KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA (Captivity Alaska 3) by Samanthe Beck

Posted on May 16, 2022 by Sandy

KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA (Captivity Alaska 3) ) by Samanthe Beck-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 17, 2022

Everyone in Captivity, Alaska now knows Lilah Iquat’s big (and getting bigger) secret. She’s knocked up. Pregnant. All it took was a foolish decision with lasting consequences. Now Lilah’s going it alone—with the help of the town. But with one particular craving getting stronger, Lilah has her eyes on just one thing: too-sexy Ford Langley.

Ford’s ex-Army Special Forces sense of honor and duty haven’t disappeared. Which is exactly why Lilah is fully off limits, hands-off, and don’t even think about it, Ford. She’s too young and too bright for an ex-Army man who’s seen too much, too soon. Which means that he’ll hold to his code—even if it kills him. And it just might.

Now Lilah is showing Ford how much light and life and love he’s missing out on, testing every last shred of his resolve. But with a baby on the way and the whole town involved, Ford and Lilah are about to learn the hard way that life never goes according to plan…especially when it comes to love.

•••••••••

REVIEW: KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA is the third instalment in Samanthe Beck’s contemporary, adult CAPTIVITY ALASKA erotic, romance series. This is thirty-one year old, bar owner and ex-Army Special Forces Ford Langley, and twenty-one year old, Lilah Iquat’s story line. KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout. There is a slight paranormal element to the story line.

SOME BACKGROUND: Several months earlier Shay Shanahan, part owner of Captivity Air and Freight, died when his plane slammed into the side of a mountain. In the ensuing months, Shay’s brother and sister found love but all that remained of Shay were memories and grief. A surprise awaits the grieving siblings as Shay will live on with our story line heroine.

NOTE: If you have not read the previous instalments there may be spoilers in my review.

Told from third person perspective KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA follows the building romance and relationship between thirty-one year old, bar owner and ex-Army Special Forces Ford Langley, and twenty-one year old, Lilah Iquat. The tight knit town of Captivity Alaska has always protected their own, and when twenty-one year old Lilah Iquat’s pregnancy is revealed, the town surrounds our heroine in the wake of her mother’s rejection and hurt. Witnessing the fall-out of the mother –daughter rift, bar owner Ford Langley offers Lilah a job and a place to stay, an offer that pushes the couple closer together. As the pregnancy progresses, Lilah and Ford’s relationship builds but Ford refuses to cross an invisible line, pushing Lilah towards someone else, someone who refuses to back down. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Lilah and Ford, and the potential fall-out as Ford struggles with his attraction to a woman whose entire life is on the precipice of change.

Lilah Iquat needed to prove she was a woman; an adult capable of making her own decisions but an unexpected pregnancy was never a possibility and with it, the loss of family, the father, and her mother’s support. When her pregnancy is revealed, the townspeople make sure our heroine knows she is loved and protected including the love for a child they already call their own. Ford Langley never expected to fall for our story line heroine but his need to protect Lilah overrides all common sense until Lilah announces her plans for the future, plans Ford refuses to acknowledge or accept.

The relationship between Lilah and Ford is a friends to lovers. Lilah is pregnant ; the father is never coming home; and our heroine has been rejected by the only family she has ever known. Falling for Ford was easy, convincing Ford to take a chance on love may be more difficult than Lilah could have ever imagined. Ford has a secret of his own, a secret that only Lilah knows but said secrets is about to arrive in Captivity, Alaska, and with it, an unexpected change in plans for our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and endearing secondary and supporting characters including Trace and Isabelle (Wild in Captivity 1), Bridget and Archer (Play Dirty in Alaska 2), fishing boat captain Jorg Henrickson; pilots Wyatt ‘Wingnut’ Jensen and Maddox ‘Mad Dog’ Douglas; Inn owner and Lilah’s mother Rose, as well as bush pilot Ray Sandoval.

KNOCKED UP IN ALASKA is a story of grief and loss, family and friendships, support and understanding, acceptance and love. The small-town premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic, charismatic and fun.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Reading Cafe
Playing Dirty in Alaska

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Wine lover, sleep fanatic, and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy contemporary romance novels, Samanthe Beck lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her long-suffering husband, Charles, and their turbo-son, Hud. Throw in a furry ninja assassin named Gander, a few hundred Nerf blasters, one electric guitar, (with amp!), and…well…you get the picture.

When not dreaming up fun, fan-your-cheeks ways to get her characters to happy-ever-after, she searches for the perfect cabernet to pair with ASMR podcasts.

Killer Moves (Assassins in Love 2) by Tawna Fenske-review

Posted on May 16, 2022 by Sandy

Killer Moves (Assassins in Love 2) by Tawna Fenske-review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 12, 2022

He’s a hacker. A high-tech hitman. And now…a daddy?

When Matteo skips prison with a clean record, his conscience is anything but. Guilt hits him like a sack of marbles when he spots the woman he jilted. The clincher? A child who looks like him.

Renee’s son may have Matteo’s eyes, but she won’t say who fathered AJ. She’s also mum on what sent her into hiding or why guys with guns are after her. But when Matteo blocks an attack, he persuades Renee to appoint him their protector.

Keeping them safe means faking they’re a normal family road tripping with s’mores and snuggles and possibly a sniper rifle. Toss in a potty-training toddler and temptation from the woman he still craves, and it’s officially Matteo’s toughest mission.

But with danger nipping their heels, the only way to save his family may be to leave their lives for good.

•••••

REVIEW:KILLER MOVES is the second full length instalment in Tawna Fenske’s contemporary adult ASSASSINS IN LOVE romantic suspense series . This is Matteo Bello, and Renee Lorenson’s story line. KILLER MOVES can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: For fans of Tawna Fenske, there is a slight cross over with the author’s PONDEROSA RESORT series. Like the previous instalments, I do NOT consider the series a rom-com…there is nothing funny or humorous in the premise. Some of the retailers have marked the story as a romantic comedy, I am guessing because of the author’s history of writing the rom-com genre.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Matteo and Renee) KILLER MOVES follows in the wake of the reappearance of Matteo Bello who walked out of Renee’s life years before only to be targeted by a dirty cop, and sent to prison for a crime he did not commit but with his return Matteo discovers that all is not well in Renee’s life, as the woman he once called his own, is now on the run, with a young boy who looks exactly like our story line hero. Desperate to protect the family he never knew he had, Matteo becomes guardian and protector as the threesome find themselves desperate to stay one step ahead of an unknown predator. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Matteo and Renee, and the potential fall-out as the past demands information, information Renee knows nothing about.

Renee Lorenson grew up in the foster care system as her father spent most of his time in and out of jail. On her own, Renee never expected to become a single mother but AJ is a reminder of what she can never have. Seeing Matteo Bello brought back too many memories from the past, memories of abandonment and mistrust, love and loss. Matteo Bello never intended to walk out of Renee’s life but life as a ‘hitman’ means never falling in love, and never pulling someone else into a lifestyle that is dangerous and dark.

The relationship between Renee and Matteo is one of second chances but Renee struggles to trust a man who walked out and never came back, a man whose history she never really knew. As Matteo slowly seduces the woman with whom he had fallen in love, our couple find themselves on a cross country journey where the bad guy is constantly just around the corner. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

The familiar secondary and supporting characters include Dante Goodman and twenty-six year old, vintner Jennifer Bello (Killer Instincts 1),Jennifer and Matteo’s sister Nicole, Renee’s son AJ, as well as Dr. Sebastian LaDouceur-Dante and Matteo’s comrade in arms. The requisite evil has many faces.

KILLER MOVES is a story of family and relationships, secrets and lies, greed and power. The premise is intriguing and entertaining; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are dynamic and energetic. My only complaint about the series, is the limited back story for the series characters.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Killer Looks
Killer Instincts

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA Award finalist, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, step-kids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.

If You Stay by Barbara Meyers – Dual Review

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Barb

If You Stay by Barbara Meyers – Dual Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Apple / BAM

Description:
A runaway daughter. An unforgiving father. A reluctant artist.

At 18, Joy Laurence took off with the local bad boy who left her widowed, broke and pregnant. Back then her formidable minister father hung up on her when she called home. Now that she’s back, he slams the door in her face. But for her adult daughter’s sake, she is determined to make peace with her family.

Although romance isn’t even on her radar, Joy can’t resist troubled and talented Granger Sullivan’s rough edges and skilled hands. And in his rebellious teenage daughter she sees her own reflection.

Joy’s excitement dies when reconnecting with her past results not only in broken hearts, but broken lives. Including hers.
She could admit defeat and walk away a second time.

But if she stays, can she find a way to reconcile with her loved ones and build the life she wants?

Julie’s Review:
If You Stay by Barbara Meyers is the 3rd book in her Red Bud, Iowa series. This is not an author I’d read before, but it’s good to swap things up once in a while (and I’d been read a lot of dark romance,) so with that in mind I grabed the book…..

Joy took off with her boyfriend against the wishes of her father. Never thinking or looking back…..But happiness isn’t always promised, and when Joy is left a young mum and widow, she reaches out to her father.

After telling her what he thinks of her, he hangs up, poor Joy is on her own…..

Future Joy and her daughter have grown up and Joy has returned back to her by home town. She hopes that enough time has passed and that her father will finally forgive her and make room in his heart for his daughter and granddaughter.

But it’s not going to be that easy, her father still wants nothing to do with her!!

But with her mother on her side, Joy hopes to melt her fathers hard heart, but that comes with it’s own set of issues. Maybe Joy shouldn’t have come back! It’s only causing friction between her parents.

Granger is a struggling single father with a stroppy teenager. He has his own issues, one of abandonment (his wife left without looking back) and of inadequacy! (He blames himself for his wife leaving) so trust is a big issue with him.

Granger knows of Joy from his youth, he had a crush on her as a kid. But can he let his guard down and let another woman in? Or will his insecurities and lack of trust ruin what could be a second chance at happiness for Granger and Joy?

I had tears as I read this book, both with happiness and sadness. There is families at war, sullen teenager angst, trust issues, condemnation and misunderstandings.

We also get tender moments, funny moments and moments where bridges are trying to be mended. We get points of views from a lot of people, at first it was a little too much information being thrown at you.

But the further into the book we get, then more sense all the voices make. They all need to have a say. it’s not just about a second chance romance, it’s about forgiveness, about families mending themselves and each other. But when doors are shut in your face time after time, doesn’t that tell you something? Isn’t it time to admit defeat and move on…..

Joy could, but I get that she’s a fighter. She’s had to be. Granger is a little antisocial, but I get why.

There are so many characters that you’ll identify and sympathize with. I read it in one sitting, and I’d highly recommended the book.

Kim’s Review:
Joy Laurence has just returned to her hometown after 25 years away. She’s come home to reconnect and reconcile with her parents. Joy wants to forgive and be forgiven but it’ll be harder than she expects. Granger Sullivan is a divorced father of two. He’s dealing with a moody difficult fifteen year old daughter. Granger to get away from his problems makes art out of junk in his garage. When Joy and Granger reconnect, and sparks fly. Will attraction be enough to become love If You Stay?

If You Stay the third book in the Red Bud, Iowa series by Barbara Meyers and takes a detour from small town Iowa to relocate and concentrate on a hometown in. As time progresses and she settles into her life in her hometown attraction and reconnecting with an old friend occupy her time. An unexpected romance with her landlord just may turn to love and figuring out what they both want.

If You Stay takes a man who is unhappy and not looking for romance and finds that he still has a crush on since he was nine years old comes back into his life. He’ll face his feelings about his divorce and how things have gone with his teenage daughter. The reconciliation doesn’t go as planned and secrets are revealed.

Barbara Meyers’ If You Stay takes a side trip in her Red Bud, Iowa series by taking the mother of a new citizen of Red Bud and taking her home to try and reconcile with her family after leaving when she was eighteen and returns in her early forties to find that the town hasn’t changed much but reconciliation will be more complicated than expected.

If You Stay for this reader wasn’t what was expected. Being from Iowa myself I was intrigued by the idea of a book set in my home state unfortunately that wasn’t the case. There was a couple of surprises but overall, the story kept me engaged and entertained.

Copies supplied for review

Unstable (Pike, Wisconsin 3) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Sandy

Unstable (Pike, Wisconsin 3) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: April 26, 2022

WHEN IT COMES TO KILLING

A dead man in a cemetery isn’t news—unless he’s found on top of a grave, with a bullet through his head. The body belongs to Jude Henley, who was supposed to be buried below. Instead, the grave contains the remains of Staci Gale, thought to have run away nearly three decades ago. Then an old VCR tape arrives at the sheriff station, showing Staci before her death—bound and terrified—with a note, claiming to be from the killer’s apprentice . . .

PRACTICE

Rachel Fisher’s job in cold case files has brought her back to Pike, Wisconsin—where she’ll be working alongside her ex-husband, Zac Evans. As Pike’s interim sheriff, Zac expected a low-key assignment. Instead, he and Rachel are racing to solve serial murders from decades past while a new monster goads them with a chilling promise. Every week there’ll be another old tape—and a fresh victim . . .

MAKES PERFECT . . .

In this small town a killer walks—twisted, ruthless, determined to continue his master’s work. And unless Rachel and Zac can find a way to get ahead of him, the nightmare will never end.

•••••

REVIEW:UNSTABLE is the third instalment in Alexandra Ivy’s contemporary, adult PIKE, WISCONSIN slightly romantic, suspense thriller series focusing on the people of Pike Wisconsin. This is thirty year old , Pike Wisconsin interim Sheriff Zac Evans, and cold case Detective Rachel Fisher’s story line. UNSTABLE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from first person perspective (the killer) and several third person perspectives UNSTABLE follows in the discovery of a body long thought buried and dead. The identity of the body in the local cemetary reveals the victim was a man thought to have died close to thirty years earlier but the exhumation of his grave exposes the remains of a woman who disappeared years before. Enter cold case Detective Rachel Fisher, interim Sheriff Zac Evan’s ex-wife, and one-half of an investigation team that will expose the resurrection of a possible serial killer. As several local women go missing, and their murders are recorded for posterity, Rachel and Zac struggle to unravel a series of clues that date back close to thirty years, clues that affirm a possible copycat killer in Pike, Wisconsin. With each murder, a new videotape is released, a videotape that may or may not be connected to the current killer or a killer from the past. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Zac and Rachel, as our couple begin to suspect a number of residents, as well as one or two of their own. Like many small towns, Pike Wisconsin’s dead refuse to remain silent, and the victims begin to talk from the grave.

Rachel and Evan’s marriage imploded years before but working together pushed our couple to remember what was and what will never be. As the number of missing and murdered women begin to climb, more than one person is suspect, and a long forgotten piece of information reveals a secret that is about to be exposed.

UNSTABLE is a story of murder and abuse, obsession and fixation, history and family, forgiveness and love. The premise is dramatic, intriguing and riveting; the characters are energetic, colorful and curious; the romance is passionate but limited, taking a back seat to the search for a killer.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Don’t Look
Faceless

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Code Name: Libra (Zodiac Tactical 3) by Janie Crouch-a review

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Sandy

Code Name: Libra (Zodiac Tactical 3) by Janie Crouch-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 17, 2022.

My code name is Libra. The stars say I’m charismatic, intelligent, charming.

The one with the easy smile.

Zodiac Tactical has been the biggest part of my life for the past three years. We guard, protect, rescue…eliminate the threat when nobody else can. And I’ve always been at the front lines—first to help in whatever way was needed.

Until I took a bullet to the chest.

Now everybody’s worried about me. So I’m sent on what’s supposed to be an easy mission—gathering intel about some potential bad guys while on a tropical island for a wedding. Lay low, blend in, catch a little tan while getting the job done. Can’t be too hard.

Until I defend the bride’s adorable sister against some cruel cattiness and the next thing I know I’m mentioning I’m her fiancé.

Surprise.

When the mission takes a turn for the much more dangerous, and my fiancée finds herself in the middle of it, I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. My wounds may have knocked me down, but a Navy SEAL, even former one with a couple extra bullet holes, always gets back up.

My code name is Libra. Don’t let the easy smile fool you.

••••••

REVIEW:CODE NAME: LIBRA is the third instalment in Janie Crouch’s contemporary, adult ZODIAC TACTICAL erotic, romantic suspense series-a spin off from the author’s LINEAR TACTICAL series. This is former US Navy SEAL Landon Black, and bakery owner/chef Bethany Thornton’s story line. CODE NAME: LIBRA 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 (Landon and Bethany) CODE NAME: LIBRA follows six months after the near-fatal shooting of our story line hero. Landon Black is desperate to get back out in the field. Working the desk for six months was driving him insane but as luck would have it, the team at Linear Tactical needed Landon to work undercover at a wedding, at an island resort, undercover as a baker’s assistant for the sister of the bride. Enter Bethany Thornton, and the woman with whom Landon will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Bethany and Landon, as Landon must remain undercover in the hopes of locating the leader of a human trafficking ring.

Bethany Thornton hasn’t been close to her family for a very long time. As the black sheep, she has been ostracized for what she does, and how she looks but a call from her sister to bake the wedding week treats means a chance to place her bakery in the spotlight but Bethany never expected to be working side by side with an unknown, a Landon Black, who stirs something deep within our story line heroine. Everything was going according to plan but Landon found himself falling for the sister of the bride. Landon was on assignment, and a relationship with Bethany might compromise his position, a position that quickly turned into a fake-engagement and relationship with our story line heroine.

The relationship between Bethany and Landon begins as an job when Landon is assigned to work undercover to track down a suspected ring of human traffickers but as the black sheep of the Thornton family, Bethany is often the target of ridicule and disdain, and Landon refuses to allow any personal attacks against our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including former US Navy SEAL and CEO of Zodiac Tactical Ian ‘Aries’ DeRose; fellow Zodiac Tactical member Tristan Zimmerman; Bethany’s sister Christiana and her fiance Simon, their parents Oliver and Angelique Thornton, as well as several security, extended family, and island residents. The requisite evil has many faces. Tristan’s story line is next.

CODE NAME: LIBRA is a story of secrets and lies, family and friendships, trust and misunderstanding, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is captivating and consuming; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are energetic, colorful and appealing.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Code Name: Aries
Code Name:Virgo

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

USA TODAY bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense. She is a winner and/or finalist of multiple romance literary awards including the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the coveted RITA© Award by the Romance Writers of America.

Janie recently relocated with her husband and their four teenagers to Germany (due to her husband’s job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she’s not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys engaging in all sorts of crazy adventures (200-mile relay races; Ironman Triathlons, treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp) traveling, and movies of all kinds.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7211574.Janie_Crouch
Website: http://www.janiecrouch.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janiecrouch/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2pmEH1X
Twitter: https://twitter.com/janiecrouch

Ruthless Rival (Cruel Castaways 1) by LJ Shen- a review

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Sandy

Ruthless Rival (Cruel Castaways 1) by LJ Shen- a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N paper /Chapters Indigo Paper /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 3, 2022

When she was young, Arya Roth became best friends with her housekeeper’s son. Soon, friendship turned to young love, and when Arya dared him to kiss her, a chain reaction of disastrous events led to the boy being sent away and out of Arya’s life.

Now, two decades later, Arya is an on-the-rise publicist with her beloved father as one of her biggest clients. So when her father is sued by a former employee, Arya sets out to prove that her father is not the monster he is accused of being. The only problem is the attorney who is determined to destroy her father’s good name. Christian Miller is charming, ambitious, and devilishly good looking, and Arya has no idea he is that same boy who kissed her all those years ago.

Past and present collide as Arya falls hard for Christian. But when she finds out who he really is and about his obsession with getting revenge on her father, can she choose love over family?

•••••

REVIEW: RUTHLESS RIVAL is the first instalment in LJ Shen’s contemporary, adult CRUEL CASTAWAYS erotic, romance series focusing on three friends: Christian Miller, Arsène Corbin, and Riggs Bates. This is thirty –two year olds, attorney Christian Miller, and publicist Arya Roth’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Arya and Christian) RUTHLESS RIVAL focuses on the second chance relationship between thirty –two year olds, attorney Christian Miller, and publicist Arya Roth. Approximately twenty years earlier Arya Roth fell in love with the forbidden, the housekeeper’s son but a stolen kiss destroyed both of their lives. Fast forward to present day wherein Arya Roth’s father has been accused of sexual harassment, and the opposing council looks familiar yet not. Enter attorney Christian Miller aka Nicholai Ivanov,the boy turned man with whom Arya shared a painful past. What ensues is the building but tempestuous relationship between Arya and Christian, and the potential fall-out when the truth is revealed.

Before entering Harvard, Nicholai Ivanov changed his name to Christian Miller, and his former life all but died in the wake of the new start. Having endured years of abuse and rejection. Christian refused to revisit the past until a sexual harassment case brought up a chance for revenge but more so a chance to seduce the woman he believed all but destroyed his life. Arya Roth never knew what happened, after that fateful night, to the boy with whom she had fallen in love. Believing Nicholai Ivanov was dead, Arya kept her love and her emotions close to her heart, having watched from afar as her parent’s relationship continued to implode. Desperate to defend her father’s reputation, secrets reveal a dark and dangerous past, and a betrayal that broke her heart.

The relationship between Arya and Christian is one of second chances, of a sorts: former best friends who were betrayed by the adults in their lives, adults whose own lives are lost or out of control. Christian’s slow seduction of our story line heroine borders on the unethical but Nicholai has not stopped loving the girl that broke his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate,seductive and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Christian’s best friends: Arsène Corbin, and Riggs Bates, as well as their former guardian and mentor Alice Gudinski and Nicholai’s mother Ruslana Ivanova; Christian’s assistant Claire, and Arya’s parents Conrad and Beatrice Roth, and Arya’s business partner Jillian. Arsène’s storyline is next.

RUTHLESS RIVAL is a story of betrayal and vengeance, abuse and harassment, power and control, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic, emotional and heart breaking; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are broken, charismatic,determined and intense.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Oath-Breaker (Angel of Death & Demons) by River Starr-Review Tour

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Sandy

Oath-Breaker(Angel of Death and Demons 1) by River Starr-Review & Giveaway Tour

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 26, 2022.

No one survives their meeting with the Angel of Death—except for me.

After being accused of rallying citizens to revolt against him and breaking the rules of engagement with demons to save my best friend—guilty as charged on both accounts—the Angel of Death demands to personally oversee my sentencing in his obsidian castle of demons and death.

I’m done for. This is the end. But my death won’t be in vain—I’ll die a martyr to the Paladins Order’s cause, and I’ll rescue my best friend at the same time. She’ll be safe and the paladins will pick a new leader. They’ll thrive and continue the fight.

Or so I think. When judgment day arrives and I’m knelt before the Angel of Death, with his onyx eyes, his ebony hair, and his seductively imposing stature, my soul doesn’t leave me.

It soars.

Because when I dare to look the Angel of Death in the eyes, everything changes. And what unfolds in my anger and vengeance’s stead is a thread of events I never could have foreseen.

I survived my meeting with the Angel of Death. But can I survive his love?

•••••

REVIEW:Having lost her mate in battle, Ayla isn’t going to let her friend suffer at the hands of demons, so she’s off to rescue her…..

The Grim Reaper/the Angel of Death, whatever name you give him he’s still going to take your soul and judge it at the end of the day. But in this story he’s a Demon King.

The war between good/evil, Demons/angels has been written time and again, the spin on this one is Demon/celestials (angels by another name). The pull between these two characters is almost instant. But she’s was mated before, so she shouldn’t feel the pull as strongly, should she?

And that’s the beginning of their story with Lucius telling her many times that they are fated to be together.
There is reluctancy on both sides as they are suppose to be bitter enemies.

Wow!! What a great read.

I’d not read anything by this author before. But it’s something I’m going to remedy in the near future.

Bringing this book to life (any book in fact) is not an easy task. You have to have flow and continuity, and easy rapport with the main characters, do the additional characters add or detract from the story? Well this author managed all of that with ease. In-depth descriptions had me immersed in this world within minutes.

Holding my breath as the battle between the forces of good and evil became blurred! Smiling as Ayla had her King on his knees, but not before having her on her knees literally before him. There is both action and romance in this book, and the action is kept at a pretty quick pace. It doesn’t drag on unnecessarily, or try to fill pages.

And the ending, well I wasn’t expecting that!! I can’t wait to see where book two leads us.

Copy supplied for review

? Reviewed by Julie B.

River Starr writes books that help you escape, especially fantasy romance full of magic and supernaturals. Favorite things: coffee, wine, chocolate, and a heavy dose of books to chase away the dark… or invite delicious darkness in.

Author links:
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/river_starr
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRiverStarr
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/authorriverstarr/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20463942.River_Starr

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Reaper (Steel Scorpion MC 5) by Savannah Rylan-Review tour

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Sandy

Reaper (Steel Scorpion MC 5) by Savannah Rylan-Review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 11, 2022.

She’s not really my fiancée.
I’ve known Rose forever.
Since we were kids.
She has sh*t taste in dudes.
Like that f*ckin ex of hers.
Dirtbag.
So she wants to get pretend engaged.
She thinks then, he’ll leave her alone.
Hell yeah, he will.
Except once that ring is on her finger,
I get… feelings.
Sh*t.
Now I gotta beat the old husband’s ass,
While picking out a suit,
For a wedding, I actually want.
What f*ckery is this?

••••••

REVIEW: REAPER is the fifth instalment in Savannah Rylan’s contemporary, adult STEEL SCORPIONS erotic, MC romances series. This is Caleb aka Reaper, and Rose’s story line. REAPER can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise, and each successive instalment builds upon the previous story line.

SOME BACKGROUND: Several months earlier the Steel Scorpions MC broke up a human trafficking ring run by the Devil’s Rage MC, and in the ensuing months a battle for territory has seen most of the Steel Scorpions’ bars and night clubs burned to the ground. The Devil’s Rage is demanding reparations for the loss of income, and has threatened all of the women connected to the Steel Scorpions MC.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Rose and Reaper) REAPER follows in the wake of Rose’s life spiralling out of control. Rose’s husband Blake refuses to sign their divorce papers, and has threatened our heroine in the process. It has been seven years since Rose last spoke to her childhood best friend Caleb but desperate times means Rose needed help, and Caleb is the man to call but to Rose’s surprise, Caleb is a member of the Steel Scorpions MC, and his MC name is now Reaper. Years have past since Caleb thought about the woman he once called his best friend but an eye witness account drove Caleb to claim Rose as his own in the face of lost love and years apart. Meanwhile, the Steel Scorpions MC is still at war with the Devil’s Rage MC, and someone will be sacrificed as payment for a debt. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Reaper and Rose, and the potential fall-out as Reaper refuses to forgive the woman he has always loved, and the Devil’s Rage demands reparations in blood.

The relationship between Rose and Reaper is a second chance friendship in which Rose had pushed Caleb out of her life when forced by the emotional and controlling abuse at the hands of her ex-husband. Caleb was ghosted by his best friend years before, and he presently struggles with her reappearance in his life but one night together doesn’t make up for years apart, and in this, Caleb is about to destroy Rose’s heart and her soul. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including the Steel Scorpions MC: Bender, Angel, Goose, Lilah and the Club President Fangs, as well as prospects Pride and Gus, Rose’s ex Blake, Lila’s stalker Wesley Abbott, and Devil’s Rage member Bullet. Fangs story line is next.

REAPER is a story of heart break and betrayal, family and friendships, secrets and lies, relationships and love. The premise is gritty and dramatic; the romance is impassioned; the characters are enterprising and lively. REAPER ends on a cliff-hanger, you have been warned.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of VIPER

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Read the First Chapter HERE!

Seeing her name pop up on my screen brought back so many memories. Her face bombarded my mind immediately, and all of the sudden my exhaustion dissipated into nothingness. She had been my lifeline throughout high school. The one person I could lean on, no matter what. She taught me about love, life, friendship, and kinship. She taught me how to kiss, and what to do on dates with women. Hell, she even helped get my ass through Pre-Calc, which had been a nightmare in and of itself.

I rubbed my eyes just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. However, when her name didn’t disappear, I knew there was only one reason for her phone call.

She’s in trouble.

“Rose? Are you all right?” I asked as I picked up the phone.

And the second her crying filled the line, I leapt right back out of bed.

Savannah Rylan is a romance writer that spends most of her time writing and reading with her cat, Gris. When not writing about sexy bikers and the women that love them, you can find her on the beach with a drink in her hand or at the gym testing out some strange new position. Yoga, obviously. She lives in Southern California with her husband and Gris, the true love of her life.

Website: https://www.savannahrylan.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavannahRylan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/savannahrylan1

IG: https://www.instagram.com/authorsavannahrylan/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13835951.Savannah_Rylan

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Savannah-Rylan/e/B00XDNZAEM

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bmhpQL

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/savannah-rylan

Personal Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163906600981374

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@savannahrylan

Master List: https://bit.ly/3urBKNe