Monthly Archives: September 2023

The Tithing by A. Zavarelli / Natasha Knight-review tour

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The Tithing (The Sacrifice #1) by A Zavarelli / Natasha Knight-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September

An ancient curse. Two families bound. A forbidden love.

When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl.

The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her.

Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us.

A Sacrifice would be made. A Tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due.

I would have done my duty as Penitent. I tried.

But no one counted on the lion falling in love with the lamb.

And loving Willow could cost me everything.

•••••

REVIEW:THE TITHING is the first instalment in the contemporary, adult THE SACRIFICE dark, thriller duet co-authored by A. Zavarelli and Natasha Knight focusing on Willow Wildblood, and Azrael Delacroix. THE SACRIFICE DUET is set in the author’s THE SOCIETY world aka Imperium Valens Invictum IVI.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Azrael and Willow) THE TITHING follows an ancient curse presumably directed at the Delacroix descendants, and hundreds of years of vengeance is about to claim Willow Wildblood on her twenty-second birthday. Knowing her life may be forfeit at any moment, Willow is subject to the taunts of Delacroix matriarch, and a town of ‘Disciples’ taking down anyone they believe to be possessed by magic but all is not well in the Delacroix house, and unable to help those who need it the most, Willow is forced to make a decision that will affect her life going forward. What ensues is the acrimonious and forced relationship between Azrael and Willow, and the fall-out as Willow suspects her time may be coming to an end.

The world building introduces the history of the Wildblood and Delacroix families. Hundreds of years of history, abuse, murder and repercussions that comes to fruition with the birth of a new Wildblood, marked at an early age. As Azrael struggles between head and heart, someone else is going to ensure Willow and the Wildblood family pay for the sins of the past.

The relationship between Azrael and Willow is a forced marriage; an abusive, questionable marriage meant to destroy our heroine, ensuring a rite of passage to avenge the family believed to be cursed. Azrael is determined to break his new wife, while someone else is determined to shed blood in the name of revenge. The $ex scenes are aggressive and intense, and not without some scenes of questionable consent.

The secondary and supporting characters includes Azrael’s long suffering and ill sister Rebecca, their brother Emmanuel, and evil grandmother Salome, as well as Willow’s sisters Raven, Winter, Aurora and Cordelia, and their struggling, weak-willed parents.

THE TITHING is a dramatic and tense story of murder and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, madness and legend. The premise is dark, twisted and heart breaking; the characters are desperate, delirious, and mad. THE TITHING ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

About A. Zavarelli:

Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Website: https://www.azavarelli.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AZavarelli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AZavarellibooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azavarelli/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-zavarelli
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13549895.A_Zavarelli
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2S3zrKS
Newsletter Signup: http://www.azavarelli.com/#!mailing-list/c46c

•••••••••••

About Natasha Knight:

USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance, Natasha Knight specializes in dark, tortured heroes. Happily-Ever-Afters are guaranteed, but she likes to put her characters through hell to get them there. She’s evil like that.

Website: https://natasha-knight.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheKnightSpot
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NatashaKnight13
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknight13/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/natashaknight13/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6478732.Natasha_Knight
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DWdlEu
NL Signup:https://natasha-knight.com

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Tainted King (Tainted Kings 1) by Senna Kincaid-review tour

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Tainted King (Tainted Kings 1) by Senna Kincaid-review tour

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 September 21, 2023

Not all kings are meant to rule.

Quinn never planned on falling in love with her best friend’s brother, Liam. She also never planned on acting on it. And she definitely didn’t think he’d ever return her feelings.

But entering his world came with consequences. Yet Quinn refused to stay away. Even if it meant giving up everything to be with him.

Liam thought he had more time. More time with Quinn. More time to prolong his fate. More time before his life was no longer his own.

But then he became king of an empire and the thing most precious to him became his biggest weakness. He would do everything to make sure Quinn stayed safe. Even if it meant giving her up.

This is the first book in the Tainted Kings series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are story elements that weave through each book, so they are best enjoyed read in order.

Note from the author: My characters like to get it on and sometimes swear. Every book has a HEA and there’s no cheating. This book was originally published under the title “Liam”.

••••••

REVIEW:TAINTED KING is the first instalment in Senna Kincaid’s contemporary adult TAINTED KINGS erotic, Mafia romance series- a spin off from the author’s LOCKED SECURITY series. This is heir to the throne of the Chicago Greek Mafia Liam Olysses, and restaurant owner Quinn Lombardo.

NOTE: TAINTED KING book one was originally released under the title Liam by Sarah Peis.

Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Liam and Quinn) TAINTED KING follows the building romance and relationship between Liam Olysses and Quinn Lombardo. For as long as she can remember Quinn Lombardo has been in love with her best friend’s brother Liam Olysses but in the wake of the attempt on his father’s life, Liam will quickly discover his ascension is rapidly approaching, an ascension that comes with a number of flaws. Falling for Quinn Lombardo was never in the plans but their relationship is about to attract some unwanted attention, enemies that will target our story line heroine. What ensues is the building romance and forbidden relationship between Quinn and Liam, and the potential fall-out as secrets revealed push Quinn Lombardo out of Liam’s life, and into the den of the proverbial dragon.

The world building focuses on the fight for control. The Greek Mafia, and the Russian Bratva are hoping to join forces but Liam has other plans, plans his family struggles to accept. A new king will be crowned, a new king who is struggling to accept his rise to the top

The relationship between Liam and Quinn is one of mutual attraction but Liam is Quinn’s best friend Freya’s eldest brother, and the taste of the forbidden pushes Quinn to want more. Keeping their relationship a secret is about to spiral out of control, when Liam must take his position at the top, potentially pushing Quinn out of his life and his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and determined secondary and supporting characters including Liam’s sister and Quinn’s best friend Freya Olysses and her husband Gunner Anderson (Stealth/Locked Security 1); brothers Gabriel and Jude; head of the Russian Bratva Aleksandr, and Quinn’s sous chef Vlad and his wife Tati, and aunt Amara. My only complaint/concern is the less than Greek names for Liam, Gabriel and Jude 😉 .Gabriel’s story line is next.

TAINTED KING is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, heart breaking and forgiveness, acceptance and love. The premise is intriguing, captivating and entertaining but a lost less dark than most crime world story lines; the romance is provocative and seductive; the characters are dynamic and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Come to the dark side, we have cookies

Books are my passion and I have always been an avid reader. Sneaking my mom’s romance books when I was too young to read them turned into a lifelong obsession.

And now I not only read kissing books, I also get to write them. Dark romance and romantic suspense have always been favourites of mine to read, and I hope you enjoy the worlds and characters in my books as much as I love creating them.

I currently live in a small town in Victoria, Australia, with the love of my life, our two little humans and two fur babies.

Connect with Senna Kincaid:

Website/ Facebook/ Facebook Group/ Instagram

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WICKED DEMANDS (Kingdom of Sins 3) by Jordan Marie-review tour

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WICKED DEMANDS (Kingdom of Sins 3) by Jordan Marie-review tour

 

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 September 21, 2023

He rescued me when I had nowhere else to turn.
Now, this filthy talking man is demanding payment, but he doesn’t want money.
He wants me in his bed, obeying his every command.

All my life, I wanted to be loved. Instead, I was ignored.
My father gave me what I wanted so he could go back to ignoring me.
Once I understood that, life became easier.
When he arranged to marry me off to the son of his biggest ally, I didn’t mind.
Marco was the older brother of my best friend and honestly, he made me burn.
I wanted to belong to him.
I wanted in his life, his bed and definitely in his heart.
It didn’t quite work out that way.

Marco treated me just like my father did—maybe worse.
Being tolerated by the man you love is a level of pain that I couldn’t endure.
So, I left.
The fact Marco didn’t fight to keep me was horrifically painful.

When one really bad decision lands me in hot water.
I reach out to the only person who has ever cared about me, my best friend Lina.
Too bad, she’s also Marco’s little sister. Marco rescues me, but he’s no white knight.
He’s a monster.

••••••

REVIEW: WICKED DEMANDS is the third instalment in Jordan Marie’s contemporary, adult KINGDOM OF SIN dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Greek Mafia heir Marco Stratakis, and Helena Kratos’ story line. WICKED DEMANDS can be read as a stand alone but for backstory and cohesion I recommend reading book two SAVAGE INTENT-The events of WICKED DEMANDS run parallel to, and cross over with the events of SAVAGE INTENT.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there will be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Marco and Helena), covering approximately four years, WICKED DEMANDS follows the arranged engagement and marriage between Greek Mafia heir Marco Stratakis, and Helena Kratos’. At sixteen years of age Helena Kratos was promised to Greek Mafia heir Marco Stratakis, a promise of which she was wholly on board but as Marco’s life spiralled out of control, he left his young fiancé alone, to protect her from the life that was taking him down. Taking control of his father’s business and Mafia connections, Marco would bide his time before claiming our story line heroine but Helena was struggling with her fiance’s apparent rejection, and her loneliness forced Helena to take a stand but all was not well in the world of the criminal underworld, and Helena would find herself a pawn in a much larger game of winner takes all. What ensues is the slow building relationship between Marco and Helena, and the potential fall-out when Helena discovers her life as she knew was all a lie.

The world building continues to focus on the dangerous and deadly life of the criminal underworld. From the Greek Mafia, the Italian Mafia, and the Russian Bratva, Helena’s naivety is about to threaten any semblance of independence and peace for our story line heroine. Months and sometimes years would pass before Helena had any contact with the man that she loved, and the loneliness would push our heroine to take back control.

The relationship between Marco and Helena is an age-gap, arranged marriage between two powerful Greek Mafia families. Helena is best friends with Marco’s sister Melina (Savage Intent), and Marco is determined to protect both the women in his life. Having suffered at the hands of his father, Marco is willing to die to safeguard the lives of Melina and Helena. Helena knew Marco was the man she would marry but struggled in the wake of Marco’s absence and the job that required him to leave for extended periods of time. The $ex scenes are intimate, provocative and intense.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful and powerful secondary and supporting characters including the head of the American Italian Mafia and Marco’s brother in law, Antonio De Luca, and Marco’s sister Melina Stratakis (Savage Intent); Marco’s brothers Sebastian, Gio and Elias; their father Dracos Stratakis; Helena’s father George Kratos, as well as Bratva members Ivan Levkin and Zervas Cirillo; MC member EZ and his wife Liberty; and bodyguard Victorio. The requisite evil has many faces.

WICKED DEMANDS is a story of abuse and murder, power and control, betrayal and greed, forgiveness and acceptance, family and love. The premise is dramatic, dark, gritty, and haunting; the romance is edgy; the characters are broken, desperate and animated.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Carnal Vows
Savage Intent

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

I’m just a simple small town country girl, haunted by Alpha Men who talk in my head 24 hours a day.

I knew I wanted to write when it became clear I couldn’t be happy with just viewing other people’s stories. I always wanted to rewrite them.

Like why did Jack have to die? Why couldn’t Rose move her butt over? Because that was a huge piece of wood she was on, people.

Happy Endings should be fought for, but they should always happen. Mine might take some curves and twists, but they eventually get there.

Having published over fifty stories, it always feels surreal that this is my life. Hitting USA Today had me crying for days, but nothing is more special than hearing from readers that they loved one of my books.

 Facebook / Website  / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram / TikTok

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Vixen (Devil’s Handmaidens MC 4) by DM Earl-review tour

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Vixen (Devil’s Handmaidens MC: Timber-Ghost, Montana 4) by DM Earl-review tour

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 September 21, 2023

She’s as fierce and fearless as they come…

Being pulled back in is the absolute last thing that I want,
Or need.
After all, the demons and horrors of back then nearly destroyed me,
Broke me,
And killed me.

But my friend needs me,
She needs out,
Away from the trafficking and prostitution,
An escape I know all too well.

The Devil Handmaidens are always on my side,
Supporting me,
Trusting me,
And protecting me.

I just need one more person on my side,
The strongest, bravest man I know,
The one who shattered my heart,
Left me high and dry.
Can I rely on Ironside,
Or will he break me all over again?

•••••••

REVIEW:VIXEN is the fourth instalment in DM Earl’s contemporary, adult DEVIL’S HANDMAIDENS MC: TIMBER-GHOST MONTANA dark, erotic, MC romance series a spin off from the author’s GRIMM WOLVES series/ and interconnected with the multi-authored SALVATION SOCIETY series. This is former undercover FBI agent Lucas ‘Ironsides’ Dombranski, and Mira aka Vixen’s story line. VIXEN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several first person perspectives including Lucas and Vixen, VIXEN focuses on the rescue of several woman kidnapped and used by a human trafficking ring. Several years earlier Mira aka Vixen was a victim of a human trafficking ring, used and abused along with several other women. Five years ago, Vixen’s life imploded but not before meeting undercover FBI agent Lucas Dombranski, a man she struggles to forget or forgive. Fast forward to present day, Vixen receives an emergency call, several women are in need of help, and with the assistance of Lucas Dombranski, the Grimm Wolves MC, the Intruder MC, and her sisters in the Devil’s Handmaidens MC, a plan is set into motion to rescue those most vulnerable, leaving no one behind. Meanwhile, Vixen continues to be the target of the man who destroyed her life, and Lucas declares himself guardian and protector of the woman he loves. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Lucas and Vixen, and the potential fall-out as Mira struggles to let go of the past, a past that is about to come full circle.

The world building continues to focus on the powerful and kicka$$ women of the Devil’s Handmaidens MC. Along with their significant others, several of whom are members of the Intruders MC, and the Grimm Wolves MC, the Devil’s Handmaidens prove they are worthy of their names, determined to destroy those targeting the most vulnerable of society.

The relationship between Lucas and Vixen is tempestuous at best. Vixen blames Lucas for abandoning her five years earlier, abandoning her to the abuse and trauma of her violent captors. Having lost everything and more, Vixen struggled to move forward, only to realize there is more to the story than she could have ever imagined. As Lucas slowly seduces the woman he loves, Vixen is desperate to save the people she left behind. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, determined and impassioned secondary and supporting characters, many of whom figure prominently throughout the story using first person perspective. At times, the number of characters and names felt overwhelming as the author continued to pull in members from other MCs.

VIXEN is a story of power and control, abuse and trauma, forgiveness and love. The premise is dark, gritty, haunting and heart breaking; the characters are broken, desperate, and dynamic; the romance is emotional and provocative.

Heed my trigger warning-they are graphic and dark.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Tink
Shadow
Taz

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow: Goodreads / Website / Instagram/ Twitter/ Pinterest

D.M. Earl is a U.S.A. Today Bestselling Author who spins stories about real life situations with characters that are authentic, genuine, and sincere. Each of her stories allow the characters to come to life with each turn of the page while they try to find their HEA through much drama and angst. D.M. finds ideas for her next story from within those around her and what she experiences in daily life. Each book has a part of her left behind in it. She lives in Northwest Indiana married to her best friend who was instrumental in the start of her writing career in 2014. When not writing D.M. loves to read, play with her seven fur-babies (yeah crazy) and ride her Harley Dyna Lowrider.

“Enjoy this Ride we call Life.” Remember we only get one chance.

For the latest news and updates on books and upcoming releases, you can subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/dmearln…

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Cry of the Banshee by Heather Graham – review tour

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Cry of the Banshee (Krewe of Hunters/ 1001 Dark Nights) by Heather Graham – Review Tour

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Bookbub

 

Description:
Strange things are happening at Castle Darien, the legendary home of Angela Hawkins Crow’s family just outside of Dublin, Ireland.

People are dying in the most unusual drowning where there’s no water, falling from heights that don’t exist…

But before every death, the banshee lets out a cry, warning that loved ones are in danger. The Irish death ghost’s haunting shrieks and sobs echo within the ancient stone walls and travel up and down the hillsides.

Terrified and broken after the death of a friend, Moira Hawkins, Angela’s second cousin, turns to her family for help, convinced that evil is at work and sure the Krewe of Hunters can determine what is happening and put an end to the strange and deadly haunting.

Angela is mystified and stricken, but she and Jackson travel to the Emerald Isle to investigate, certain that someone very much alive is behind whatever is going on.

But she and the Krewe just might need the dead to uncover the truth.

 

 

Review:

Cry of the Banshee by Heather Graham is a novella from her wonderful Krewe of Hunters series. I am a big fan of Heather Graham, and always enjoy her books.

The story begins in Ireland, where strange things are happening at Castle Darien, such as strange mysterious deaths. Moira Hawkins, who owns the Castle, wakes up during the night, hearing a warning cry that someone is in danger; Moira can hear a banshee giving warning shrieks that only she can hear. That evening, during the castle’s tour, a woman is found dead. Moira is in a panic, worried that she is losing her mind. She makes a call to her cousin in the States for help, since her cousin is a member of the Krewe of Hunters. 

Angela Hawkins Crow is Moira’s cousin, and she convinces her husband, Jackson to take time off and go to Ireland to help her terrified cousin.  Angela and Jackson are the leaders of the Krewe of Hunters, and together they decide to take time off to travel to Ireland to try and discover what evil is happening at Castle Darien. 

When they arrive at the Castle, they are greeted happily by Moira, who was thrilled to have them come help discover what strange and deadly hauntings are happening.  Angela and Jackson get to meet all the staff in the Castle, as well as the guards and the tour director. Irish Inspector McCrae joins them in the investigations, with the Inspector noting that the dead woman died of a heart attack. Both Angela and Jackson look around the bathroom where the woman died, and found nothing; but trying again the following morning they do find a small clue.  When visiting the morgue, both notice some tiny marks on the woman hairline, and the Inspector returns with the clue they had found to note that it was found to be a unique poison.

What follows is an exciting, tense story that opens up the investigation on everyone from the tour visitors and the staff.  Angela, who has some psychic ability hears the cry of the banshee, and follows the sound outside; a woman who is a banshee ghost, trying to stop the evil in the castle. Angela learns that there is someone who is evil causing the deaths, and the banshee will warn them the next time.  Moira is thrilled that Angela was able to see the women, and hopeful this would give them help to find the culprit.  The last third of the book was very exciting, with surprise twists.

Cry of the Banshee was another great story so very well written by Heather Graham.  I was happy to see Angela and Jackson get their own story again.  If you are a fan of Krewe of Hunters, you need to read this book. If you are new to Graham, you should start reading her books.  Always very good.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

At first, Moira Hawkins thought she might be imagining the sound. It was so soft at first, like a sigh on the wind or a whisper through the trees.
Except she wasn’t in the woods. She was lying in bed in the private wing of Castle Darien, her family’s nearly ancient stronghold.
But the windows were open. That had to be it. The temperature was cool but pleasant, and she didn’t need to use the heat or air-conditioning systems. Which was good since they would never be great in such an old stone fortress.
Moira had promised her grandmother she wouldn’t let the castle, built at the end of the thirteenth century, go to ruin. She said she would do everything needed to bring it up to the standards so many others used to save the structure and turn it into a hotel.
She was partway there. While she worked on getting the necessary loans and finding contractors to undertake such an epic restructuring, she hired a tour company to bring visitors through. There were even a few Haunted Ireland tours put on by historians, who talked about some of the dire events of the Emerald Isle’s bloody past.
She figured anything around for over eight-hundred years must have some nightmarish events to relay.
And her ancestral home was in the Republic of Ireland, which had suffered a great deal of bloodshed to get where it was today.
Yet…
It occurred to her that she had heard—or at least imagined—the soft, mournful sobs before.
The night Granny had died.
Imagination. Had to be.
But she’d heard the sound the night before they found the old man drowned in the river that ran alongside the castle’s western wall, too.
And the time the would-be thief fell to his death from the wall.
They’d learned the elderly gentleman, visiting family in the area, had been suffering from cancer. Moira wondered if he had chosen his end.
And while the thief shouldn’t have been trying to climb the wall, he hadn’t deserved death.
As she thought back, she realized the sound had preceded all those events.
She shook her head. She had to be imagining it. She might have spent the last few years of Granny’s illness working in the States, but she’d grown up with all the tales of leprechauns, pixies, fairies, and banshees. Granny had been so good at telling them, holding her cousins and her spellbound as she wove her magical tales.
The crying grew louder. She wasn’t imagining it. She could definitely hear it.
It wasn’t a frightened cry. It was mournful, heartfelt. Yet Moira was afraid.
Where is it coming from?
She glanced at the clock on her bedside table—just past midnight.
The last ghost tour had ended by now, but she wasn’t alone in the castle. Stewart McKenna, her grandmother’s longtime castle steward, slept down the hall with his wife. Their son’s bedroom was next door to theirs. Nellie Antrim, the head housekeeper, was on this floor, as well. And while the tour of the two unoccupied towers had just ended, Mark Meadows, the tour agency’s director, often stayed behind to answer any questions the guests might have regarding the castle or Ireland’s history. Because, of course, Mark wasn’t just a businessman, though he was a good one. He truly loved history and didn’t mind working late. He was…wonderful.
The sobbing continued.
Moira’s mind went to something her granny had told her.
Banshee. Banshees are the remains of the Tuatha dé Danann, the gods of Ireland, driven underground when the Milesians arrived—Gaels who traveled the Earth, seeking a home. And there, in Éire, they claimed the land while the Tuatha dé Danann settled the underworld. Once, keeners had been on hand at funerals, sobbing mournfully for those who had left the earthly world. The banshees fulfilled that tradition now, warning of someone’s death…
Get a grip! she told herself. Seriously, she’d spent enough time in the United States to learn all about all kinds of myths and legends from around the world.
There are no such things as banshees.
Still…

For More Information about Heather Graham, visit her website:

https://www.theoriginalheathergraham.com/

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels. She’s a winner of the RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Thriller Writers’ Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. For more information, check out her websites: TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com, eHeatherGraham.com
HeatherGraham.tv. You can also find Heather on Facebook.

 

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Loving You (The Donovans: Sweetbriar Ridge) by Samantha Chase

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Loving You (The Donovans: Sweetbriar Ridge 1) by Samantha Chase-review tour

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 19, 2023

He never planned to stay in Sweetbriar Ridge.

Then the perfect woman fell into his arms.

A small town, single mom, friends to lovers romance from NY Times Best Selling Author Samantha Chase

Not everyone in Sweetbriar Ridge is as sweet as the town name would suggest. But single mom Jade Mackenzie is up to the challenge of winning over the town if that’s what it takes to make her new shop a success. After all, this is just the latest in a long string of battles she’s had to face. Since she’s given up on men–all of them except for her son–she can throw all her energy into the new business. Or so she thought until the most charming and too-good-looking-for-his-own-good man walked into her shop. And she literally falls into his arms.

Levi Donovan knows how to charm his way through life; winning people over is just what he does. But no amount of charm can save him when he’s at the center of a scandal that costs him his position at a prestigious ad agency. With no other choice, he’s forced to return home to Sweetbriar Ridge, the small town he left behind the first chance he got. When he meets the owner of the new coffeehouse, he starts to think that small towns aren’t so bad. And when he finds out Jade needs a little help promoting her new business, Levi makes it his mission to help her make the shop a success. That’s just what a good friend does.

No matter how hard she tries to resist, Jade can’t help but be swept away by Levi’s good looks and the sweet way he interacts with her son. But Levi isn’t staying, and getting attached would be a mistake. Levi always swore he would never settle in Sweetbriar Ridge, but could loving Jade be reason enough to stay?

••••

REVIEW:LOVING YOU is the first instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult THE DONOVANS: SWEETBRIAR RIDGE romance series-a spin off from the author’s THE DONOVANS series. This is advertising executive Levi Donovan, and café /book store owner, and single mother Jade Mackenzie’s story line.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Levi and Jade) LOVING YOU follows the building romance and relationship between advertising executive Levi Donovan, and café /book store owner, and single mother Jade Mackenzie. Years earlier, Levi Donovan left Sweetbriar Ridge looking for something bigger and better but the sudden loss of his job brought Levi back with his proverbial tail tucked between his legs, struggling to accept where everything went wrong. Meeting café/book store owner Jade Mackenzie gave Levi pause but Levi had no plans to remain in Sweetbriar Ridge, and at present no offers for a future job. As Levi and Jade’s relationship slowly turns into something more, Levi will discover Jade is struggling with sins of the past, sins that are determined to tear her down. As a single mother to an eight year old son, Jade battles between head and heart when the past reveals a series of secrets and lies but Levi’s own life is continuing to spiral out of control, and the dysfunctional family values begin to take their toll. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Jade and Levi, and the potential fall-out as pride and stubbornness threaten to destroy their building love.

The world building focuses on the small town of Sweetbriar Ridge: its’ people, its’ businesses, its’ secrets and its’ life. Samantha Chase brings together the Donovans of Laurel Bay with the Donovans of Sweetbriar Ridge, a family tied together by Levi’s father Ronan.

The relationship between Levi and Jade is one of immediate attraction: an accidental meeting in which Levi sees an opportunity for friendship, where Jade is hoping for something more. There are no $ex scenes, everything fades to black or is implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including all of Levi’s sisters: Billie, Chloe, and Ashlyn: their mother; Jade’s parents, her son Silas; Silas’ grandparent Victoria and Thomas Nelson, as well as several locals.

LOVING YOU is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, forgiveness and acceptance, understanding and love. The premise is sweet, engaging and delightful; the romance is flirty; the characters are sassy and lively.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

 

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Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance that’s hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than seventy titles under her belt – including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017! She’s a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80’s rock. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 30 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

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Marcus (Evil Dead MC: Second Generation 1) by Nicole James-tour

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Marcus: Sins of The Father (Evil Dead MC: Second Generation 1) by Nicole James-review tour

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 18,2023

Brandy–
When a bunch of bad-boy bikers walk through the door to the bar, one catches my eye.
He’s got a killer smile, and an air of wickedness about him that draws me in.
We come from two different worlds, and I know my wealthy family would never approve.
He’s the walking definition of wrong-side-of-the-tracks, but I can’t seem to resist him, even after my father forbids it.
I just can’t get the sexy-as-sin biker out of my mind.
when everything else in my life seems to be going wrong, he feels so right.

Marcus–
I’m a prospect for the Evil Dead MC. My life right now is all about earning my patch.
I don’t have time for anything else. But when I lay eyes on Brandy, I start looking for ways to make the time.
One look at the hot-as-hell beauty knocks me off my feet.
I’m the proverbial bad boy, the one her mother warned her about.
There’s no reason she should give me a second look.
But when she does, I’ll do anything to hang onto her.
When trouble comes knocking, will our love bear the test or will I lose her forever?

•••••

REVIEW:MARCUS is the first instalment in Nicole James’ contemporary, adult EVIL DEAD: SINS OF THE FATHER erotic, MC romance series-a next generation spin off set in the author’s EVIL DEAD world. This is Evil Dead MC prospect Marcus, and waitress Brandy Arrington’s story line . MARCUS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Several characters cross over from the original series for cohesion and history.MARCUS was first released in Kindle Vella under the title My Christmas Bad Boy.

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

Told from several first person perspectives including Brandy and Marcus MARCUS follows the building romance and relationship between Evil Dead prospect Marcus, and waitress/bartender/writer Brandy Arrington. Marcus, along with other prospects TJ and Billy have been sent on a mission, a mission that will bring Marcus face to face with his future in the guise of Brandy Arrington. Brandy is working at a local grocery / bar room where Marcus and the other prospects have been sent to retrieve a Christmas package but Marcus is quickly pulled into the aura that is our story line heroine, and pursues Brandy with everything he’s got but someone is gunning for the Evil Dead MC, and Brandy is about to get caught in the crossfire along Melissa, the daughter the president of the Evil Dead MC. What ensues is the building relationship between Brandy and Marcus, and the potential fall-out as a rival MC begins to encroach on the Evil Dead territory, with the help of some powerful people at the top.

The world building continues to focus on the Evil Dead MC: their members, their wives and ol’ladies; their trials and tribulations; their enemies and threats.

The relationship between Marcus and Brandy is one of immediate attraction but Brandy’s past is refusing to let go. With her wealthy parents pushing for a permanent reunion, Brandy must tread carefully in the face of Marcus’ connections and membership in the Evil Dead MC. As Marcus and Brandy are drawn closer together, someone else is looking to destroy Marcus, using Brandy as the catalyst. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters including many of the original couples and characters who play prominently throughout the story. We are introduced to Brandy’s parents, her ex, as well as several members of the Death Heads, and Dead Souls MC.

I do have one small issue, and that is the use of so many similar names as it pertains to the MCs: Evil Dead, Death Heads, Dead Souls-it was a little bit confusing at times, especially when all three MCs were together on the same page.

MARCUS: SINS OF THE FATHER is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, opportunity and obsession, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is captivating and riveting; the romance is seductive and passionate; the characters are determined, dynamic and strong.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Nicole James is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who loves writing about hot alpha men who’ll do anything for the women they love! Her stories are filled with struggle, conflict and real human emotion. She is the author of the Evil Dead MC series, the Brothers Ink Tattoo series and more.

Nicole loves to hear from her readers! You can contact her via e-mail, her website contact form or on her social media accounts.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornicolejames
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nicole_James1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authornicolejames
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nicole-james
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571986.Nicole_James

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Love The Way You Spy by Lexi Blake-review tour

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Love The Way You Spy (Masters and Mercenaries: New Recruits Book 1) by Lexi Blake-review tour

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 19, 2023

Tasha Taggart isn’t a spy. That’s her sisters’ job. Tasha’s support role is all about keeping them alive, playing referee when they fight amongst themselves, and soothing the toughest boss in the world. Working for the CIA isn’t as glamorous as she imagined, and she’s more than a little lonely. So when she meets a charming man in a bar the night before they start their latest op, she decides to give in to temptation. The night was perfect until she discovers she’s just slept with the target of their new investigation. Her sisters will never let her hear the end of this. Even worse, she has to explain the situation to her overprotective father, who also happens to be their boss.

Dare Nash knew exactly how his week in Sydney was going to go—attending boring conferences to represent his family’s business interests and eating hotel food alone. Until he falls under the spell of a stunning and mysterious American woman. Something in Tasha’s eyes raises his body temperature every time she looks at him. She’s captivating, and he’s committed to spending every minute he can with her on this trip, even if her two friends seem awfully intense. He doesn’t trust easily, but it’s not long before he can imagine spending the rest of his life with her.

When Dare discovers Tash isn’t who she seems, the dream turns into a nightmare. She isn’t the only one who deceived him, and now he’s in the crosshairs of adversaries way out of his league. He can’t trust her, but it might take Tasha and her family to save his life and uncover the truth.

•••••••

REVIEW:LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY is the first instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: NEW RECRUITS erotic, romantic suspense series-a next generation series with interconnected with several of the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series. This is CIA agent, and Ian and Charlotte’s eldest daughter Tasha Taggart, and pharmaceutical heir/salesman Darren ‘Dare’ Nash’s story line. LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD (Master and Mercenaries: Reloaded) where the next generation is introduced.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Dom/sub sexual scenarios, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Dare and Tasha LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY focuses on the next generation of McKay-Taggart / CIA Operatives. Tasha Taggart, and several of her siblings are on assignment in Australia where a biomedical conference is about to take place. Each has been appointed a mark, a target but Tasha was about to fall in love with a one-night stand. As the op began to play out, Tasha would quickly discover that the man with whom she is falling in love may have deeper connections than she could have ever imagined. Enter biomedical sales rep Dare Nash. Dare Nash has been sent to Australia at his father’s demands. Hoping to make contact with one his father’s business partners, Dare will find himself caught in a special ops take down, caught between the woman he loves, and the lies that are about to upend his life. What ensues is the building relationship between Dare and Tasha, and the fall-out when the truth is revealed, and Dare is pulled into a world he knows nothing about.

The world building is detailed and complex, with a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and familiar secondary and supporting characters. LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY reveals a little bit about the next generation of McKay-Taggart /CIA Operatives, children of the men and women we have loved throughout the numerous M&M interconnected series. With the return of Ian (Big Tag) and Charlotte Taggart, the intimate and familiar dynamics between parent and children often morphs to agent and boss.

The relationship between Tasha and Dare is one of immediate attraction but Tasha and the team are unaware of Dare’s connections or lack there of to their latest operation. As Tasha and Dare’s relationship quickly turns into something more, the truth will reveal the secrets and lies that will send Dare’s life spiralling out of control. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative with some scenes of light Dom/sub.

LOVE THE WAY YOU SPY is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, espionage and murder, forgiveness and love. The premise is intricate, intriguing, and captivating; the romance is seductive and passionate; the characters are numerous, powerful , determined and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.

 

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