Author Archives: Sandy

Secrets in the Water by Alice Fitzpatrick-review

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Secrets in the Water (Meredith Island Mystery 1) by Alice Fitzpatrick-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2024

Emma Galway’s suicide has haunted the Meredith Island for fifty years. Back on the island to lay her grandmother to rest, Kate can’t avoid reflecting on the death of her aunt. Learning that her late mother had believed Emma was murdered and had conducted her own investigation, she decides to track down her aunt’s killer. With the help of her neighbour, impetuous and hedonistic sculptor Siobhan Fitzgerald, Kate picks up where her mother had left off. When the two women become the subject of threatening notes and violent incidents, it’s clear that one of their fellow islanders is warning them off. As they begin to look into Emma’s connection to the Sutherlands, a prominent Meredith Island family, another islander dies under suspicious circumstances, forcing Kate and Siobhan to confront the likelihood that Emma’s killer is still on the island.

•••

REVIEW:SECRETS IN THE WATER by Alice Fitzpatrick is a contemporary, murder-mystery story line focusing on a fifty year old murder on Meredith Island.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including fifty-three year old Kate  Galway, SECRETS IN THE WATER follows Kate  in the wake of her grandmother’ Lilian’s death and funeral on the Welsh Island of Meredith. Still struggling with the secrets behind the presumed suicide of her Aunt Emma more than fifty years earlier, author Kate Galway begins an investigation of her own only to discover the secrets buried with her aunt refuse to go quietly. Having always believed Emma’s death was a murder, the family kept track of the people on Meredith Island, and Kate, with the help of neighbor Siobhan Fitzgerald were about to upset a hornet’s nest of secrets and lies.

SECRETS IN THE WATERS is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, jealousy and murder, seduction and love. The three Sutherland spinsters, along with their artist brother David have long held court over the people and residents of Meredith Island, and in this, Kate begins to unravel a family history that hits too close to home. But as murder seems to follow in the wake of Kate’s investigation, her own daughter becomes victim to a someone desperate enough to keep the past in the past. Everyone becomes suspect as Kate digs deeper into the lives of the people on Meredith Island

An intriguing and entertaining story, SECRETS IN THE WATER is a dark, dramatic, edgy and thought provoking story of jealousy and murder.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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ACE (Cerberus MC Tennessee Chapter 2) by Marie James-review tour

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ACE (Cerberus MC Tennessee Chapter 2) by Marie James-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release October 3, 2024

It’s not hard to see how weak love makes a man.He watched that love flow from his best friend’s body, the crimson flowing out around him like a river.If love leaves you on the business end of a knife, then he has no interest.

And that’s how Eddie “Ace” Yarrow has lived his life in the last ten years: independent and alone.But honestly, it goes back further than that.He left Cerberus over thirty years ago because he wanted to make a difference closer to home.

And although he made great strides in his career, a man always tends to go back to his roots.His forced vacation from ICE has left him working a job for Cerberus.

Cora Preston isn’t trying to make his life harder, but she doesn’t understand why they’re not getting results.Cerberus is taking too long to find her missing sister, and inserting herself into the investigation is her only choice.The two butt heads more than once, and neither of them can predict just how close together this investigation is going to bring them.

•••••

REVIEW:  ACE is the second instalment in Marie James’ contemporary, adult CERBERUS MC TENNESSEE CHAPTER erotic MC romance series, a spin off from the author’s original CERBERUS MC series. This is former Cerberus MC members turned ICE agent, fifty nine year old Eddie ‘Ace’ Yarrow, and thirty-seven year old philanthropist Cora Preston’s story line. ACE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Several characters from the original series including founder of the original New Mexico chapter Diego ‘Kincaid’ Anderson, Wren Nelson and Puff Daddy, Jericho and Hemlock, cross over for cohesion and back story.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Cora and Eddie) ACE follows the building relationship between our story line couple, and the search for Cora’s missing Sadie. For years, Sadie struggled with addiction but no one has heard from Sadie in close to three weeks, and Cora believes she could be in trouble. Calling in a favor from Senator Dyer, Cora finds her facing ICE agent Eddie ‘Ace’ Yarrow, her contact in the search for her missing sister but Cora struggles with the lack of information and positive results, and ventures our on her own. As Ace and the Cerberus MC begin their search for the missing woman, Cora finds herself pulled into the aura that is our story line hero. What ensues is the search for Sadie Preston; the building relationship between Cora and Eddie, and the potential fall-out as Cora is targeted by a twisted mind.

The world building follows the search for a missing woman, a woman with a rebellious streak, who has struggled all of her life. From a prominent political family. Cora and her siblings always had specific roles to play but the loss of their parents found Cora taking charge when her eldest brother sought election to the highest seat in the land.

The relationship between Cora and Eddie begins acrimoniously. Eddie struggles with his latest assignment believing he is better suited to something else.Going head to head with Cora Preston forces Eddie to take charge when Cora’s life is threatened, unaware of the potential trouble she is about to unleash. Working together to find Sadie, Cora finds herself falling for a man who has been alone most of his life. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include the return and cameo of several Cerberus MC members from the original series, as well as the introduction of Cora’s brothers, William Preston, and Christopher; and their housekeeper Faye.

ACE is a story of betrayal and madness, grief and acceptance, family and love. The premise is dramatic, intriguing and entertaining; the romance is seductive and impassioned; the characters are desperate and determined.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of HEMLOCK

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Let’s see…where to begin…

I’m a full-time author, mother of two boys, and wife of 18+ years. Dog Mom to four great danes: Maximus, Nala, Freya, and Hagrid.

I’ve spent almost my entire lifetime living in central Texas, with only short stays in South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. Currently residing in a sleepy little town in East Tennessee.

Writing is my passion, and I absolutely love being able to sit down and put all of my thoughts and emotions into my stories.

I love dogs, coffee, making handmade cards, and steamy romance novels!

Keep up with Marie James and subscribe to her newsletter.

To learn more about Marie James & her books, visit here!

Website/ FACEBOOK / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram / Amazon Author Page / Book and Main / Goodreads / Pinterest / Youtube/ Reader Group/ NewsLetter/

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Quarterback Keeper (Fall Lake Ballers 1) by Isla Vaughn-review

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🏈💛 Quarterback Keeper (Fall Lake Ballers 1) by Isla Vaughn-review tour 💛🏈

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 3, 2024

When you have everything, there’s nothing more dangerous than a secret.

I’ve got it all: a promising football career, a penthouse apartment, and the world at my feet. But behind my public persona, I’m burdened by my mother’s terminal illness and the manipulative demands of my politician father. My life takes an unexpected turn when I discover Gia Mason hiding on my boat, a mysterious woman on the run with secrets as dark as my own.

Gia is desperate to escape her past and find safety, but the last place she expects to land is in the arms of a football star. When I offer her a deal—pretend to be my girlfriend to fulfill my mother’s dying wish—she reluctantly agrees, seeing it as her only way out. What starts as a convenient arrangement quickly ignites into a passionate and tumultuous relationship, forcing us to confront our deepest fears and desires.

As our worlds collide, we navigate the treacherous waters of love, trust, and betrayal. With my career and family legacy on the line, and Gia’s past threatening to destroy everything we’ve built together, we must decide if our love is strong enough to overcome the obstacles in our way.

Can we find a way to build a future together, or will the secrets and lies of our past tear us apart?

••••

REVIEW: Quarterback Keeper by Isla Vaughn is book one in the Fall Lake Ballers series.

Quarterback Keeper is college sports romance with Kylian Wilder as the D1 athlete and star quarterback. His main objective was to get to the NFL so he could take care of his mother who has cancer. When fate decided to throw Gia in Kylian’s path he thought it was a great opportunity to pretend they were in a fake relationship for his moms’s sake.

Gia was running from her traumatic past and was looking for a safe place to stay. When Kylian offered her this amazing opportunity she couldn’t resist.

That is until Kylian’s Senatorial Candidate father gets involved and things go awry quickly! With Kylian and Gia starting to have real feelings for each other, can thry get past all the drama his dad throws at them?

This is a wonderfully fast paced fake romance story that goes from pretending to real feelings quickly.

I absolutely loved the main characters of Kylian and Gia. Also loved Kylian’s roommates! They made the book very fun!

I would not normally pick a sports related story but this was definitely a win in my book. Looking forward to book two in the series’

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Erin K.

Isla Vaughn is the author of the Hidden Valley Elite series. Her romance books are full of complex characters, strong alpha males, and the fierce women who bring them to their knees. When not writing, she can be found daydreaming about owning a beach house, reading, or drinking too much coffee while having in-depth conversations with her two adorable kittens.

Author Links:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.IslaVaughn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/islavaughnauthor/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@islavaughnauthor

Website: https://www.islavaughnauthor.com/

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A Requiem for the Dead (Benoit & Dayne4) by Winter Austin-review

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A Requiem for the Dead (Benoit & Dayne Mystery 4) by Winter Austin-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 2, 2024

The dead can no longer keep their secrets …

On a cold February morning, ME Olivia Remington-Thorpe’s severely beaten and bleeding husband stumbles onto Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit’s retreat. Before slipping into unconsciousness, he begs her to find Olivia. Hours later, Deputy Detective Lila Dayne discovers a mysterious boneyard with dark secrets.

The timing is catastrophic. Still reeling from the horrific events of the past autumn, the deputies of Eckardt County are spread thin, and tempers are short. Elizabeth’s relationship with her lead investigator is sour. Still worse, her ex-husband moved back to Iowa with a devilish deal.

As Elizabeth and Lila race the odds to uncover the truth of the skeletal remains and find their missing friend alive, Olivia seeks a way to escape from an abductor who is proving that she didn’t know her husband as well as she thought.

More bodies turn up, mysterious visitors arrive in Juniper, and one mistake from the Eckardt County Sheriff’s team will spell their own deaths in their most dangerous murder investigation to date.

••••

REVIEW:A REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD is the fourth instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DANE MYSTERY DAYNE murder, suspense thriller series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer turned deputy Lila Dayne. A REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Lila and Ellie, A REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD follows numerous intersecting pathways that will coalesce into a murder investigaton. Medical examiner Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe has gone missing; her husband and surgeon Dr. Dominic Thorpe is found critically injured; and Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit is reluctantly recovering in a secluded cabin, guarded by her former husband Joel, and his brother Rafe. A jeep crashes nearby, the victim is someone they all know, and Ellie is about to return to work whether she is ready or not. When Deputy Lila Dayne comes across a makeshift graveyard, a field of bones scattered amongst the debris and detritus , everyone must come to terms with a possible serial killer or something more sinister when several more sites are found scattered throughout the neighboring states. As Ellie and Lila work from different points of the investigation, a warning comes to back down and walk away.

The world building is detailed and complex following several paths that weave and wind, back and forth . From the outset the two investigations couldn’t be more different but the secrets and lies reveal a connection no one saw coming.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters including Ellie’s former husband Delta Force Operator Joel Fontaine, and her new lover, Joel’s brother and Ellie’s Undersheriff Raphael ‘Rafe’ Fontaine; Ellie’s embattled sister Marnie: Deputy Kyle Lundquist; former sheriff Kelley Sheehan; fixer Horatio Johnson; and deputies Cory Young and Brent Meyer. The requisite evil has many faces.

A REQIUEM FOR THE DEAD is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, murder and madness, family and forgiveness. The premise is intriguing, dramatic, raw and twisted; the characters are determined, edgy and tragic.

 

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Killer in Me
Hush, My Darling
Straight for the Kill

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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A lifelong Mid-West gal, Winter rediscovered her love of her beloved Iowa with its hot summers and snowy winters. She grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around the table or a campfire. Since becoming a published author, she learned a mindset of a glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller author. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic thrillers. Combining her love of all things rural, agricultural, and military, she’s turned her small town life upside down.

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Ruthless Heir (Ruthless Billionaires 5) by Faith Summers-review

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💙Ruthless Heir (Ruthless Billionaires 5) by Faith Summers-review💙

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 30, 2024

Agreeing to fake date my older brother’s best friend—the first man who ever broke my heart— was a disaster waiting to happen.

Asher Le Blanche is heir to a multibillion-dollar empire.
He has the flawless face of Adonis, the body of a Greek god, and the soulless heart of the devil.

The tabloids crown him the most desirable bachelor in the country.
To me? He was the guy I’d been in love with since I was ten.

Three years ago, I made the foolish mistake of throwing myself at him, only for him to turn me down without a second thought.
Fast-forward to today, when I make another mistake that sees him bailing me out of a county jail.

Things spiral further when I’m denied campus housing, and my brother asks Asher if I can stay with him for a few months.

What neither of them knows is that I’m running from a loan shark, a secret that explodes in my face when Asher discovers it.

That’s when he makes me an offer I can’t refuse.
He’ll pay off my debt if I agree to one condition:

Fake date him for three months.

Pretend to be his girlfriend to keep his father from arranging his marriage to the daughter of his biggest rival.

It was supposed to be simple.
We just had to make everyone believe we were real.

But soon, every touch and every kiss starts feeling all too real.
And the rules we set become harder to follow. For both of us.

I swore I wouldn’t fall for him again.
Then we become so wrapped up in each other that I can’t even see the line we weren’t supposed to cross.

Just when we think we’ve outsmarted everyone, everything blows up in our faces.
What started as a temporary fix quickly turns into the biggest risk I’ve ever taken.
And this time, more than my heart is on the line.

•••••

REVIEW:RUTHLESS HEIR is the fifth instalment in Faith Summers’ contemporary adult RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRES erotic romance series. This is thirty year old billionaire businessman Asher Le Blanche, and musician Harper St. John’s story line. RUTHLESS HEIR can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: In accordance with their grandfather’s will, the Le Blanche siblings need to marry before taking a seat at the proverbial Le Blanche Global Enterprise, and as the next CFO, Asher is expected to marry within the next six months.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Asher and Harper) RUTHLESS HEIR follows several pathways including the frenemies to lovers relationship between our story line couple. Approximately four years earlier, Harper attempted to seduce her brother’s best friend Asher Le Blanche but after Asher’s rejection, Harper found herself struggling to survive a car accident that left her without her memories of the past. Fast forward to present day, Harper’s life continues to spiral out of control, and when Asher is forced to bail Harper out of jail, she find herself homeless and struggling to move on with her life. Living with Asher means facing the man who broke her heart, a man who is about to make Harper an offer she cannot refuse. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Asher and Harper, and the potential fall-out as the past returns, and betrayal from within threatens the growing love between our story line couple.

The world building follows several pathways including Harper’s dark demons, Asher’s desire for a woman he cannot have; and a new direction for Le Blanche Global Enterprise that threatens the entire company.

The relationship between Harper and Asher is a best friend’s sister forbidden romance. Harper’s brother Josh has forbidden Asher from dating our story line heroine. Asher’s reputation with the ladies precedes his arrangement with his best friend’s sister but Asher is desperate, and Harper is vulnerable and desperate. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

Several of the previous story line couples and characters return including Asher’s brother Hunter and his wife Luna (Ruthless Hunter), and their cousin/brother Luc; their father Preston Le Blanche, and Jericho Grayson, as well as Harper’s best friend Beth.

RUTHLESS HEIR is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, family and friendships, obsession and love. The premise is intriguing, dramatic and intense; the romance is fated, provocative and seductive; the characters are charismatic and determined.

Reading order and Previous reviews
Ruthless Knight
Ruthless Rebel
Ruthless Villain
Ruthless Hunter

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Faith Summers is the Dark Contemporary Romance pen name of USA Today Bestselling Author, Khardine Gray.

Warning !! Expect wild romance stories of the scorching hot variety and deliciously dark romance with the kind of alpha male bad boys best reserved for your fantasies.

Dive in and enjoy her naughty page-turners.

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On the Wild Side (Wilds of Montana) by Kristen Proby -review tour

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On the Wild Side (The Wilds of Montana 4) by Kristen Proby -review tour

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

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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3XXDFrF

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 3, 2024

Brady Wild has focused on one thing this entire adult life: riding bulls. A three-time world champion, Brady’s body has taken a beating over the years and he knows he’s nearing the end of his impressive career. He’s had no time for relationships with his dangerous career but the minute he sees sexy single mom, Abbi Kastella, he knows it’s game over for his resolve to be single.

Abbi is a mom, first and foremost, and she’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep her daughter safe from the danger that’s chased them for half a dozen years. She’s finally been able to set down roots in Bitterroot Valley for herself and Daisy. She adores this community that has welcomed them with open arms, her new business is thriving, and she has a circle of friends that she loves and trusts. And don’t even get her started on the hazel-eyed, muscled up cowboy that makes her whole body tremble with need. Life is good in this little Montana town and Brady is showing her and her little girl what real love is supposed to be.

Despite Brady’s best intentions he can’t resist his blue-eyed siren, or the sweet little girl that has him wrapped around her little finger. But when Abbi’s past catches up with them, Brady quickly realizes that the secrets that Abbi’s been keeping from him are far worse than any damage his career could do to them. Will they lose everything before it even really begins? Or will love prevail so they can get started on their forever On the Wild Side?

•••

REVIEW:ON THE WILD SIDE is the fourth instalment in Kristen Proby’s contemporary, adult THE WILDS OF MONTANA erotic, romance series.- a spin off from the author’s WITH ME IN SEATTLE /SINGLE IN SEATTLE series. This is thirty-three year old rancher/ bull rider Brady Wild, and single mother/business owner Abbi Kastella’s story line. ON THE WILD SIDE 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 dual first person perspectives (Abbi and Brady) ON THE WILD SIDE follows the building romance and relationship between our story line couple. Approximately five years earlier, Abbi’s best friend and husband Nate died, leaving her a single mother struggling to provide. Fast forward to present day, Abbi and her daughter Daisy have moved to Montana, where they find themselves engulfed in the Wild family, as one of their own. When her seven year old daughter needed a ‘father’ for the father-daughter dance, Brady Wild volunteered . An early snowstorm would find Brady stranded at Abbi’s where our couple would discover their mutual attraction but Brady doesn’t do relationships, and in this Abbi finds herself pushed to the side. As the days and weeks pass, Brady cannot forget about our story line heroine, and begins a slow seduction of Abbi but Abbi has a dark secret, a past mired in pain, a past that is refusing to let go. Meanwhile, Brady Wild is considering a future with the woman with whom he is falling in love but the rodeo circuit calls, and Brady is struggling between head and heart.

The world building follows several pathways including Abbi’s struggle as a single mother, a successful business woman, a past that has left her always looking over her shoulder, and the acceptance and protection of the Wild’s and their friends.

The relationship between Abbi and Brady begins as friends but Abbi is hoping for something more. Brady battles his demons and the possibility of serious injury, and in this, Brady refuses to settle down, or make plans for the future. Falling for Abbi and her daughter Daisy is easy, keeping them safe may be an entirely different matter. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters, many of whom we met in the previous story lines. The Wild family is loving, caring, and accept Abbi and Daisy as one of their own-no one is left alone or taken for granted.

ON THE WILD SIDE is a story of secrets and lies, family and friendships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is inviting and intriguing; the characters are sassy, animated and charming; the romance is real and compelling.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Wild For You
Chasing Wild
Widest Dreams

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen lives in Montana with her husband and their four pets, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

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I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong-a review

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I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 1, 2024

A spellbinding new tale of supernatural horror involving a haunted-house, seances, lost loved ones, and a sinister spirit out for blood…

Nicola Laughton never expected to see adulthood, being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child. Then medical advances let her live into her thirties and she met Anton, who taught her to dream of a future… together. Months after they married, Anton died in a horrible car, but lived long enough to utter five words to her, “I’ll be waiting for you.”

That final private moment became public when someone from the crash scene took it to the press—the terminally ill woman holding her dying husband as he promised to wait for her on the other side. Worse, that person claimed it wasn’t Anton who said the words but his ghost, hovering over his body.

Since their story went public, Nicola has been hounded by spiritualists promising closure. In the hopes of stopping her downward spiral, friends and family find a reputable medium—a professor of parapsychology. For the séance, they rent the Lake Erie beach house that Anton’s family once owned.

The medium barely has time to begin his work before things start happening. Locked doors mysteriously open. Clouds of insects engulf the house. Nicola hears footsteps and voices and the creak of an old dumbwaiter…in an empty shaft. Throughout it all she’s haunted by nightmares of her past. Because, unbeknownst to the others, this isn’t her first time contacting the dead. And Nicola isn’t her real name.

That’s when she finds the first body….

••••

REVIEW:I’LL BE WAITING by Kelley Armstrong is a contemporary, adult, supernatural thriller focusing on thirty something widow Nicola Laughton.

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

Told from first person perspectives (Nicola) using present day, and memories from the past, I’LL BE WAITING follows Nicola Laughton in the wake of the death of her husband. Approximately twenty-two years earlier, a group of high school friends went into the woods to perform a seance but in the ensuing aftermath death and destruction would follow. Fast forward to present day, wherein Nicola’s husband Anton would die tragically in an early winter snow storm, and in the months that follow Nicola would be contacted by mediums and psychics claiming they have been in contact with the dead but when a certified parapsychologist is willing to help NIcola contact her dead husband, the resulting fall-out sees more death and destruction for our story line heroine.

I’LL BE WAITING is a story of obsession and madness, secrets and lies, grief and acceptance, betrayal and vengeance. Nicola’s extended family struggle with her need to contact her late husband; a new friend is determined to help Nicola get the closure she needs and wants; and the angry spirits refuse to give up until everyone has paid. The premise is dramatic, dark and thrilling; the characters are determined, destructive and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow: Goodreads / Website/ Twitter/ Facebook/ Amazon Author Page/

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make her produce “normal” stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling “Women of the Otherworld” paranormal suspense series and “Darkest Powers” young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

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Ravenous Kingpin (Kingpins of the Syndicate 4) by Eva Winners

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Ravenous Kingpin (Kingpins of the Syndicate 4) by Eva Winners-review & excerpt tour

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

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Add Ravenous Kingpin to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/5465vxce

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 30, 2024

I’d traded my hand in marriage for his help so I’d save my seat at the Syndicate’s table.

Now, I had a secret husband.

Cold and calculating Killian Brennan Cullen.

The hottest man I’d ever met.

And the heir to the Irish Cullen mafia

He promised to be a gentleman by day. But it was the nights that worried me. In the dark of the night he was commanding, ruthless, and possessive.

The agreement was two years. He’d protect me and my position in the Syndicate.

But who would protect me from him?

••••

REVIEW:RAVENOUS KINGPIN is the fourth instalment in Eva Winners’ contemporary, adult KINGPINS OF THE SYNDICATE dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Killian Cullen, and Emory DiLustros’ story line. RAVENOUS KINGPIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Killian and Emory) RAVENOUS KINGPIN focuses on the forced marriage and relationship between our story line couple. Approximately six years earlier, Killian and Emory had a one-night stand but Emory ghosted Killian, never to be seen again. Fast forward six years, Emory DiLustros, along with her ruthless father, is a founding member of the Syndicate, and as such controls a large portion of Nevada and Las Vegas territories but Emory lost more than her innocence six years earlier, and has been on the hunt to bring it home. Killian demands Emory’s hand in marriage but a life together means Emory must keep her secrets close to her heart. Meanwhile, a human trafficking ring is targeting women and children, and Emory is the latest target.

The world building follows the tumultuous relationship between Emory and Killian; the search for the lost; a human trafficking ring in Emory’s territory, and the culmination of lost and found.

The relationship between Emory and Killian is one of second chances, of a sorts. Six years earlier Killian fell in love with our story line heroine but Emory’s life imploded leaving her a strong and more deadly version of herself. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and powerful secondary and supporting characters many of whom we met in the previous story lines. From the Russian Bratva, Italian Mafia, South American Cartel and the Irish Mob, the power elite are determined to take back control.

RAVENOUS KINGPIN is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession, acceptance and love. Once again, the premise is dark, dramatic and heart breaking; the romance is fated and seductive; the characters are broken, dynamic and powerful.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of SCANDALOUS KINGPIN

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“What the fuck are you doing here, Atticus?”

Killian’s cold voice sent chills down my spine even though it wasn’t directed at me. I’d dealt with my fair share of monsters, but my husband had a ruthless side to him that he hid behind his charming smile.

It probably blindsided people when he attacked; they’d never expect it from someone as beautiful as him.

“Emory and I have business to discuss,” Atticus drawled. I’d been buying time ever since our last encounter, ignoring his messages, hoping to find a solution and the location of the person I’d been looking for without his help.

But the old man was nothing if not persistent.

“Whatever you’ve got to say, now is not the time. And you’re trespassing,” Killian warned. “Tell me why I shouldn’t have my guards shoot you right now.”

“Because this business,” Atticus started, looking at me pointedly, “is the only thing standing between life and death.” He waved his hand nonchalantly. “Besides, they now work for me and the ones who refused are dead.”

Killian obviously thought him full of shit because he wasn’t moved. “My wife’s business is my business, so spit it out and be on your way.”

Dread coursed through me at the knowledge that I brought this dangerous man to our doorstep. I should have never made a deal with him, but desperate times called for desperate measures. And God, I was so fucking desperate.

“Atticus, this isn’t a good time,” I gritted, trying to keep my cool. I couldn’t let Killian learn my secret. Not now.

My heart raced as I watched Killian’s cold gaze lock on the man who held the key to the only thing I cared about.

Atticus’s eyes were on me, his lips lifting into a sick grin as he said, “My beautiful Emory. Time is of the essence if you want your answers.”

I wondered if Atticus was like my father, who had a way of bending the illusion of normality so that it forever stayed out of my grasp.

“What fucking answers?” Killian demanded.

Atticus ignored him. “Let me remind you of our deal: you give me a name, and I’ll give you yours along with the location. Two for one. See? Don’t ever say I’m not generous.”

“What the fuck is he talking about, Em?” Killian repeated.

“I waved my hand nonchalantly while my heart threatened to beat through my rib cage. “This guy’s lost his mind.”

Atticus chuckled as if I’d uttered the funniest joke, but there was little humor in his eyes as they studied me.

“Stop looking at her that way, or I’ll dig your eyeballs out of your skull,” Killian warned, his spine stiff, violence in his posture as he blocked me from the bastard’s view.

“This doesn’t concern you, Irishman,” Atticus stated calmly, batting away Killian’s threat. “Emory DiLustro should be grateful for my patience.”

“Her name is Emory Cullen and you better learn to use it,” Killian hissed, his eyes screaming murder. “My wife owes you nothing, and if you don’t get out of here, I’ll secure you a trip six feet under.”

Atticus’s nostrils flared, his gaze now on Killian. It would seem my husband’s reputation preceded him: Killian Cullen did not make empty threats.

Panic zinged through me as my thoughts whirled with a dozen what-ifs, but it was a moot point. I learned a long time ago that you had little say in the cards you were dealt.

I eyed my surroundings for a weapon before remembering Killian kept a gun hidden underneath the table in my foyer.

I took a small step back at the same time Atticus drew two guns, aiming them at my husband and me.

“Don’t move, Emory,” Atticus stated, his voice lethal. “Or you’ll be planning your husband’s funeral.” My movements halted and I leveled him with a glare. “Good girl,” he purred. “Now get back to your husband.”

“Don’t fucking move,” Killian said, his eyes still locked on the unwelcome visitor. “Stay exactly where you are, Em.”

“I was so fucking sick and tired of men telling me what to do. Yes, Killian had my best interests at heart, but I could protect myself. I survived two decades under one of the cruelest men in the Syndicate, for fuck’s sake. I deserved some credit.

“Let’s make this quick,” Atticus said with a twisted smirk, “so you two lovebirds can get back to professing your love for one another.”

I should never have trusted this asshole. My cousins and brother wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole and would have advised against my dealings with him had I asked.

But I didn’t ask. Atticus was my ticket to get to her, and that was more important than my pride.

“Unless you want to talk about…” Atticus trailed off, and somehow I knew whatever he was about to say would change my world forever. “Do you want to talk about Amara? You could see her by this time tomorrow.”

Amara. Amara. Amara.

The shock rocked me to my core at finally learning her name. All these years of searching and I finally got that little piece of information that I should’ve had all along.

“Who in the fuck is Amara?” Killian’s voice startled me out of my stupor and my mind raced through a thousand answers.

“It’s now or never, Emory,” Atticus stated matter-of-factly. “Who matters more? Who do you love more? Your husband or…”

Eva Winners released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing feverishly ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.

She loves yoga, wine and her kiddos. In her spare time, she seeks adventures either hiking through trails, yoga or exploring the beaches.

Writing books has always been her passion and she brings real life to the forefront in everything she writes about.

Deeply passionate characters and stories will draw you in and you’ll never want to leave.

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