpectedly turned into a trip for one. Rather than let my breakup get me down, I packed my bags and decided a week at a luxury resort was just what I needed.
But one calamity after the next, and suddenly I was stuck without a hotel room, along with a few hundred other people.
It looked like my fancy vacation was about to turn into me sleeping on the hotel lobby floor.
Until I overheard a gorgeous man pretending to be someone he wasn’t in order to steal a reservation from a guest who hadn’t shown up yet.
When I realized there were two rooms, instead of calling him out, I pretended to be his sister. That’s how the story of “Milo and Maddie Hooker” began.
We were the Hookers.
My depressing trip quickly made a U-turn into an adventure.
My fake brother spent the next few days showing me around his hometown. When it was time to leave, neither of us really wanted to go yet.
So, instead of flying back to our respective homes, we ventured on a road trip.
At every stop, we’d pick up souvenirs.
But as hot as our chemistry was, we never crossed the line.
Milo knew I’d just come out of a tough relationship and didn’t want to mess with a vulnerable woman.
So instead, at the end of our trip, we made a pact to meet again in three months.
It was always my intention to meet him.
But when I got back home, reality hit in a big way.
And I worried I may have lost my handsome stranger forever.
Was there a place for him in my future?
Or had the memory of him just become my favorite souvenir?

•••••••••

REVIEW: MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR co-authors by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward is a contemporary, adult, romance story line focusing on high school music teacher Duncan aka Milo, and Hazel aka Maddie.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Milo and Maddie) MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR follows the cross country adventure of Milo and Maddie aka Duncan and Hazel. In the aftermath of her fiancé’s announcement he wasn’t ready for marriage, Hazel took advantage of their already planned honeymoon but found herself snowbound in Vail, Colorado where she will meet her future in the guise of Milo Hooker. With no rooms available, our couple assume the identity of Milo and Maddie Hooker to take advantage of an available room. Over the next several days and weeks, Milo and Maddie will discover who they are and what they want. What ensues is the building plus platonic relationship between Milo and Maddie, and the potential fall-out when their true identities reveal a common connection.

Duncan Matteo had lost the love of his life, and his journey to Vail brought back memories of a time long ago. Meeting Hazel gave Duncan thoughts of a future with a woman he only knew as Maddie, a woman that would call to his heart. A promise to meet for Valentines Day, three months later, would be derailed when Maddie broke our hero’s heart.

The relationship between Maddie and Milo begins as a circumstantial convenience but a convenience that was fraught with palpable sexual attraction, that continued to grow as our couple journeyed together. Maddie and Milo were both aware that each had suffered a loss of love but Maddie struggled to move on from the past, a past that was hoping for a second chance. The $ex scenes are limited and mostly implied.

We are introduced to Hazel’s ex-fiancé Brady, and her friend Felicity, as well as several different eclectic characters our couple meet along the way including an eccentric B&B owner who has an odd collection of taxidermy focusing on children’s nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR is a story of love, life, experiences and journeys; a story of second chances and happily ever after. The slow building premise is heart warming and engaging; the romance is passionate and captivating; the characters are colorful and charismatic. MY FAVORITE SOUVENIR is a wonderfully, impassioned story of falling in love.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Private Fan Group

••••••••

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is an attorney and a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today Best Selling author. Over the last three years, ten of her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller lists and three on the New York Times Bestseller lists.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest

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RAFE (Arizona Vengeance 6.5) by Sawyer Bennett-Review Tour

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RAFE (Arizona Vengeance 6.5 / 1001 Dark Nights) by Sawyer Bennett Review & Excerpt Tour

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 28, 2020.

I was living my dream until one phone call changed everything.

As the second line center for the Arizona Vengeance, my mind has been on one thing—helping my team bring home a championship. But that all changed when I found out my dad had cancer and only months to live. In that moment, nothing mattered more than getting home to North Carolina to be by his side. That meant asking for the unthinkable—a trade to the Carolina Cold Fury.

Now I’m home and when I’m not on the ice with my new team, I’m helping care for my dad. And in the midst of my grief, I find comfort from the one person I never expected.

Calliope Ramirez stole my heart at a very young age. The beautiful, smart, headstrong girl next door, she was my first… everything. She has never forgiven me for leaving her, believing that I chose hockey over a future together. What she doesn’t understand is that every decision I made was for her, and I’ve never given up hope that one day we’d be together again.

Watching my dad slip away is a harsh reminder of how short life can be, and having Callie by my side makes me realize I was a damn fool before. That changes starting right now. Calliope Ramirez is mine and I’m not going to waste the second chance that I’ve been given.

•••••••••

REVIEW: RAFE by Sawyer Bennett is novella 6.5 in the author’s contemporary, adult ARIZONA VENGEANCE erotic, romance hockey series,and the latest instalment in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights series. This is twenty six year olds, former Arizona Vengeance center Rafe Simmons, and nurse Calliope Ramirez’ story line. RAFE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Rafe and Calliope) RAFE follows Rafe as he asks for a late season trade to the Carolina Cold Fury, in the aftermath of his father’s end stage cancer. A return home means facing the woman he has never stopped loving, the woman whose heart he destroyed years before. Enter twenty six year old Calliope Ramirez. What ensues is the rebuilding romance between Calliope and Rafe, and the potential fall-out as Rafe wants more than Calliope is willing to give.

Calliope Ramirez was destroyed eight years earlier when the man that she loved left as he embarked on his professional career. Fast forward to present day wherein Calliope struggles to forgive the man that broke her heart. Rafe Simmons never expected to come face to face with the woman he left behind but Calliope will become a bigger part of his life when she reveals she is helping his father in his final days.

The relationship between Calliope and Rafe is one of second chances; a rekindling romance between two people who never stopped loving one another but whose futures went in opposite directions. Calliope never understood why the man that she loved left her behind, and eight years later Rafe is hoping to begin where they left off. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are re- introduced to several of the Carolina Cold Fury whom we met in the previous series, as well as welcoming Rafes parents Brenda and Jim, and Calliopes parents Mateo and Danielle.

RAFE is a story of family and grief; second chances and love. The character driven premise mainly focuses on the rekindling romance and Rafes history with a man who is going to die. The premise is engaging and real; the romance is seductive; the characters are colorful and proud.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Bishop
Erik
Legend
Dax
Tacker
Dominik

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

➣ Watch the book trailer: https://bit.ly/35axv9X

➣ Follow Sawyer Bennett on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sawyer-bennett

I swing open the door, eager to see Mrs. Filmore because she’s an excellent baker, but am stunned stupid when I see Rafe standing there with two grocery bags in hand.
I left him at his parents’ house not more than an hour and a half ago. There was no kiss goodbye, only a promise to call me later. I didn’t know what to—or if I should—read into that. The kiss would have implied some lingering affection; the lack of implying the sex was a one-time-only thing, and perhaps a mistake. Yet the promise to call spoke to wanting to see me again. Or maybe we’d just go back to being tentative friends.
Ugh. So confusing. In the moment, the only thing I can think to say is, “What are you doing here?”
“I missed you, too,” he replies with a sly grin, pushing his way into my apartment.
“Why don’t you come on in?” I mutter sarcastically and close the door, noting how good he smells as he passes me. “But, seriously…why are you here?”
Rafe takes a moment to survey my small apartment and then moves into the kitchen. He holds up the grocery bags. “I thought we could hang. I brought all the makings for tacos, and we can watch movies or something. Really great apartment, by the way. It’s totally you.”
I pad across the small living area and rest my forearms on the counter that separates it from the kitchen. He starts unloading the bags—ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, a six-pack of beer.
“Dad’s sleeping, and Mom’s doing some spring cleaning,” he explains as he moves to put the items in my fridge. “She shooed me out of the house, and I thought we could hang.”
“Hang?” I ask skeptically. What does that even mean?
And then it dawns on me.
“Oh,” I drawl in amusement. “You want sex again?”
Rafe pops straight up, looking at me over the refrigerator door, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “You offering?”
“Um,” I reply, unsure of myself.
He grins at me. “As much as you totally rocked my world today at the pond, Poppy, I really just thought we could hang out. Get to know each other again.”
My eyebrows draw inward, and I’m more confused now than ever. I rocked his world? Really?
Why I flush with pride is beyond me, but what makes a girl feel good is what makes a girl feel good.
Rafe shuts the fridge and moves around the kitchen counter to me. He takes my hand in his, covers it with his other, and brings them to his chest, his expression somber. “I know I can’t possibly hope for you to understand what I did to you eight years ago, and I know it’s likely a lot of wishful thinking that you could forgive me completely. But right now, we reconnected, and I want to see where this goes. Today with you has been the best day since I found out about my dad. I guess I just want more of it.”

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

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

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

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