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The Dom Who Came In From the Cold by Lexi Blake-review tour

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The Dom Who Came In From the Cold (Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded 5) by Lexi Blake-review tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 21, 2023

Kyle Hawthorne once believed his future would be a job in the private sector—a simple, normal life. Fate had other plans and he wound up in the military. Some newly discovered talents caught the eye of the CIA, and in no time he was working with a covert team. He found himself in a relationship with fellow operative, Julia—until she turned out to be the enemy. When her betrayal was uncovered, things got bloody and Kyle returned home broken, searching for a chance to walk the road not taken.

MaeBe Vaughan has never been interested in normal. Her happy place is a dark corner of the Internet, where she disrupts all the bad guys. She has a great circle of friends and a full life. She doesn’t need a man. Until Kyle Hawthorne walked into her life. He’s all wrong for her. Surly. Damaged. His uncle is her boss. But she couldn’t help getting close to him. When his past threatened her safety, Kyle walked out without saying good-bye.

Kyle will do anything to keep MaeBe safe. He faked his death, hid in the middle of nowhere, and watched over her from afar. But when Julia resurfaces, he knows that to protect MaeBe, he’ll have to get close. So close that if they manage to survive, he will never let her go.

•••••

REVIEW:THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is the fifth instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: RELOADED erotic, BDSM, romantic suspense series-a spin off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten, which in turn is a spin off from the author’s Masters and Mercenaries series. This is former CIA agent Kyle Hawthorne, and IT specialist MaeBe (Mae Beatrice) Vaughn’s story line. THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout as well as references to previous events and interconnected characters. Kyle and MaeBe’s story line has been building since book one of the Reloaded spin off.

NOTE: If you have not read the previous instalments, there may be spoilers in my review. Some of the events of THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD cross over with NO TIME TO LIE #4.

Told from third person perspective using present day and memories from the past THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD follows in the wake of Kyle Hawthorne’s return from the dead. Years earlier, CIA operative Kyle Hawthorne had fallen in love with fellow CIA agent Julia Ennis, but soon discovered Julia had turned to the dark side, taking Kyle along for the ride. Upon his ‘escape’ from Julia, and his return to his extended family at McKay-Taggart Security and his mother Grace Taggart, Kyle would find himself falling for IT Specialist MaeBe Vaughn but Kyle’s past refused to let go, and our hero faked his death to protect the woman he loved. Fast forward eighteen months, and Kyle would, once again, come face to face with MaeBe Vaughn, the woman whose heart he destroyed in an effort to save her. Working for McKay-Taggart brought Kyle up close and personal with MaeBe but Kyle’s demons have returned gunning for everyone that Kyle has ever loved. What ensues is the acrimonious but rebuilding relationship between Kyle and MaeBe, and the potential fall-out as Julia Ennis sets her sights on our story line hero, killing anyone who stands in her way of reclaiming the man she lost.

The relationship between Kyle and MaeBe is a second chance relationship but a relationship destroyed by secrets and lies, issues of trust, and Kyle faking his death in an effort to protect MaeBe Vaughn. Having remained hiding in plain sight, Kyle had been in contact with family back home but MaeBe was kept out of the loop to protect her from future harm. Kyle’s return brought trepidation, more issues of trust, and the enemy only minutes behind, and with it, MaeBe’s life would once again hang in the balance. MaeBe is a submissive in the bedroom, but in the real world, MaeBe refuses to bend to the man she still loved. The $ex scenes are intimate erotic and intense with some scenes of spanking and bondage.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Big Tag and Charlotte, Sean and Grace Taggart; operatives Taylor Cline and Drake Radcliff, Deke Murphy and Maddie Hall, Hutch and Noelle, Adam Miles, Jake, Boomer and Yasmin, as well as the return of Julie Ennis, and newcomer CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) Joseph Caulder who will lead the new teams in MASTERS AND MERCENARIES: NEW RECRUITS September 2023.

THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD is another complex, detailed, exhaustive and meticulous storyline that wraps up this particular arc of the Masters and Mercenaries series, as well as the introduction to the next generation of operatives and spies-children of the couples we have met in the original and previous series. The premise is thorough, elaborate and intriguing; the characters are numerous, charismatic, determined and dynamic; the romance is passionate but struggles in the face of betrayal and loss. Lexi Blake pulls the reader into another wonderful, exciting and amazing series-you don’t want to pass by.

Previous Reviews and Reading Order

Submission Impossible
The Dom Identity
The Man From Sanctum
No Time To Lie

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

“Do you think he’s going to kill you? I know the man seems scary but he’s not. The key with Big Tag is to give as good as you get. Like fight his sarcasm with sarcasm. When he asks how my broom ride in was, I smile and ask him if he rode in on the back of a brontosaurus from his age. I know that sounds harsh, but it made him laugh, and now we’re cool. I spent the first couple of weeks terrified by him, thinking he was this big bully, but he’s actually the sweetest guy.”
The words had been said with a slightly husky feminine tone, and when he turned, sure enough there was a woman. A young woman who looked like she’d walked off the pages of a goth comic book. She was petite, a good foot shorter than him, with two purple pig tails, and she liked black. She had on a black miniskirt with sparkly suspenders over a black button-up. Dark green leggings and combat boots completed the look.
She was absolutely nothing like the two types of women he’d been surrounded by the last decade of his life. Military women who kept things neat and clean and practical, or the sophisticated crowd he’d run in when he’d been a spy. Women who were polished and thought out every single word they said and action made.
The first he would have nodded and made some simple conversation with. The second he would spend some time figuring out to ensure they weren’t here to spy on him.
He had absolutely no idea what to do with the woman in front of him. “Uh, I don’t think he’s going to kill me.”
She was weirdly fascinating. And just plain weird. She had a messenger bag over her shoulder, and the wide strap was decorated with a bunch of buttons, one which proclaimed her the Mistress of Code. She seemed to like code and the color green since she had a big button with the words I Always Play Green and some weird figure on it. “Confident. I like it. Are you a client or a new hire?” She gasped as she seemed to think of something. “Or a new vendor? Because if you are trying to sell the big guy anything that’s not a lemon tart, he might kill you. We should rethink this.”
It was her smile that did it. A small uptick of lips that let him know she was fucking with him and probably fucked with every guy in her life. Not in a “I’m looking to screw you over, take your secrets, and then probably murder you on the way out the door” way he’d gotten used to.
In the “I don’t take life too seriously” way. Like the women he’d been friends with in college. The ones he’d been comfortable with in another lifetime. In the life he’d had before he’d so brutally destroyed everything around him.
He should walk away from this woman. He was toxic, and his world for so long had been blood and secrets and death. She wouldn’t even know how to walk in his world. She also wasn’t his type. The last thing he needed was even a casual flirtation.
“I’m the new guy.” He held out a hand. “Name’s Kyle Hawthorne. I’m starting in the bodyguard unit today.”
She was completely harmless. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to the cute goth chick while he was here. He wouldn’t be here forever. He was giving this two months tops. That should be enough time to satisfy his family and the higher-ups at the CIA that he wasn’t going to do something dangerous. And then he would go do something dangerous.
She reached out, that smile turning into something truly glorious. Her black-tinged lips spread and showed even white teeth, but it was the way that smile lit up her eyes that made him pause. “MaeBe.”
Oh, she was playing with fire because for the first time in months he felt his groin tighten as he took her hand in his and felt an actual fucking spark that probably wasn’t static electricity. He couldn’t help the way his own lips curled up, and the words that flowed out of his mouth could have come from his twenty-year-old self. “Maybe? I would say that’s a little presumptuous of you, but I think I’ll go with it.”

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE /GOODREADS / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Desperate Acts (Pike, Wisconsin 4) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

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Desperate Acts (Pike, Wisconsin 4) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 21, 2023

WILL SHE FIND THE ANSWER
Teenager Lia Porter shouldn’t have been anywhere near the railroad bridge that night. Sneaking home after a party in the fields outside Pike, Wisconsin, she glimpsed a woman in a leather jacket, running in terror. Lia puts the incident from her mind–until a body is found near the same spot fifteen years later, wearing the same jacket. The police rule it a suicide. Lia knows different. The woman she saw was trying to save her own life, not end it. But whatever she was fleeing from found her first . . .

BEFORE THE KILLER
The stranger who arrives at Lia’s store shares her suspicions. Hollywood stunt driver Kaden Vaughn has come home to Wisconsin to learn the truth about what happened to his brother’s fianc�e years ago. The leather jacket, the timing–he believes the dead woman is Vanna, and that Lia may be the only person who can help. Together they retrace Vanna’s steps, but the more they dig, the darker the secrets become.

FINDS HER?
The killer is still out there, stalking the streets of Pike again, willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the truth locked in mystery. One by one, all those who know something about that night must be silenced, until there is no one left to tell . . .

•••••

REVIEW: DESPERATE ACTS is the fourth instalment in Alexandrea Ivy’s contemporary, adult PIKE WISCONSIN romantic, suspense series. This is thirty-five year old, former motorcycle stuntman Kaden Vaughn, and thirty year old Lia Porter’s story line. DESPERATE ACTS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from third person perspective DESPERATE ACTS follows in the wake of the discovery of a skeleton. Fifteen years earlier, a then fifteen year old Lia Porter stumbled across a woman in uniform, jumping off the local bridge. Fast forward to present day, and a skeleton has been discovered near the area where the woman had jumped. The local mayor declared the case closed, claiming the woman to be a suicide but Lia knew better, having watched from afar, as the woman ran for her life. Former Hollywood motorcycle stunt driver Kaden Vaughn never thought he would return to Wisconsin but the discovery of a female skeleton pulled Kaden to small town of Pike, where he would meet local grocer Lia Porter, a woman with a vested interested in the town’s discovery. Kaden Vaughn was sure his late brother’s fiance’s body had been found but the more Kaden and Lia began to unravel the secrets and lies, the target on their back, and several residents of Pike, is getting bigger by the day. As the injured and dead begin to accumulate, someone is desperate to keep secret what happened years before including blackmail and a possible connection to the EPA.

The relationship between Kaden and Lia is one of insta-lust to love; a joint venture in searching for the truth. Lia witnessed the victim’s jump to her death, and Kaden suspects the skeleton belongs to his brother’s fiancé. Working towards a mutual outcome, Kaden and Lia are pushed together as desperation forces a confrontation between the present and the past. The lone $ex scene is passionate but mostly implied.

Pike, Wisconsin is a town operated by corruption-from the judge to the mayor to local businessmen, wanna-bees and has beens looking to hide years of crimes. With every interview and investigation, another body is discovered, someone is poisoned, anyone who talked to Lia and Kaden, end up dead or injured. My only concern is the lack of any real law enforcement or FBI involvement. Two people looking for answers solve fifteen years of crime and passion.

DESPERATE ACTS is a tragic story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, murder and mayhem. The premise is intriguing and entertaining; the romance is tender; the characters are spirited and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Don’t Look
Faceless
Unstable

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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BRIDGES BURNED (Mission Mercenaries 3) by Marie James-review tour

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BRIDGES BURNED (Mission Mercenaries 3) by Marie James-review tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 2, 2023

I didn’t swear vengeance on the Severino Family after Ellie’s death. I was only a child after all.
I didn’t swear vengeance when my father, a coward who wasn’t man enough to seek justice for her, drank himself into a divorce.
Going after them would be a death sentence.
I chose to live my life in the shadows, seeking revenge for others.
That was until I ran into the very man that took Ellie’s life.
I can still smell the smoke clinging to my skin from all the bridges I burned because of that man.
Walking away was no longer an option.
Killing him would be easy, but taking the woman that was promised to him seemed like a better wager.
Exacting retribution through her was the gamble I made.
Surviving her now seems impossible.

••••••

REVIEW: BRIDGES BURNED is the third instalment in Marie James’ contemporary, adult MISSION MERCENARIES dark, erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Mission Mercenaries-a spin off from the author’s Cerberus MC series. This is Hollis Ford, and twenty-one year old, Mafia princess Madelene Lombardi’s story line. BRIDGES BURNED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information is revealed when necessary.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Hollis and Madelene) BRIDGES BURNED focuses on the need for revenge. Mission Mercenaries latest contract is a suicide mission to Mexico, but Hollis Ford’s need for revenge is stronger than his need to survive. Hollis never expected to find himself with a hostage in the wake of taking down several members of the Cortez Cartel. Enter Madelene Lombardi, a victim of the Cortez Cartel, sold by her father as payment for a debt. In hiding, believing the Cartel is but moments behind, Hollis will take advantage of his current situation, forcing Madelene to obey his every command. Exchanging one jailer for another, Madelene discovers that in order to survive, she must bow down to the man in charge but Hollis is about to find himself in deeper than he could have ever imagined when Mission Mercenaries doesn’t look too kindly to going rogue. What ensues is the building relationship between Hollis and Madelene, and the potential fall-out as Madelene, once again, finds herself facing the past, as past that no longer accepts the woman she has become, or

The relationship between Madelene and Hollis is a forced proximity; enemies to lovers; tragic pasts; revenge abduction in which Madelene has gone from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. Regardless of the outcome, Madelene believes her life is forfeit, it is only a matter of when and how. Hollis is a man who likes to take control, and from the outset, he takes control of our story line heroine turning their relationship into a ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ affair. The $ex scenes are impassioned but I did not feel the love between our story line couple.

The secondary and supporting characters include Angel Guerra and Lauren Vos (Lessons Learned 1), Liam Stone and Raya Reed (Mistakes Made 2); Mission Mercenaries Nash, Fox and Donavan Gibson. The requisite evil has many faces.

BRIDGES BURNED is a graphic story of murder and abuse; betrayal and vengeance, power and control, acceptance and determination. The premise is dramatic, gritty and tragic; the characters are broken, flawed and desperate; the romance is edgy and intense. BRIDGES BURNED ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Lessons Learned
Mistakes Made

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Haven’t started the series? Book one LESSONS LEARNED is FREE :

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Let’s see…where to begin…

I’m inching up on the BIG 4-0. The gray hairs are doubling what seems like daily, and the wrinkles and laugh lines are more pronounced than ever.

I have an amazing husband (Married just over 15 years.)

We have two boys we’re doing our best to raise as respectful gentleman.

I have a master’s degree in criminal justice which I used to work as a juvenile probation office until deciding to write full-time in June of 2019. So that means there’s usually always some criminal/law element to my novels.

If I’m not writing; I’m reading.

My favorite genres recently are bully/reverse harem and enemies to lovers. Maybe I’m reliving my traumatic teen years through the girls who actually end up with the boys. (Not that I would change my history since it’s gotten me exactly where I need to be!)

I love coffee. I miss carbs. Music is LIFE. I try not to be too serious.

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

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RESILIENT REIGN (Royal Reflections) by Aleatha Romig -review tour

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RESILIENT REIGN (Royal Reflections 2) by Aleatha Romig

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 31, 2023

“He who does not trust enough will not be trusted.” ~ Lao Tzu

The halls of Molave Palace and Annabella Castle have secrets that are meant to stay buried. As the reflective veil is ripped away, Princess Lucille is forced to accept the deception surrounding all that she once believed to be true.

To stay resilient in their reign, Princess Lucille and Prince Roman must decide who is trustworthy and who is ruthless, who is friend and who is foe. Even the complicity of family is questioned as the prince and princess fight for their own survival.
Can they even trust one another?

••••••

REVIEW: RESILIENT REIGN is the second instalment in Aleatha Romig’s contemporary, adult ROYAL REFLECTIONS romantic suspense series focusing on Princess Lucille, and the crown prince of Molave. RESILIENT REIGN should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book one RUTHLESS REIGN

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lucille and the Crown Prince) RESILIENT REIGN continues to focus on the controversial relationship between Princess Lucille and Roman, the Crown Prince of Molave, and the secrets they are about to uncover. Roman and Lucille’s love affair is an arranged marriage, and the need for an heir is met with more questions than answers when the palace keeps hidden a dangerous truth. While searching for answers, Lucille and Roman discover a hidden passage, a passage that is about to reveal more than anyone could have imagined but a battle for national sovereignty, political control and power find Lucille and Roman pawns in a much larger game, a game where protecting the Queen, and capturing the King, may come at a price.

RESILIENT REIGN is a story of deceit, secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and corruption, greed and obsession, trust and love. The premise is complex and intriguing ; the romance is seductive and passionate; the characters are struggling yet determined. RESILIENT REIGN ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Riled Reign
Ruthless Reign

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

NEWSLETTER | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | PINTEREST

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams and bring your imagination to life!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.

In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.

In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by the sweet stand-alone, ONE NIGHT.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America.  She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Sign up today to receive her monthly newsletter  and /or text message alerts stay informed.

And if you’re new to ALEATHA, check out her FREE books.

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Steel (Sentinel Security 4) by Anna Hackett-review tour

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Steel (Sentinel Security 4) by Anna Hackett-review tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 26, 2023

His skills and ruthlessness made him a legend.

The dark, dangerous former spy.

Now the operative turned billionaire known as Steel collides with fiery agent Hellfire when they discover they’re both on the kill list of a deadly assassin.

CIA agent Devyn “Hellfire” Hayden came from nothing and made herself into one of the CIA’s best deep-cover agents. She’s dedicated to her country. She’s always on the move. She’s a loner. Just the way she likes it. Letting people close is a weakness and she’ll never be weak again.

But when she finds herself under attack by an assassin targeting the world’s best intelligence agents, it sends her straight into the path of the only man who tempts her. The dark, lethal Killian “Steel” Hawke.

Killian Hawke rose through the ranks of the CIA, and knows his name is whispered in fear by his enemies. But when his sister needed him, he left and started Sentinel Security. He protects all those he considers his: his sister, his friends, his employees, and his clients.

But there is one stubborn redhead he also wants to claim.

As Devyn and Killian work together to unmask the assassin hunting them, they are forced to confront their white-hot attraction and their violent need to protect each other. Killian is tired of dancing around what he feels for her. Now that she’s in danger, he’ll do whatever it takes to make her safe, claim her heart, and possess her soul.

••••••

REVIEW:STEEL is the fourth instalment in Anna Hackett’s contemporary, adult SENTINEL SECURITY erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for Sentinel Security. This is Sentinel Security owner and operative Killian ‘Steel’ Hawke and CIA Agent Devyn ‘Hellfire’ Hayden’s story line.STEEL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s NORCROSS SECURITY series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Devyn and Killian) STEEL follows the search for an assassin. Someone is targeting our story line heroine but research reveals a list of names targeted for death including Killian Hawke.With the help of the team at Sentinel Security, Devyn and Killian will follow a trail that leads back to someone they know but not before acting on the long simmering attraction towards one another. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Devyn and Killian, as our couple work together to take down a man bent on revenge.

The relationship between Devyn and Killian is one of mutual attraction but neither one was ready for something more permanent. Devyn’s work for the CIA sent our heroine all over the world, and she was in no position to set down roots or give up her job. Killian Hawke opened Sentinel Security in the wake of the abduction of his younger sister, in an effort to save those unable to save themselves. Working together brought our couple together, staying together means keeping each other alive. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including: Rhys Norcross, Brynn and Vander Norcross, Nick Garrick; former MI6 agent Hadley ‘Striker’ Lockwood; hacker Jet ‘Hex’ Adler; CIA analyst Gabbi Hansley, and former Interpol agent Matteo ‘Hades’ Mancini , and Bram ‘Excalibur’ O’Donovan, as well as Killian’s sister Saskia and Camden Morgan.

STEEL is a story of betrayal, obsession and vengeance, power and control, love and acceptance. The fast paced premise is intriguing, inviting and interesting; the romance is provocative and seductive; the characters are energetic, determined and dynamic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Wolf
Hades
Striker

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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

I’m a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled romantic suspense and science-fiction romance. I love writing about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

My parents are to blame for my insatiable need to mix action, adventure, and romance. When I was young, I raided my mother’s romances and my father’s action adventure thrillers. I love being exhilarated and left just a little breathless. I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle.

-I’m an Australian
-I live in Perth, Western Australia
-I am the mother of two busy little boys
-Before I became a full-time author, I worked as a mining engineer at mines all around the world
-I love action movies
-I love sci-fi movies and TV shows
-I have always been a romance reader

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INDECENT PROPOSAL (Indecent #1) by Erika Wilde -review tour

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INDECENT PROPOSAL (Indecent #1) by Erika Wilde -review tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: January 19, 2023

It wasn’t every day that I was shot at by a sniper. But this was now my life, being hunted by someone my (dead) ex-fiancé had crossed. They thought I had something he’d taken, and they weren’t going to stop until they had what they wanted.

I went to the best security company around, but what I ended up with was a bodyguard who was as hot and tempting as he was grumpy and annoyingly bossy. Vaughn reluctantly took me on as a client, despite my inability to pay, and put me in his own personal safehouse with a set of rules to follow.

But a few of those rules? Yeah, I broke them just because I knew it would provoke him. What I didn’t anticipate was the kind of punishment he decided to dole out . . . and it wasn’t long before we went from enemies, to lovers, and an indecent proposal was struck between us.

We both swore it was all temporary, but the closer Vaughn gets to finding out who is after me and why, I realize walking away from this man might be much harder than I’d ever imagined.

••••••••

REVIEW: INDECENT PROPOSAL is the first instalment in Erika Wilde’s contemporary, adult INDECENT erotic, romantic suspense series. This is security specialist Vaughn Hughes, and Claire Turner’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Claire and Vaughn) INDECENT PROPOSAL follows in the wake of the supposed suicide of Claire Turner’s fiancé Richard, a man who worked in finance for Hardman Holdings but within days of his death, Claire has a stalker; someone is targeting our story line heroine, and her last recourse is the team at EPC-Elite Protection and Consulting. On the run, with no money or possessions, Claire finds herself at EPC where a sniper takes aim at our story line heroine. Enter security specialist Vaughn Hughes, a grumpy but determined protector who makes it his mission to uncover the truth. What ensues is the building relationship between Claire and Vaughn, as Vaughn continues to search for the people responsible.

Claire Turner has no idea why she has been targeted but often left alone, at Vaughn’s secluded cabin, means plenty of time by herself. As Vaughn works between the cabin and the city, Claire is determined to push all of our hero’s buttons. Vaughn Hughes is a dominant by nature, and Claire’s inability or refusal to ‘obey’ his rules, forces Vaughn to take action including using discipline and domination to control our story line heroine.

The relationship between Vaughn and Claire begins as an assignment. Claire is unable to pay for Vaughn’s services but Vaughn is willing to take payment in trade. Vaughn’s need to dominate is exacerbated by Claire’s refusal to take her protection seriously, refusal that results in punishment (spanking, withholding), bondage and a highly sexual lockdown assignment. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and intense.

We are introduced to Vaughn’s partners at ECP: Bryce and Seth, and PA/receptionist Lisa.

INDECENT PROPOSAL is a story of power and control, betrayal and obsession, determination and acceptance. The premise is intriguing but for all intents and purposes, the conflict resolution is underwhelming, and wraps up too easily. The romance is aggressive; the characters are energetic and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Erika Wilde is a New York Times Bestselling author. She is best known for her super sexy Marriage Diaries series and The Players Club series, and has also co-written the Dirty Sexy Series and the Book Boyfriend Series with Carly Phillips, her best friend and writing buddy for the past twenty years. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two daughters, and when she’s not writing you can find her exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. For more information on her upcoming releases, please visit her website at www.erikawilde.com and sign up for her mailing list for updates and news! .

Website / Goodreads /  Author Fan Page /   Amazon Author Page / Bookbub

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THE PARTY IS OVER (Lilah Love 8) by Lisa Renee Jones-review tour

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THE PARTY IS OVER (Lilah Love 8) by Lisa Renee Jones -review & excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 10, 2023

All dressed up and no one to kill…

Actually there are plenty of people to kill, but I’m trying to show restraint. I have handcuffs. I have a badge. I can arrest the bad guys and not kill them. But with my father trying to become governor, and Kane’s uncle standing in my face, all bets are off. Because let’s just face it, being a bitch isn’t a way of life, at least not for me. It’s a destination I travel when idiots lead me there. And cornering me in a back alley as Kane’s uncle has done, makes him an idiot. And sometimes being a bitch means a girl just has to get stabby

•••••

REVIEW: THE PARTY IS OVER is the eighth instalment in Lisa Renee Jones’ contemporary, adult LILAH LOVE romantic suspense series focusing on foul-mouthed, aggressive, contentious and prickly FBI agent Lilah Love-Mendez, and her husband, businessman /Cartel heir Kane Mendez. THE PARTY IS OVER can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading book seven HAPPY DEATH DAY for back story and cohesion as the events of book seven directly affect the events of the current time line. If you have not read HAPPY DEATH DAY there may be spoilers in my review.

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

Told from first person perspective (Lilah), and a final chapter from Kane, THE PARTY IS OVER follows Lilah as she is called to investigate another murder reminiscent of horror movie scenarios labelled Horror Movie Copycats. The most recent murder mimics The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and a serial killer may be targeting the customers at a small coffee shop where Lilah gets her fix. As the violence and bloodshed increase, Lilah finds herself reliving a nightmare that almost cost our heroine her life. As Lilah continues to search through the blood for clues, her husband Kane Mendez heads to Mexico in an effort to stop another threat aimed at our story line heroine.

Meanwhile, Lilah’s father Grant Love’s run for office has made him a target of some very powerful people. As a member of the group known as The Society, the power behind Grant may no longer be under his control.

The secondary and supporting characters include Lilah’s bodyguard Jay, Kane’s bodyguard Kit; NYPD Chief Houston, FBI Directory Murphy ; Lilah’s brother Andrew, their father Grant Love; forensics techs Jack Cox, and Noah James, Lilah’s IT guru Jeff ‘TicTac’ Landers; Kane’s uncle Miguel.

THE PARTY IS OVER covers but twenty-four hours in the life; a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, love and acceptance, obsession and murder. The fast paced and thought-provoking premise is captivating and gripping; the characters are enterprising and energetic. THE PARTY IS OVER ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

READING ORDER and Previous Reviews
Murder Notes
Murder Girl
Love Me Dead
Love Kills
Bloody Vows
Bloody Love
Happy Death Day

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Haven’t read book one MURDER NOTES? It’s currently FREE

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NOTE: Excerpt intended for 18+ due to language and content

 

 

“If they didn’t bring the donuts with them, they aren’t welcome.”
“They know you well enough to bring the donuts, Lilah,” he assures me. “It’s better for their safety and sanity.”
He knows me so well. It’s really quite romantic.
I enter the kitchen a few minutes later to find my éclair in Jay’s mouth.
“Are you fucking serious right now?” I demand.
“There are four éclairs,” he argues, his mouth still full.
I join the three of them at the counter and pick one of the three remaining up. “And your point?”
“You can’t eat four,” he declares. “I’ve seen you garbage disposal down two, not three, and definitely not four.”
“You sure do have an attitude lately,” I reply. “And for your information, Kane can garbage disposal down two. Three on a good day, but it won’t be a good day today, now will it?”
Jay’s brown skin turns pasty white. “Fuck.” His gaze rockets to Kane’s. “Man, I’m so sorry.”
“Do I look like an éclair kind of guy to you?” Kane asks dryly.
Jay sets down the donut and holds up his hands. “I can’t win. I don’t want the donut.”
I’m laughing inside but it will ruin the hell out of giving Jay a hard time if I let it bubble past my lips so I hold it in. It’s not easy but I manage. Kit does not. Kit barks out laughter. “Holy fuck, man, when will you not be this naïve?”
Jay glances around the island. “Does that mean I can finish the donut?”
“Maybe you should save it to deflect bullets,” I say, and my cellphone buzzes with a message from Rollins…


 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series.

In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is also the author of the bestselling the bestselling DIRTY MONEY and WHITE LIES series. And will be publishing the first book in her Lilah Love suspense series with Amazon Publishing in March 2018.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

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VANESSA’S GUARDIAN by Josie Jade and Regan Black-a review

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VANESSA’S GUARDIAN (Never Too Late For Love 1) by Josie Jade and Regan Black-a review

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 3, 2023

Some people wait their entire life for their ship to come in, not realizing they’re standing at the airport.

At least that’s how Vanessa Hamilton feels when it comes to romance. In her late 40s and divorced, she’s decided the traditional happily-ever-after route just isn’t for her. And she’s perfectly fine with that.

When her doctor suggests a vacation to help her de-stress and get her blood pressure under control, she decides on the remote island of Heartbreak Key off the coast of Florida. Just her, the beach, and a bunch books…what could go wrong?

Stumbling onto drug runners? Check.
Tropical storm? Check.
Hoss, the gruff former Navy SEAL who definitely does not help her blood pressure settle? Triple check.

Trust hasn’t come easy for Vanessa since her divorce, but Hoss—despite his scars and tragic past—is showing her heroes do still exist. Maybe her ship was just a little late coming in.

But it’s never too late for love..

••••••

REVIEW: VANESSA’S GUARDIAN is the first instalment and novella in the contemporary,adult VANESSA’S GUARDIAN erotic, romantic suspense series co-authored by Josie Jade and Regan Black. This is fifty year old, former US Navy SEAL turned fisherman Jonathan ‘Hoss’ McKinney, and realtor Vanessa Hamilton’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Hoss and Vanessa) VANESSA’S GUARDIAN focuses on the protection of forty-something realtor Vanessa Hamilton. On the orders of her doctor, Vanessa Hamilton scheduled a much needed vacation, landing in Heartbreak Key in the Florida Keys but from the outset nothing went according to plan. Meeting Heartbreak Key resident and former Navy SEAL Hoss McKinney gave Vanessa a chance at a vacation fling but our heroine is witness to a major drug operation, something that places Vanessa on the dealer’s radar. With the approach of a tropical storm, Vanessa seeks shelter with our story line hero, the man who is willing to sacrifice his life to save the woman with whom he will fall in love. What ensues is the quick building relationship between Vanessa and Hoss, and the potential fall-out when our couple are targeted by the people in charge.

The relationship between Vanessa and Hoss is quick to develop as there are only a few other women living on the island. Jonathan ‘Hoss’ McKinney has never been married but finds himself falling for a woman with a target on her back. With the help of fellow US Navy SEAL Cameron Burton, Hoss makes plan to save our heroine, a plan that lands both of them in dangerous waters. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate .

The secondary and supporting characters are limited. We are introduced to Hoss’s best friend and marine mechanic Cameron Burton, and Sheriff Dupree.

VANESSA’S GUARDIAN is a quick read; a fast paced story of insta-lust to love; a story of betrayal and vengeance, love and acceptance but there was something missing-an almost bare bones feel and a rush to the finish. The premise is simple but engaging- the lack of details is discouraging; the romance is impassioned; the characters are energetic and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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