Author Archives: Barb

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis – a Review

Posted on by
12

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home–and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history–and secrets– causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace–rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for–acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love.

 

 

Review:

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis is the 3rd book in her Sunrise Cove series. Though this is a continuation of the Sunrise Cove series, all three of these books read as standalones. The main characters in The Backup Plan are Alice, Lauren and Knox. All three of them are thrown together, when they learn that each of them inherited 1/3 share of the Wild West Inn from Eleanor, who recently passed away.    The three of them had ties to Eleanor, with Lauren and Alice having been best friends in their teenage years, but a tragedy broke up their friendship.  Knox, as a teen, had helped his mother working at the Inn.  They agree to spend a month together to fix up the inn, and decide to either sell or have a firm run the inn for them. 

Memories of the past, continues to keep Lauren and Alice at a distance, though each still very much care about each other. When tragedy struck, with the loss of Alice’s brother, she ran away, leaving Lauren in Sunrise Cove, never coming back. Alice knew Knox in high school, and had a secret crush on him.  Their complicated pasts make things difficult at first, especially when they read the letters written by Eleanor that helps them deal with the issues, and hopefully allowing them to grieve and forgive. 

A slow build romance between Alice and Knox begins, with wonderful chemistry that sizzles.   Slowly, Alice and Lauren find a way to open up old wounds, and realize their friendship was worth saving.  I really loved all three of them, as they were great characters, with lots of banter between them.  I also loved Knox’s dog, Pickle; who was a wonderful addition. It was also fun to watch Lauren slowly open up to a possible relationship with Ben.

What follows is an excellent, heartwarming story revolving around friendship, family, secrets, love and forgiveness. The Backup Plan was so very well written by Jill Shalvis. It had a bit of everything, including three wonderful characters, emotional, romance, banter, and all three moving forward with friendship and true love.  I recommend you read The Backup Plan, as you can never go wrong reading anything by Jill Shalvis.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Share

The Wolf is Mine by Paige Tyler – a Review

Posted on by
12

The Wolf is Mine by Paige Tyler – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
Werewolf Connor Malone and his SWAT team are in San Antonio looking for their teammate. But Connor can’t stop worrying about his cat who went missing the morning he left Dallas. His furry friend has been by his side since he found her a year ago, and the fact that she’s disappeared is weighing on him. Things get much worse when he and his team realize they’re up against a powerful creature they might not be able to defeat…

Back in Dallas, Connor’s feline friend turns out to be the powerful woman who introduces herself as Kat Davenport…a witch who needs the SWAT team’s help to defeat the wicked warlock who cursed her. And when she and Connor are thrown together again, there will be no denying the connection they already share, and the white-hot chemistry that sizzles between them.

 

 

Review:

The Wolf is Mine by Paige Tyler is the 13th book in her fantastic SWAT series.  Connor Malone is part of the SWAT team, and with two of their members missing, he and a few members of the SWAT team investigate; only for them to enter a magical sign that also traps them.   

In the previous books, we knew about Kat, the cat, who spend lots of time with Connor, and he was worried when Kat was missing.  But it turns out that the cat has changed to a human, and really is a witch; who was under a binding spell, when the warlock killed everyone in her coven. Kat was given two weeks to become human, then the curse made her a cat again.   Kat Davenport returns to the pack compound to seek help, and those at the compound are shocked to see the human Kat.  She learns that Connor is among those also now missing, but she recognizes the magical sign that has them trapped.  Kat convinces the remaining team to allow her to go with them, and find a way to break the spell, and rescue them.

The SWAT team with help from Kat (now a witch) manages to rescue their packmates.  Connor is shocked to find out that the beautiful woman, who embraces him during the rescue, is the cat who stayed with him.  Kat, had loved Connor, in her cat form, as well as now as a human; at first Connor was having a hard time trying to deal with this new development. 

A few teenagers have gone missing, just vanishing out of their houses and nobody seems to know where they’ve gone. The team realizes that their newest enemy is a powerful warlock, who was the one who put the spell on Kat.   She needs to utilize her powers to help the team defeat this nemesis, who could destroy them all.  When Kat realizes the enemy is the warlock that put the spell on her, she needs to decide if she should stay and help fight or run away so that she can save Connor and the SWAT team.

What follows is a suspenseful, exciting, action filled story, with lots of Intrigue and mystery that kept me unable to put the book down.  I loved Kat and Connor together, as they made a great couple; especially when he realizes that she is the ‘One’ (his soulmate). I also loved all the members of the pack, who were great secondary characters, that had a wonderful bond.  The Wolf is Mine was a fantastic addition to this wonderful series, as well as very well written by Paige Tyler. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Share

Doc Showmance by Zoe Forward – a Review

Posted on by
11

Doc Showmance by Zoe Forward – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Apple

 

Description:
I would say Dr. Ian Todd is my archenemy. But that would require us acknowledging each other, which we haven’t done since we graduated veterinary school.

He’s famous. As in, he’s the world’s “Sexiest Veterinarian Alive” with his own wildlife TV show and a string of glamorous girlfriends.

I’m infamous as a reality TV emergency veterinarian with a snark mouth, take-no-crap attitude, and zero dating life.

When asked to fake a romance with him on TV to boost my ER show’s ratings, I want to say no-way, but the extra money will pay off my brother’s loan shark debt. Even though Ian broke my heart, playing his love interest shouldn’t be hard, especially if it means getting to watch him squirm.

Lines get blurred when the TV setups stop feeling fake. Can I chance this might be real love?

 

 

Review:

Doc Showmance by Zoe Forward is a wonderful fun romantic novel.  We meet Amber Hardin, one of the main Veterinarian Doctors at the San Diego Emergency Hospital, which is also a live TV show, that is very popular.  Amber is one of the best veterinarians there is, as well as being badass, always protecting the animals who come to the hospital.  In a short time, her popularity has grown, especially as she has no qualms about her snark comments that comes out of her mouth; the fans love her.    Amber is very good at her job.

Ian Todd, is an internet sensation, with his own wildlife TV Show, and he is a very hot hunk.  Management has forced Ian to join the San Diego Emergency Show, and both Amber and Ian are not happy about this. Both went to veterinary school, and totally disliked each other.  Despite their dislike of each other, management has increased the money for them to work together, and enact a fake romance on the air.

Slowly, they begin to respect each other, which will change, as the chemistry between them sizzles.  When they are forced to attend Ian’s family Thanksgiving dinner,  Amber sees Ian in a different light, when she meets the family and sees how awful they all are.  The romance between Ian and Amber escalates, even if they both know the fake tv romance will end soon. I really loved the two of them together, as they made a great couple, once they got past vet school 7 years ago. Ian loved watching Amber’s success, always finding the right thing to save the animals.  When another Doctor tries to take over an operation, knowing it was Amber’s case, and she knew how to save the dog; all hell broke loose, and Ian stepped in to help fight off the crazy doctor. 

What follows was a wonderful hot romance, with a terrific Veterinarian background, with seeing how so many wonderful dogs are saved, a fantastic couple, and wonderful secondary characters. Doc Showmance was a fantastic, wonderful, fun story, that was so very well written by Zoe Forward.  I learned after I finished the book, that Forward is indeed a veterinarian in real life, which gave us such a wonderful view of animal hospitals.   I suggest you read this book, as I loved it.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

Share

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes – a Review

Posted on by
12

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes – a Review

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

 

Description:
A captivating psychological suspense debut about a young woman still haunted by her childhood best friend’s death who learns of an eerily similar incident and must find her way back to a cabin in the New England woods, armed with only hazy memories, to finally uncover the truth that has eluded her.

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been hanging around with all summer. Seven years later, Maya is just managing to move on; she lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret Klonopin habit that’s allowed her to cope with what happened all those years ago.

But her past comes to haunt her when she discovers a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged back into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her small Berkshires hometown to figure out the truth.

With guidance from a half-written book by the father in Guatemala she never knew, Maya’s quest for answers forces her to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her, and the jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey—finally leading her to Frank’s cabin in the woods.

The House in the Pines is an utterly unique and surprising thriller about the subtlety of memory and manipulation, confronting the past and returning home, and the powerful and lasting bonds of family and friendship.

 

 

 

Review:

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes is a stand-alone psychological thriller.  Maya, the main character of this story, is haunted by the mysterious death of her high school best friend 7 years ago.  Her memories are very hazy, with her unable to remember the past, as well as trying to get herself off of her addiction to Klonopin. 

While in high school, Maya started dating Frank, who seemed a bit of a loner, and her best friend, Aubrey worried about Maya and her relationship with Frank.  Maya began to act strange, not able to remember some things, and when Aubrey mysteriously drops dead, while sitting across from Frank; Maya suspects that somehow Frank had something to do with her death.  Unable to prove anything, Maya leaves town to go to college.

7 years later Maya sees a You Tube video, showing a woman who suddenly keels over dead in a diner, with the man sitting across from her, being Frank.  Plunged into her nightmare, Maya decides to return to her hometown to find out the truth from all those years ago.   She is determined to find a way to get past her trauma, and learn how Frank is manipulating people.  Maya’s Guatemalan father wrote an unfinished book, that when she reads, she begins to suspect the unique connections to whatever Frank is able to do. As the story races to its climax, we do discover what is happening, but with that said, I do not want to give spoilers. You will need to read this book to find out.

Overall, I did have mixed feelings about this book.  It was a unique story, suspenseful and interesting.  I just thought there was too much going on between the past and present, leaving me a bit confused at times.   Early on, I did like Aubrey and Maya’s friendship, and Maya’s mom was very good.  Frank was a bad character, especially the more we learn.  

The House in the Pines was well written by Ana Reyes, as for the most part, it kept your attention throughout; with suspense, memories of the past, addiction, and confronting the truths.  If you like psychological thrillers, I suggest you read The House in the Pines.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

Share

Without a Trace by Danielle Steel – a Review

Posted on by
12

Without a Trace by Danielle Steel – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
Charles Vincent seems to have it all—a beautiful wife, two successful children, and a well-paying career. Yet happiness remains out of reach. He is trapped in a loveless marriage and his job is simply a paycheck. But his life changes forever as he drives along the Normandy coast, heading to their lavish château for the weekend. In one terrifying moment, Charles falls asleep at the wheel and veers off the road, plunging thirty feet down the face of a rocky cliff.

Miraculously, Charles survives. After gathering the courage to climb to safety, he starts to walk—bruised, bloody, and desperate for help. In the dark of night, he happens upon a cabin where he meets the kind and beautiful Aude Saint-Martin. Their connection is instant, and as she nurses him back to health, Charles begins to discover the passion he’s been missing for so many years.

In the aftermath of the crash, Charles has a startling realization—he doesn’t have to go back. He could simply choose to disappear, to walk away from his old life. When his car is discovered, he’ll be presumed dead, washed away at sea. If he stays with Aude, he has a chance at a fuller, happier life he didn’t know was possible. It all seems too good to resist. But Aude has secrets of her own and before long their pasts catch up to them, threatening everything they have fought to build.

What would happen if you were given a chance to walk away from everything in your life and start over with a blank slate, and you had a split second to decide? In Without a Trace, Danielle Steel tells an irresistible story of the risks two people are willing to take in exchange for a second chance at the life they’ve always wanted.

 

 

Review:

Without a Trace by Danielle Steel is a standalone novel.  The story revolves around Charles Vincent, who is married, has two grown up successful children, and a high paying job; but he is currently trapped into an unhappy marriage.  His wife (Isabelle) never works, spends money, enjoys being considered wealthy and lives a glamorous life. Charles had been in the publishing field, making very good money, until he quits his job, and money becomes an issue for two years, with Charles borrowing money from his wife’s father; his wife constantly threatening a divorce.  Charles finally gets another job, making even more money, but he does not like the work and his boss. 

One night, Charles’s boss keeps him late, and when he drives along the coast to their lavish chateau for the weekend, he falls asleep at the wheel and goes over a cliff into the Ocean. Expecting his death during the fall, Charles manages to survive, and he is badly bruised as he desperately walks in the dark to find help.  He comes across a cabin, where he meets a kind woman, Aude, who nurses his wounds, and allows him to rest and sleep in her cabin.  In a very short period, Charles begins to discover the passions he never had, and both Aude and Charles fall in love.  Being presumed dead, Charles realizes that he can choose to disappear and have a happy life with Aude.  Everyone thinks he has died, with funeral services done, and lawyers working on his will.  Charles will learn that Aude has some secrets of her past, that will threaten their lives.

With many months having past, together Charles and Aude must decide which was the best way to go for their lives together. Do they disappear forever, or have Charles make amends to face his family?

Without a Trace was an interesting and different kind of story, with the entire focus on Charles’s unhappy life, at least until he meets the woman who will change his life forever.  What follows is an exciting and tense last third of the book, with Aude’s past coming back to haunt her; as well as everyone learning the truth about Charles’s disappearance.  Without a Trace was well written by Danielle Steel.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

 

Share

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood – a Review

Posted on by
11

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
STEMinist novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing—with a special bonus chapter!

Under One Roof
An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell—a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.

Stuck with You
A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry—and love—to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.

Below Zero
A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

 

Review:

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood are three novellas that are part of her STEMinist collection.  Since I have read each of the novellas separately, I will note the highlights of each short story.  There is a bonus chapter at the end, which I will detail more. Mara, Sadie and Hannah were best friends, with each being scientists in different fields.

Under One Roof
Mara is an environmental engineer, who learns that scientists should never cohabitate; especially when she finds herself with a roommate from hell.  They seemed to have great chemistry, but things fell apart quickly.  Did they finally get past the bad start?

Stuck With You
Sadie, our heroine, is a scientist, who works for a new firm producing safer products.  Within the same building, another firm is very successful, making things harder for Sadie and her boss. One evening Sadie, met Erik and it turned into a one-night stand, which she learns the following day that he is one of the founders of the other company.  Sadie feels that Erik betrayed her, when she finds out they took one of their customers away. What follows is a quick story line, with POV’s switching back and forth from the one-night stand and them trapped in the elevator.

 Below Zero
In Below Zero, Hannah is the lead. Hannah is an aerospace engineer for NASA, and she loves her job.  She met Ian, early on, discovering how hot he was; but all she wanted was sex, no dating, and Ian just stepped away; since he was interested in dating and getting to know Hannah. What follows is a quick story line, that was a bit funny, somewhat zany, and at times fun. 

 

Bonus Chapter
Mara and Liam are married, and when Liam gets home from work, he is thrilled to learn that Mara is pregnant.  He is surprised that she told Sadie and Hannah before telling him first.  Mara tries to explain that he was in court all day, and she couldn’t resist telling her best friends.  Liam wasn’t too happy to find out that their significant others (Erik & Ian) also knew about her pregnancy.

We get to see Sadie, who is married to Erik, argue with Erik’s brother, about keeping their cat.  Kind of funny.  Ian seeing how happy their friends are, pushes Hannah to marry him.  This bonus chapter was a quick and nice addition, allowing us to see how all three couples were doing.

Hazelwood is great at upping the heat level and the build-up.  I have enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s previous full novels, but was not into these novellas. These novellas were zany and fun, but Hazelwood’s full-length novels are so much better. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

Share

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

Posted on by
11

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
 
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women’s mysterious tipster.
 
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

 

 

Review:

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz is the first book in her new the Lost Night Files series.  We meet our heroine, Pallas Llewellyn, from the start.  Many months ago, Pallas was staying at the Lucent Springs Hotel, when an earthquake and fire literally destroyed the hotel. Pallas, and two other women came out of this with no memory of being there; as well as each having enhanced paranormal abilities.  Pallas joins with the other two ladies, Talia March and Amelia Rivers to start a podcast called the Lost Night Files; investigating strange unexpected events, or cold cases.

During a podcast, someone gives a tip, and Pallas decides to travel to Carnelian, California to investigate the abandoned asylum. When she steps into the building, she is shaken by the dark energy, and meets a stranger, who happens to be the person with the tip.

Ambrose Drake, our hero, has also had a bad experience at a Carnelian Sleep Clinic, and swears that someone was murdered, since during sleep treatment, he heard a scream. No one believes him, saying it was a dream nightmare. Ambrose tells Pallas, he cannot remember that one night in the clinic, but it still haunts him; and he wants her to help him investigate what really happened.

At first Pallas, doesn’t believe Ambrose, until she feels his psychic energies, and realizes he too has had lost a night, which he cannot remember. They join together to learn more about what happened at the asylum; interviewing people and learning more, which could involve others. Was there a connection about both incidents, and who was behind it? 

What follows is an exciting and compelling storyline, that had me unable to put the book down.  Slowly, Pallas and Ambrose begin to not only feel the psychic energies between them, but slow build romance begins.  As they get more information, the danger escalates, as they become targets to whomever wants to stop them. Sleep No More was so well written by Jayne Ann Krentz, with wonderful characters, filled with nonstop action, in a fantastic paranormal mystery.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I do not want to ruin the story for you.  I look forward to the next two books in this trilogy, with both Talia and Amelia having their own storylines.  I suggest you read Sleep No More, as it was a great read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Share

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne – a Review

Posted on by
11

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne – a Review

 

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

 

Description:
Ailsa Connery has waited three long years to finally escape her enslavement at Stirling Castle and reunite with her clan. But her carefully laid plans are completely destroyed by the arrival of the infamous Highland warrior known as Dubh Mahoun, the Black Devil…who has plans of his own.

Kallum MacNeill’s fearsome reputation has long allowed him to keep hidden his secret double life of freeing enslaved captives across the land. It’s only when he kidnaps a servant lass—quite by accident—that he finds himself facing a wee predicament. He must accompany the lass home or risk her exposing his true identity. It’d be easy enough…if the feisty hellion didn’t fight him at every turn.

As they make their way to the Highlands, the perils the two must face are surpassed only by their constant sparring. Soon, their heated sniping sparks heat of a totally different kind. The kind that ignites a hunger that could consume them both. Yet the difficult journey is no match for the dangerous secrets they’re about to uncover.

 

Review:

Never Cross a Highlander begins with Ailsa Connery in service to Princess Elizabeth.  Ailsa know that a tournament is being held and that her clan will be in attendance.  The only way for Ailsa to be able to view those coming to attend is from the Princess’ balcony and she, the Princess, is less than enthused.  Through some mental manipulation, Ailsa gets Elizabeth ready and onto the balcony just as the riders from the clans start entering. 

Duff Kallum MacNeil, the MacNeill war chief, is less than enthusiastic when he’s told he must enter yet another tournament ordered by the King.  When his “brother” tells him that it is a must, Kallum knows he has to go.  Once they enter the King’s lands and parade by for all to view, Kallum (aka The Black Devil) hears the whispers.  What he doesn’t plan on is catching the eye, and vice versa, of a striking lass.

Once the tournament begins, it comes down to  Kallum and another fighting to be the victor.  Once Kallum’s foe is defeated, he faces the King for his approval only to be attacked again.  Thankfully Ailsa’s face told him what he needed to know.

Having seen her clan, Ailsa, who was born free and taken by the King’s guard into servitude for the last few years, makes her plan to escape to be reunited with them.  Once she sneaks from the castle, things take an interesting turn for her as she is mistaken for someone else running for a different reason and is forced to go with the group that is being taken out under the cover of darkness.  Having no other choice, Ailsa finally submits, but has another plan to escape to finally make it back to her clan after all these years.   Little does she know the twists and turns ahead……………..

Never Cross a Highlander is an interesting and timely twist on the highland historical.  As Ailsa and Kallum navigate her continuous attempts at escaping, things start coming to light that she had never thought of.   Once Kallum convinces her she can trust him, things start to happen quickly.  Ailsa’s whole life was not what she thought she knew.  And once Kallum discovered what the true plot was behind her being held in servitude by the King, all hell breaks loose.  They trust no one as they uncover plot after plot against her, but hell hath no fury like a Highlander crossed.  ? 

Never Cross a Highlander is a uniquely written tale of inequality being brought into the light and all being made right.  The romance was a slow build which added to the two main characters’ chemistry.  If you’re a fan of historicals, with a twist or without, you won’t go wrong with this one.  Well done, Lisa Rayne!

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

Share