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Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne -Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne – Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Description:
There are no good men left in New York City. At least that’s Claire Hayes’s conviction after finding out her late husband was not the man she thought he was. Determined to rid her home of anything that reminds her of her cheating husband, Claire sets out to redesign her boring, beige Upper East Side brownstone and make it something all her own. But what starts out as a simple renovation becomes a lot more complicated when she meets her bad-tempered and rough-around-the-edges contractor Scott Turner.

Scott bluntly makes it known to Claire that he only took on her house for a change of pace from the corporate offices and swanky hotels he’s been building lately, and he doesn’t hesitate to add that he has no patience for a pampered, damaged princess with a penchant for pink. But when long workdays turn into even longer nights, their mutual wariness morphs into something more complicated—a grudging respect, and maybe even attraction…

 

Sandy’s Review:
LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is the second instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty-five year old, widow Claire Hayes, and renovator Scott Turner’s story line. LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading book one PASSION ON PARK AVENUE for back story and history.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately one year earlier, Claire Hayes, newly widowed discovered that her husband of seven years was having numerous affairs including affairs with the two women who would become her best friends. The Central Park Pact was an agreement to never let one another fall for a womanizer like the man with whom they had all fallen in love.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Claire and Scott) LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE follows Claire Hayes, one year after the death of her philandering husband. Having just turned thirty-five years old, wanting something new in her life, Claire decides to renovate her Lexington Avenue home with the recommendation of her new best friend Naomi Powell. Enter contractor/renovator Scott Turner, and the man with whom Claire would fall in love. What ensues is the acrimonious but building relationship between Claire and Scott, and the potential fall-out as the renovations to Claire’s home, come to a close.

Scott Turner never expected Claire Hayes- a smart-mouthed, young widow who struggles with her place in the world. Not one to do relationships, Scott finds himself attraction to Claire Hayes, but a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship is all he is willing to offer. Having been burned in the past, Scott isn’t willing to lose his heart to anyone else. Claire Hayes has struggled with what happened and why. Having turned what could have been a disaster into a triple friendship with the other women scorned by her cheating husband, Claire battles her attraction to Scott knowing their time together comes with a deadline.. Believing herself too vanilla and boring, Claire begins to step out of her comfort zone with the help of the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are all implied.

We are reintroduced to Naomi Powell, and her significant other Oliver Cunningham (Passion on Park Avenue #1), Audrey Tate and her best friend Clarke West.

LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is a story of friendships, support, struggle and love. The premise is engaging and energetic; the romance is passionate and sweet; the characters are a little broken, colorful and fun.

click HERE for Sandy and Barb’s reviews of book one PASSION ON PARK AVENUE
___________

Barb’s Review:

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne is the 2nd book in her Central Park Pact series. I really enjoyed the first book of this series, and the wonderful friendship between the three heroines of this series.  I am happy to say that I enjoyed Love on Lexington Avenue as much as I did in the first book. 

Claire Hayes, our heroine in this book, is the wife of the deceased man each of the ladies bonded over. Claire is determined to change the design of her brownstone home, which continues to remind her of her cheating late husband.  Claire thinks she is boring and living a vanilla life, even if her two friends who have become very supportive of each other tell her differently.  A brief refresher:  Naomi, our last book heroine, was one of Claire’s husband’s mistresses and Audrey, was another.  All three support each other to make sure none of them fall for a man like their “ex”. 

Scott Turner, our hero, is the contractor who will change the home (he is friend to Naomi’s boyfriend); both of them get off on the wrong foot when they first meet.  Scott comes across as short tempered, arrogant and negative on any ideas that Claire might have. Claire learns that he is considered one of the best and most successful contractors worldwide, and decides to allow him to make changes, as well as give back the same attitude to him.  The banter between them was really good, even if Scott was rude to her at times.  But soon after they begin to work together, they both begin to feel the attraction to each other, even if they are determined to ignore it; especially Scott who enjoys spending time with other women, with no commitments.   Claire decides that she wants to go out and see if she can flirt with a guy, and approaches Scott to help her pick a man for a one-night stand; she wants to feel sexy again.

Scott will take her to a bar, but begins to feel jealousy when other men come on to her.  Claire begins to see another side to the grumpy Scott, and slowly falls hard for him.  They will give in to their sexual tension between them, with the knowledge that there is no future.  Best laid plans do not always work out. lol

Love on Lexington Avenue was a sweet, fun, slow burn romance that was so very well done by Layne.  I loved Claire and Scott over time.  I adored the fantastic friendship between Claire, Naomi and Audrey, with each of them going out of there way to be supportive and help them past their grief, anger and just being there for each other.

The story was very well written by Lauren Layne, with the fantastic concept of these women who did not know each other in the beginning but became the best of friends; and Layne also has created some wonderful secondary characters.   Love on Lexington Avenue was a fun story, with lots of charisma, and I cannot wait for Audrey’s story next.  I suggest you read this series, and start with the first book, Passion on Park Avenue.

Copy provided by Publisher

Excerpt provided by the publisher
 

SATURDAY, JULY 21It would have been downright tacky to say so out loud, but anyone who was anyone in New York City knew that the funeral of Brayden Daniel Hayes was the social event of the summer.
Not because Brayden was at the top of Manhattan’s A-list.
He’d been more on the periphery, the type of guy who was in the solar system but was a forgettable moon, orbiting around someone else’s more impressive planet. Brayden had money, but not big money. He’d been on the attractive side of average, but still average. Well-liked, but not adored.
For most of his relatively short adult life, Brayden Hayes had been solidly in the oh yeah, that guy category of society. The type who came and went through life without causing much of a blip.
Except, of course, if the way one left said life was an accidental drowning.
At the age of thirty-five.
With two empty bottles of sauvignon blanc rolling around one’s sailboat. To say nothing of the rumors of what he’d been doing before he’d set sail. Or who he’d been doing.
That kind of death could catapult just about anyone to Page Six for the season.
And so, on a sunny afternoon in July, Manhattan’s elite sat in Central Presbyterian Church on Park and Sixty-Fourth, their expressions the perfect masks of somber respect, even as they quietly exaggerated their closeness to the deceased.
Did you hear? He’d just accepted my dinner party invitation the day before they found him. I should have known something was up. When we caught up just last week, he wasn’t at all himself. He and I dated once, years ago. I can’t help but think what might have been . . .
Others had never met the man, and so merely gossiped amongst themselves, wondering if the rumors were true that his body had been found naked. If it was true that it was an NYU undergrad who’d called the Coast Guard when he hadn’t met her at the dock as they’d planned.
But at the heart of all the hissed whispers beneath black hats and somber suits was one delicious, looming question mark.
Where was Claire Hayes?
As it turned out, not everyone was at Brayden’s funeral.
In the front pew of the church, where Brayden’s family sat stoically listening to placid words of a life ended too soon, a prime front-row seat stayed conspicuously, shockingly vacant.
Even as the theories on why reached a fever pitch, three women who’d only just met sat a mere few blocks away on a bench in Central Park, having two vital things in common:

1. Matching Louboutins.
2. A very intimate connection to Brayden Hayes.

And so, as strangers who’d barely known the man began filing out of the church, murmuring plans of mimosas and imminent returns to Hamptons vacation homes, these three women who knew him better than anyone were making a very different sort of plan altogether.
The wife.
The girlfriend.
The mistress.
They had a pact.
To never, ever let one another fall for a womanizer like Brayden Hayes again.

 


 

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Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

 

Lauren Layne and Simon and Schuster is graciously offering a paper copy of LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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Shadow Warrior by Christine Feehan – Dual Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Shadow Warrior by Christine Feehan – Dual Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Vittorio Ferraro is a man whose family loyalty knows no bounds. He would die for his siblings and the people they love, but what he really wants is to start a family of his own. Deep down, Vittorio has always known finding a woman who could ride shadows would be nearly impossible—let alone one who could accept his particular needs—and he never expected to find her in the middle of a kidnapping.…

Grace Murphy has always been drawn to Vittorio Ferraro—or at least to the billionaire’s public bad-boy persona. Now that she’s under his protection and the sole focus of his intense caring, she can’t help wanting to get as close to him as possible. But Grace knows her presence is putting the entire Ferraro family in danger. Her monster of a brother will never let her go, but Vittorio has no intention of losing the woman whose shadow matches his own. 

 

Barb’s Review:

Shadow Warrior by Christine Feehan is the 4th book in her wonderful Shadow Riders series. As I have mentioned before, I love this series, as the premise though paranormal, it is different and fantastic.  Refresher:   Shadow riders have the ability to blend themselves to the shadows wherever they are, making themselves invisible to anyone.  They have been in existence for centuries, with all members of their families trained to use those abilities.  The family runs a legitimate business; they use their ability to help others in need to solve various problems and dispense justice.  They are an extremely powerful and close-knit family that is totally loyal to one another, also protecting the people that in live in their community.

Vittorio Ferraro is our hero in Shadow Warrior.  We meet Vittorio when he is privately thinking that his brothers have all found their mates, but accepts the fact that this will never happen to him.  Vittorio is tough, dominant and knows no woman would ever meet his standards.  When he feels vibes that something is wrong and pulling him to go to their club, he comes across some gang members in the club, who are not allowed there.  He then tries to come the rescue of a young guy, pushed by the gangsters,  into giving them his girl as collection for a big debt; and all hell breaks loose.  The girl is seriously hurt, and Vittorio manages to bring in help, and get the girl to the hospital.

Grace Murphy, our heroine, wakes up in the hospital after having major surgeries, and sees Vittorio, whom she only knew from afar.  As she goes in and out of consciousness, she over hears him tell the doctor and nurses that he is her fiancée, and with each passing day, still unable to communicate well, Grace sees that Vittorio stays with her constantly.  He tells her he will take care of her, and to use the guise of being his fiancée to keep her safe.  But Vittorio knows that Grace, unbeknownst to her, is a shadow rider, and his mate; he has no intention of letting her go, but has to convince Grace that she is meant for him.

When he gets to take her home, with all the Ferraro’s working together to keep her safe from the boy (who grew up with her in foster homes, and is like a brother; but a very dangerous and mentally ill person).  The entire Ferraros are pulled into trying not only to keep Grace safe, but also to keep all members of their family safe from this crazy violent ‘brother’.   They also have to deal with the Saldi crime family, who started this all by having some of their men at the club and involved in the shooting.   There is a lot of violence, and the Ferraros are determined to not become involved in a war.

While this is going on, Grace slowly recuperates, and over a short period of time, she finds herself falling in love with Vittorio, as well as getting used to his dominance.  Grace was a great heroine, and even though she put up with her bad evil ‘brother’, she also helped co run a successful business.    Vittorio is beside himself that this beautiful woman is made for him and though he is dominant, he is determined to marry her.  Their romance heats up fast, with steamy sex scenes.  More into this shortly. I did like Grace and Vittorio together, as they made a great couple.  I love the whole Ferraro family, and the premise of this series is awesome.  I look forward to Emme’s story, and frankly can’t stand the mother. 

This was also a very sensual romance, as Feehan had a lot of sex scenes between our couple.  The intense pulse pounding story was exciting, but as I stated earlier, I did feel that the sex scenes a bit too many. If you enjoy the many steamy sexual scenes that possibly takes forefront to the story, then this is perfect for you.  But if you prefer more story, and a bit less sex, be warned. 

What follows is an exciting adventure, where both Grace is in constant danger, and Vittorio is desperate to find the man who threatens her life; with the entire Ferraro family working hard to help find him.    

What I love the most about this series is all the wonderful characters that Feehan has created.  I love all of the Ferrero’s, and those they fall in love with that join the family.  They are an awesome family, with amazing abilities that make this so much fun.

Shadow Warrior is a captivating, exciting, suspenseful, action packed story, with a wonderful couple that steams the pages. The storyline involving the Saldi’s remains open, and I suspect will play a large part in the next book. This is a fantastic paranormal series that you should be reading, and very well written by Christine Feehan.

 

Sandy’s Review

SHADOW WARRIOR is the fourth instalment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary, adult SHADOW paranormal, erotic romance series focusing on The Ferraro family- a group of ‘Shadow Riders’-who are able to ‘use and ride’ shadows, to move about in secret. This is Vittorio Ferraro, and events planner and business owner Grace Murphy’s story line. SHADOW WARRIOR can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Shadow rider male must find his mate –a woman who is capable of riding the shadows-or at the very least with the ability to bear children with the shadow-riding gene. Within the family, the Ferraro siblings are tasked with finding a mate, fated by DNA, who is capable of continuing the family line. The Ferraro’s are also part of the Chicago Underworld-a crime family linked to both legal and criminal activity.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Vittorio and Grace) SHADOW WARRIOR follows in the wake of Grace Murphy’s abduction and her desperate attempts to protect the man with whom she would fall in love. Used as a bargaining chip for payment of a debt, Grace Murphy would find herself in a hostage situation but a gun fight at a local club owned by the Ferraro family finds our heroine placing herself in danger in order to prevent another death. Enter Vittorio Ferraro, a shadow rider and a member of the Ferraro Crime family, and the man with whom Grace would fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Vittorio and Grace, and the potential fall-out as Grace’s past targets everyone she loves including our story line heroine.

Vittorio Ferraro knows Grace Murphy is his fated mate the instant their ‘shadows’ merge and entwine but Grace is unaware of her own family history having spent most of her life in an abusive foster care situation. Hoping to prove to Grace he is not the playboy of reputation and media stories, Vittorio plans a slow seduction of our story line heroine, a seduction that is hindered by family secrets, his mother’s attitude, and Grace’s need to recover and heal. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. Unlike many of the author’s other series, this story line does not focus primarily on the $ex-in fact, our couple do not make love or engage in $ex until the 61% mark of the story.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including all of Vittorio’s siblings-Emmanuelle, Taviano, Stafano (Francesa), Giovanni (Sasha), Ricco (Marika) and their mother Eoisa Ferraro, as well as a number of cousins, all of whom are shadow riders, working as security, assassins, and business specialists. The requisite evil has many faces including Grace’s foster brother Haydon Phillips, and the Saldis crime family, who may or may not declare war against the Ferraro family.

SHADOW WARRIOR is a story of family, loyalty, secrets, power and control. The premise is intriguing, imaginative and entertaining; the characters are intelligent, energetic and colorful; the romance is spicy and hot. There were some issues of repetition but such is the style of Christine Feehan, repetition that she uses to reiterate some facts and information.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Shadow Rider
Shadow Reaper
Shadow Keeper
Shadow Warrior

Copies provided by Publisher

 

It was just her luck to be in the worst possible circumstances when she met the hottest man in the entire world. Grace Murphy wished the earth would just open up and swallow her, hospital bed and all. The Ferraro family certainly had a strong sense of responsibility when it came to someone getting shot in their parking lot. Even that was embarrassing, having her own foster brother try to sell her into prostitution to pay his gambling debts.
She was like everyone else, following the life of the Ferraros in magazines bought at the grocery store or flipped through at the beauty parlor. She’d always been drawn to Vittorio, finding herself reading every single thing about him. Now, here he was in person, sprawled out in a chair, more beautiful than the photographs could capture, as big as life. Bigger even, the reality of him taking up an enormous amount of space, his wide shoulders and long legs keeping her attention riveted on him.
She groaned aloud and covered her red face with one hand. He’d been there every single day. Right there. In that chair. Pacing around the room. Talking on his cell. It didn’t matter what he was doing, he saw to her every need. He noticed before she did that her pain level was rising, and he took care of it. He didn’t like the food they were serving her, and she was given catered, very nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She hadn’t been able to feed herself those first few days and he had been the one to sit on the edge of her bed and feed her.
The first week after she’d been shot and operated on, there’d been so much pain she could barely breathe, and she hadn’t been able to fully comprehend who he was. Mostly, she’d slept and thought she was dreaming. One of the nurses had referred to him as her fiancée and she had been confused. She’d started to correct her, but then looked beyond her to see Vittorio Ferraro hovering behind the woman.
Their eyes had locked. Had she known that eyes like his existed in real life? She’d been captivated. Spellbound. Unable to think. Those eyes had turned her brain to mush. Her heart had leapt to her throat. Grace had felt as if he was willing her not to speak, not to contradict what the nurse was saying—and she hadn’t. Then the morphine had kicked in and the pain had gone enough for her to drift off.
“Grace?”
His voice. It was beautiful. Low. Soothing, yet at the same time, there was absolute command, as if he ruled the world and knew it. She’d heard that voice in the parking lot, stopping everyone, giving him the chance to act, to save her from the two men Haydon was selling her to for his debts.
Vittorio remained silent after just saying her name. She couldn’t help but look at him, that tone compelled her to raise her gaze to his no matter how reluctant she was. It took her a few moments to gather the courage to meet those eyes. Deep blue, like the deepest, clearest sea. She felt as if she were drowning when she looked into his eyes.
She touched her tongue to her lips—the lips he’d personally applied lip balm to—and lifted her lashes. At once she had the strange sensation of falling, of tumbling into those dark depths, and there was no saving herself. Her heart beat wildly and, in her veins, there was a rush of heat that spread through her body like a wildfire.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
She had no idea how he could make her want to tell him the truth, no matter that she wanted to hide it from him. She didn’t want to admit that he was the problem, that he was that fantasy she went to bed with every night, and now he was there, larger than life, and way more than she could ever handle. She’d watched him at every charity event, sometimes nearly forgetting her job, which was to stay behind the scenes and make certain everything ran smoothly.
“Grace.”
Again with the name. It sounded so different when he said it. She’d always thought her name plain. Old-fashioned. When Vittorio said it in that enthralling tone, she liked the way it sounded.


 

 Christine’s Feehan’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of

SHADOW WARRIOR to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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A PERFECT LIE by Lisa Renee Jones-Review & Excerpt Tour

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A PERFECT LIE by Lisa Renee Jones-Review & Excerpt Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 14, 2019

Secrets. Lies. A man. There’s always a man. And there’s always a truth to be told.

I’m Hailey Anne Monroe. I’m twenty-eight years old. An artist, who found her muse on the canvas because I wasn’t allowed to have friends or even keep a journal. And yes, if you haven’t guessed by now, I’m that Hailey Anne Monroe, daughter to Thomas Frank Monroe, the man who was a half-percentage point from becoming President of the United States. If you were able to ask him, he’d probably tell you that I was the half point. But you can’t ask him, and he can’t tell you. He’s dead. They’re all dead and now I can speak.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: A PERFECT LIE is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, psychological suspense thriller focusing on twenty-eight year old Hailey Anne Monroe, the daughter of Thomas Frank Monroe, the candidate for the US presidency.

Told from first and second person perspectives (Hailey) using present day and memories from the past A PERFECT LIE is a story of greed, power, and secrets of the political elite. Years earlier Hailey lost her mother to a motor vehicle accident and in the ensuing time Hailey has been relegated to persona non grata in the world of her father Thomas Frank Monroe. With her father’s run for president of the United States in full swing, scandal follows our story line heroine, scandal that leads directly back to the presidential candidate. Forced into exile during her father’s campaign, Hailey Anne Monroe discovers that nothing in her world is under her control. Unable to trust anyone in her life, Hailey must follow her heart as she battles not only her father but demons from the past.

A PERFECT LIE is a suspense filled and timely story of controversy, politics, secrets and lies; of power and class; of conflict and deceit; disquietude and doubt; of family, friendship, and betrayal. Lisa Renee Jones pens an incredible and relevant story of the political machine.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

“Can I join you?” he asks, motioning to the table.

There’s interest in his eyes, the kind a man has for a woman, but who knows, maybe it’s real or maybe it’s not real. Maybe he knows who I am and sees a path to power and fame. The way Tobey wanted me for money and power, right up until the moment I’d called his number aka his agenda; thus, he has not called me since I left. Maybe Harvard will lie even better than Tobey did. Maybe Harvard will at least kiss better than he did, and the lies would taste like temptation rather than convenience. At least then, if I’m used, I’ll enjoy being used.

Whatever the case, it’s clear I might actually be angry with Tobey and that aside, the interest that Harvard has shown in me, must be controlled before my Denver sanctuary is destroyed. “You can join me,” I say, “but only because I’m trying to save the rest of the place from the attorney in the house.”

I am pleased when Harvard laughs, where Tobey would have scowled, proving that Harvard has a sense of humor, which is rare for those in my life. I’ve barely completed this thought when he moves forward and claims the seat next to me, not across from me, settling his briefcase on that chair instead. In the process, his leg brushes my leg and for the briefest of moments, I’m transported back to the place that I’m now trying to forget: to Austin, to Drew’s leg next to mine, his wink, and I do now what I did then. I jerk back. If Harvard notices he doesn’t react. “Since we haven’t been formally introduced,” he says, resting his naked hands on the table. “I’m Logan. Logan Casey.”

“Logan Casey,” I repeat trying to ground myself in the present, at least for now, but some part of me is still swimming in that memory, which naturally has me wondering if this man is a shark in the water around me. “Two first names,” I add. “Sounds like your parents fought over who got to pick your first name. Did they draw straws for which choice became your middle name?”

“You’re actually right on target,” he says, laughing again, and it’s a nice, masculine laugh, and oddly this thought feels familiar while Logan does not. “No one has ever guessed that,” he adds. “My mother won the name war. The women always win. Speaking of names. Do you have one?”

“Hailey Anne Pitt,” I say, “and in my house, my father won the name war.” Because in my father’s world, I add silently, the women don’t win the wars. At least, not that he knows, not in an obvious way. I’ve learned this well.

“Well then, Hailey Anne Pitt,” he says, “what’s a Stanford girl like you, doing in a place like this? You’re a long way from school.”

I’m smacked in the face with a lesson I’ve long ago learned and forgotten with this man; strangers do not always remain strangers and all offhanded remarks can come back to haunt you. “That was a joke,” I say, shutting the door connected to my real life, and a path that leads to my father. “I hate attorneys, remember?”

He narrows his eyes on me, and for no reason other than instinct, I believe he’s looking for a lie that he won’t find. I’m simply too well-taught from birth, too skilled at being more than one person to allow such a detection. Well that, and the fact that I really do hate attorneys, which is why I’ll be a good one.

“That was a joke?” he confirms.

“Yes,” I say. “Are you amused?”

“Yes, actually. I am. What does a lawyer-hating smart ass like yourself do for a living?”

“When not busy taunting those who went to law school,” I say. “I’m an aspiring artist.” Both honest answers, if you put a “was” in front of the “aspiring artist” which I’d thought that I’d come to terms with, but the knot in my stomach says I have not.

Logan motions toward the art room. “Your career explains why you ended up here.”

“I guess it does,” I say, as this place serves me well to reconnecting to the Pitt part of my life, which is a place I really need to be right now, for all kinds of reasons.

“Are you good?” Logan asks, as if he’s read my mind.

My father’s words answer him in my head. Art is useless unless you’re famous, he used to say often, because of course, it was inconceivable that I might be good enough to be famous. “Art is like movies and food,” I say, shoving aside that bad memory. “Good is subjective.” I don’t give him time to reply. I ping the conversation back toward him. “What kind of law do you practice?”

“Corporate,” he says, and this time he pings back to me. “Do you live in the neighborhood?”

“Yes,” I say simply. “Do you?”

“I bought a building a few years ago where I live and work which means this is my home turf, and why I know you’re new here.”

“I am,” I say and since he’s clearly going to ask for details, I quickly preempt with an on-the-fly story. Actually, it’s the suggested story, Rudolf included in my file. “I came here for a job, and my new boss owns a house he’s rented to me for dirt cheap.”

“And what does an artist do but create art for a living?”

“I’m working for a private art acquisitions firm. I now hunt for treasures for a living.” This lie is actually my dream job that I’ve never been allowed to entertain.

The horror flick loving waitress delivers my coffee and brownie. “Thank you,” I say, because every politician’s daughter has manners beaten into her.

“No problem,” she says, “but if you come to your senses and want a better version of that coffee, just shout.” She eyes Logan. “I already know you want a crappy tasting coffee, on endless pour and a chocolate chip cookie. Coming right up.”

“Thanks, Megan,” he says, giving her a wink that I don’t classify as flirtatious, just friendly, and Megan is gone.

“Obviously you’re a regular,” I comment, “and they even like you.”

“And they like me,” he confirms, “despite knowing I’m an attorney.

“Because you’re good looking and use it to your advantage.”

He arches a brow. “You think I’m good looking, do you?”

“Oh, come on,” I say, crinkling my nose. “Everyone thinks you’re good looking. I’m simply stating a fact. We use what we have and those of us that are smart, know what we have.” I move on from what is really quite inconsequential. “Why work here, not at home, or in the office?”

“I find I get a lot of work done with a cookie, coffee, and no access to streaming television,” he explains.

No one in my D.C. crowd would make an admission of being human and distractible. Some people in my situation might take comfort in that fact, but I don’t. Logan’s an attorney, and my gut, which I’ll confirm with research, says he’s a powerful one, the kind that radiates toward my father. Maybe that’s a coincidence and maybe it’s not. Maybe he’s testing how well I execute my cover story. The possibilities are many. Though in all fairness to Logan, perhaps I’d lean toward his innocence, if not for the laundry list of recent events such as Tobey being gay and the FBI agent, who is likely working for my father, that I slept with to prove I was a) still desirable and b) not a killer.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Lisa Renee JonesNew 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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Ryder (Delta Squad #2) by Diana Gardin-a review

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Ryder (Delta Squad #2) by Diana Gardin-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 12, 2019

I’m a Navy SEAL and a member of the elite Night Eagle Security team, so you better believe I take every one of my missions seriously. But this one is different. I’m protecting Frannie – she’s beautiful, fiercely independent, and on the run from her criminal ex-husband. I know he’s dangerous, that he’ll do anything to get Frannie back. But there’s no way I’ll ever let that happen…

Trouble is, I can tell Frannie is hiding something from me. Something big. Since she barely got away from her ex alive, I understand that she’s wary, but I can’t help her if she doesn’t let me in. And no matter how badly I want a future with her, I swore I’d never allow myself to be with someone who doesn’t trust me. But when Frannie’s secret comes out, I have to decide whether her betrayal is enough to make me walk away…or if I’ll protect the woman I love no matter the cost.

•••••••

REVIEW: RYDER is the second instalment in Diana Gardin’s contemporary, adult DELTA SQUAD romantic, suspense series focusing on the elite Night Eagle Security Team make up of former military personnel and Delta Squad Navy SEALs. This is Navy SEAL Thorn ‘ White Wolf’ Ryder, and ER nurse Francesca ‘ Frannie’ Phillips story line. RYDER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading book one-Lawson-for backstory and cohesion, where Frannie’s story begins. The DELTA SQUAD series is a spin-off from the author’s RESCUE OPS series but you do not have to have read the previous series to follow. Some of the characters from the Rescue Ops series cross over for familiarity.

NOTE: Due to the subject matter, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Ryder and Frannie) RYDER follows the building relationship between Navy SEAL Thorn ‘ White Wolf’ Ryder, and ER nurse Francesca ‘ Frannie’ Phillip. Months earlier Frannie Phillips, a victim of ongoing domestic abuse, found herself on the run, in the hopes of escaping horrific abuse. Fast forward to present day wherein, Frannie, now struggling to stay one step ahead, is secreted away by the Night Eagle Security team, to an unknown location as the FBI, police and NES hunt for the man who destroyed her life. Enter Navy SEAL and NES security specialist Thorn ‘White Wolf’ Ryder, and the man with whom Frannie will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Frannie and Ryder, and the potential fall-out as betrayal, secrets and lies place Frannie and Ryder in the direct line of fire.

Thorn Ryder is a man of many secrets including a devastating loss, and a passion to help those unable to help themselves but ‘babysitting’ Frannie Phillips comes with too many complications including the desire and palpable sexual attraction that exposes the couple to potential conflict. Frannie Phillips knows pain and suffering, love and loss but meeting Thorn Ryder gives our heroine hopes for a second chance but Frannie keeps hidden a secret that if revealed could ultimately destroy any chance at a happily ever after.

The relationship between Frannie and Ryder begins as a working assignment. Ryder is contracted to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love; Frannie’s often times TSTL (too stupid to live) attitude threatens her safety on more than one occasion. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Navy SEAL Lawson “Sleuth’ Snyder and former police detective Indigo Stone, NES boss Jacob ‘Boss Man’ Owen, and Delta Squad security team Bain ‘Bull’s Eye’ Foxx, and Ben McBride; police Sergeant Russ Walker; Frannie’s best friend Lobelia Novak, and Frannie’s soon to be ex-husband Eli Ward; Lawson’s sister Lilliana Snyder, as well as young troubled teen Nevaeh.

RYDER is a story of family, friendships, heart break and betrayal. The premise is real, raw and engaging; the romance is captivating and intense; the characters are energetic and colorful but I struggled with the heroine’s constant need to remain independent in spite of the struggle and ongoing threats against her life.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Diana GardinDiana Gardin was born and raised combing the coasts of Southeastern Virginia. She is now a happy resident of South Carolina as she married into an enormous Carolina-rooted family. She loves the beach, and even more than that she loves to read while sitting on the beach.

While writing was always a passion of Diana’s, she enrolled in college to become an elementary-school teacher. After eight years of teaching in both Virginia and South Carolina, she decided to stay at home with her first child. This decision is what opened her eyes to the fact that she still very much loved to write, and her first novel was written.

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Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks – Dual Review

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Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks – Dual Review

 

 

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Description:
Hope Anderson is at a crossroads. At thirty-six, she’s been dating her boyfriend, an orthopedic surgeon, for six years. With no wedding plans in sight, and her father recently diagnosed with ALS, she decides to use a week at her family’s cottage in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to ready the house for sale and mull over some difficult decisions about her future.

Tru Walls has never visited North Carolina but is summoned to Sunset Beach by a letter from a man claiming to be his father. A safari guide, born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tru hopes to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his mother’s early life and recapture memories lost with her death. When the two strangers cross paths, their connection is as electric as it is unfathomable . . . but in the immersive days that follow, their feelings for each other will give way to choices that pit family duty against personal happiness in devastating ways.

Illuminating life’s heartbreaking regrets and enduring hope, Every Breath explores the many facets of love that lay claim to our deepest loyalties — and asks the question, How long can a dream survive?

 

 

Barb’s Review:
Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks is a standalone novel, which was a wonderful heartwarming story of true love and heartbreak that will cover decades.

Tru Walls, our hero, is a safari guide in Zimbabwe, having lived all his life in Africa.  Tru is divorced and content with his life as a guide, but he wants to know more about his deceased mother’s past, and decides to fly to Sunset Beach, North Carolina, accepting an invitation to meet his biological father, whom he never knew.

Hope Anderson, our heroine, is staying at the beach house the family has owned for many years, preparing for it to be placed on the market.  Hope’s father is suffering from ALS, and Hope takes the time at the beach house to think about her difficult days ahead, as well as if she has a future with her boyfriend of six years

When Tru is staying at his father’s house prior to meeting him, he enjoys the beach surroundings, and sees a dog running amok.  Tru rescues the dog, and meets Hope, the dog’s owner.  A friendship develops where both Tru and Hope find themselves comfortable to talk about both of their lives, as we learn so much about each of them.  It was so nice to see them fall for each during their conversations of life. Hope will take Tru to the local places including a place nearby where people put in letters/notes in a mail box for anyone to view.  

What follows is a sweet heartwarming slow built romance between two people from different worlds, yet so perfect for each other.  This was also a heart wrenching story of two people; their back history, as well the future. It is a story of love, family, sacrifice, heart ache and destiny.

Nicholas Sparks wrote a wonderful story that he describes at the start as a true story, and he makes us love both Tru and Hope. We felt the sadness, as life had other plans for them; Hope with her boyfriend, and her desire to have children (Tru was no longer able to have children); Tru needing to live near his young son and his job.   What makes this great is that destiny will find a way to for them to  meet again.  I really loved this story, more than I ever expected.  I suggest you read Every Breath.

 

Sandy’s Review:

EVERY BREATH by Nicholas Sparks is a stand alone love story focusing on forty-two year divorced father and safari tour guide Tru Walls, and thirty-six year old, trauma nurse Hope Anderson.

Told from third person perspectives EVERY BREATH takes the reader back to the year 1990 focusing on one week in the life of forty-two year divorced father and African safari tour guide Tru Walls, and thirty-six year old, trauma nurse Hope Anderson. Tru Walls, a safari guide born and raised in Zimbabwe, has come to America in search of answers about his mother and her past. Meeting trauma nurse Hope Anderson stirred something deep within our story line hero, something he would always remember including the love for a woman who was torn between head and heart. Fast forward to 2014 wherein Tru will reconnect with the woman he has never stopped loving only to discover she has never stopped loving him in return.

Divided into two parts (1990 and 2014) EVERY BREATH is a story based in reality brought about by a journal and letters found in an isolated mailbox called Kindred Spirit near the dunes of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. The mailbox, belonging to everyone and no one, is a treasury of love letters from the lost; stories of then and now; a place for dreams and happily ever afters to live on when someone dies. Nicholas Sparks uses artistic license to spin a love story spanning decades focusing on two people whose lives went in opposite directions eventually meeting to form their own happily ever after. Reflective in nature EVERY BREATH reconnects with the past revealing twenty-plus years of pain, heartache, failures and success eventually meandering back to Sunset Beach where it all began.

An imaginative, heart breaking and emotional story line EVERY BREATH looks at love and loss; family and duty; reconnection, dreams, and hope. Uniquely Nicholas Sparks EVERY BREATH is a wonderful love story that will captivate and enchant as you reflect upon your own life of what ifs and whys. Every city and town should have their own ‘Kindred Spirit’ in the hopes of living on in the minds of others.

Copies provided by publicist

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Consumed by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

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Consumed by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

 

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Description:
Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed…

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn’t believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again–until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

 

Sandy’s Review:

CONSUMED is the first full-length instalment in J. R. Ward’s contemporary, adult FIREFIGHTERS romantic, suspense series. CONSUMED is the continuing storyfocusing on firefighters Anne Ashburn, and Danny Maguire of the NBFD 499. I recommend reading the FREE prequel novellas The Rehearsal and The Dinner for backstory and cohesion.

Told from several third person perspectives including Anne and Danny CONSUMED follows the acrimonious relationship between firefighters and partners Anne Ashburn, and Danny Maguire of the New Brunswick Fire Department (NBFD) 499. Following an warehouse fire wherein both Anne and Danny were wounded, the story line picks up ten months later as Anne embarks on her new career as a certified fire inspector, a career change that has left her bitter and insecure. No longer working alongside her fellow firefighters from the 499, Anne struggles to find a place without the camaraderie and companionship of the men who had always had her back including the man who had stolen her heart. A tightknit group of friends, the firefighters of the 499 are more like family than the blood family back home.

Danny Maguire battles PTSD and remorse in the aftermath of a warehouse fire that went horribly wrong. Never ones to follow orders both Danny and Anne found themselves in a dangerous situation, a situation that was about to affect the rest of their lives and careers. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Danny and Anne, and the fall-out as an arsonist hits too close home, and accusations of another nature threaten the already tepid relationship between our story line couple.

JR Ward pulls the reader into a story of family, friendship, betrayal and power. Anne Ashburn comes from a family who have loved and lost in the line of duty but not is all as it appears to be as the perfect façade begins to crumble as secrets are revealed. Danny Maguire struggles to make sense of where everything went wrong but release does not come easy as the guilt of what happened weighs heavily and long.

All of the firefighters previously introduced in the prequel novellas are present and accounted. Anne’s brother Chief Thomas Ashburn struggles with his tentative hold over a collapsing department, a department he fears no longer respects the position he holds. Danny’s best friend Robert ‘Moose’ Miller is always ready with a helpful hand but it is his new bride Deandra that threatens Moose’s stability, and those of the people working the 499.

CONSUMED follows the breakdown of leadership, the loss of control, the drama and fall-out of a department threatened by an unseen power that is determined to win at all costs. The premise is suspenseful, detailed and dramatic: the characters are flawed, wounded and broken; the romance struggles in the face of pride, betrayal and demons from the past. CONSUMED sets the stage for a potential power match between law enforcement, business and the political elite-a powerful and volatile combination of chaos and command.

Copy supplied by publisher through Netgalley

Barb’s Review:  Consumed by J.R. Ward is the 1st book in her new Firefighters series. I looked forward to reading this new series by Ward, and I am happy to say that I really enjoyed the book.

Anne Ashburn, our heroine, is the only female member of the Fire Dept station 499. She is accepted by all the guys at the station, and her brother is chief; in fact her whole family were mostly firefighters.  Anne has a crush on Danny McGuire, one of the firefighters, but his reputation with woman precedes him.  She does her best to avoid him, but they did have a one night stand that both find difficult to forget.  We learned at the end of the two short prequel novellas, that Danny saves Anne on the scene of a fire, but she lost her hand in the process.

Consumed starts about 10 months later, with Anne having recovered, and trying to get used to prosthetic, as well as apply for a job as an arson investigator. She misses the action she loved at the station, but she no longer can work there, and is forced to accept this new position.  As in anything, Anne jumps in to take a case of a recent fire, and begins to tie in other fires that might be related.

Danny, who had his own injuries, pushes himself back on the job, and is determined to get Anne’s trust and win her over.  In a short time, their chemistry is so hot, there is no way for either of them to keep their hands off each other.  Each have their own issues, involving family, heartache, but their feelings for each other continue to escalate. 

Anne’s investigation leads her to a high profile person, who is determined to get her off the case.  Danny will try to help Anne with the investigation to find the arsonist; his is concerned for her safety, as now she has become a target from those trying to stop her.  What follows is an exciting, pulse pounding, intense, gripping story, amazingly written by Ward.   

As we race to the climax, there are some surprises that I did not see coming, which did throw me for a loop.  I loved Danny and Anne together, and Ward has created a wonderful group of secondary characters in this series, showing the comradery and loyalty of the crew.  I loved loved Anne’s stray dog, Soot that she adopted.   I also thought that Ward did such a fantastic job showing us the life of firemen, and what they go through.  Though the story has a satisfying ending, there are some open issues that will continue into the next book.

Consumed was a fantastic fast paced, exciting and action packed story; a wonderful theme, great couple and secondary characters, and very well written by J.R. Ward.  You need to start this series now.

 

Copies provided by Publisher

 

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Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

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Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

Kill The Queen
Crown of Shards series – Book #1
by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: October 2, 2018

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Description:
Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

Barb’s Review:
Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep is the 1st book in her new Crown of Shards fantasy series. I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep, and love all her series.   I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Kill the Queen, and I am happy to say I loved it; it is epic fantasy at its best. 

We meet our heroine, Lady Everleigh (Evie), at the start, as she is helping making pies in the kitchen in preparation for a big gala at the Royal Court of Bellona.  Evie, though a distant overlooked royal, with very little magical powers, stays in the shadows as much as she can; only joining in when necessary.  As she leaves to see a friend, before she has to dress, Evie begins to notice many new guards and friends of her cousin, Vasillia; when she returns and attends the gala, she senses things that seem odd.  In a short time, Vasillia, who is the crown princess, leads a revolution that becomes a massacre of major proportions. When she comes across Evie, she uses her magic lightning power to attack her, throwing her over the cliff.  This was massacre that murdered the entire Blair royal line.  Vasillia, with her people is now the Queen of Bellona, and she plans to start a war by taking over other kingdoms.  This is just the beginning.

Evie was the lone survivor, running for her life to escape during the hunt for more survivors.  She goes into hiding, and joins a gladiator troupe, who are highly trained warriors that perform shows to entertain the local people.  Evie’s job is to make her famous pies, but the leader of the Black Swan troupe insists that all team members must train to be able to fight, no matter what their job is.  She meets Lucas Sullivan, who trains all the gladiators, and he is hard on Evie.  But over time, both will begin to have feelings for each other, which will stay in the background for most of the story.  This is not a romance, not yet.  However, I suspect we will see the two of them eventually find their way to each other, sometime in the next book.  The leader of the Black Swan, Serilda, was a great warrior, and sensed something about Evie, pushing her to practice more.

Like in any new fantasy, there is a world building that tends to go more into detail early on, which can make things a little slow at the early parts.  But make no mistake, in a couple of chapters in,  this becomes an exciting, ultra-action packed adventure that was impossible to put down. I loved how Evie became close to many members of the troupe, and when she is forced to fight for her life, she will learn how to use her magic that she has hidden all her life.  Great exciting action.

Estep does a fantastic job keeping our attention, as well as creating such a fantastic heroine in Evie. I also loved most of the members of the Black Swan that were awesome.  What follows is an amazing adventure that will allow us to watch as Evie, slowly gains more confidence in her powers and well as learning to become a good warrior.  Together with her new friends, they plan save the kingdoms facing a terrible war, and find a way avenge her family, save Bellona, and Kill the Queen.  Will Evie survive?  Can she even face the evil powerful Vasillia?

This was an exciting and enthralling fantasy, with fantastic characters (even the villians); surrounded by magic, violence, death, war, and intrigue that has us holding our breaths throughout.

Bravo to Jennifer Estep for creating another fantastic series, especially in the Epic fantasy world.  I strongly suggest you read Kill The Queen.  I for one cannot wait for the next book.

 

 

Sandy’s Review

KILL THE QUEEN is the first instalment in Jennifer Estep’s CROWN OF SHARDS epic fantasy series focusing on the Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair aka Evie, a young woman of royal blood whose entire family was murdered in a coup for the throne.

Told in three distinctive parts, using first person point of view (Evie) KILL THE QUEEN follows Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair aka Evie as she struggles to survive in the aftermath of a murderous rage that destroyed everyone and everything that she loved. Years earlier, orphaned at the age of twelve as a result of her parents’ murder, Evie entered the magical kingdom of Bellona, a kingdom ruled by her cousin Queen Cordelia, and her daughter Crown- Princess Vasilia. Believing Evie to hold no magical powers of her own, other than the simplified and basic ‘mutt magic’, our heroine, the now twenty seven year old, seventeenth in line to the throne of Bellona, has been virtually ignored for the past fifteen years. A royal celebration in honor of the Andvarian ambassador proved otherwise as Evie would be one of only two survivors of the Blair family massacre meant to destroy all those with any bloodrights to the throne. What ensues is Evie’s journey to the status of The Black Swan, as she and her fellow warriors and gladiators set into motion a plan to avenge the death of them all.

KILL THE QUEEN is awash in Jennifer Estep’s affinity for ‘elemental magic’. Like Gin Blanco in the author’s Elemental Assassin, our heroine Evie must become an assassin in order to avenge the death of the people she loves. From weather mages, elementals, gem and metal workers, ogres, shifters and gladiators, KILL THE QUEEN follows the magical journey wherein Evie must prepare to battle to the death in an effort to prove she is worthy of the throne.

Many of Jennifer Estep’s signature go-to story line components are present including Evie’s band of misfit elementals and warriors; a potential love interest; and the mention of the Delta Queen, as well as several characters from both her Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime Series-hint, hint Easter Eggs. Not withstanding the numerous and obvious parallel similarities between the Elemental Assassin and Crown of Shards series, KILL THE QUEEN is an intriguing, magical and infinitely detailed story of magic, honor, power and greed.

Copies provided for review

 

 

Jennifer is graciously offering an $10 Amazon Gift Card to ONE  (1) lucky commenter and a paper copy of Kill the Queen to TWO (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe:

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE:  If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into the site, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Jennifer Estep on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway open to  USA only for paper copy of Kill the Queen; Internationally for Amazon GC.

8. Giveaway runs from October 1 to 8, 2018

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Archangel’s Viper by Nalini Singh – Dual Review & Giveaway

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Archangel’s Viper by Nalini Singh – Dual Review & Giveaway

 

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Archangel’s Viper
Guild Hunter series – Book #10
by Nalini Singh
Release Date: September 26, 2017

Archangel's ViperAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Once a broken girl known as Sorrow, Holly Chang now prowls the shadowy gray underground of the city for the angels. But it’s not her winged allies who make her a wanted woman—it’s the unknown power coursing through her veins. Brutalized by an insane archangel, she was left with the bloodlust of a vampire, the ability to mesmerize her prey, and a poisonous bite.

Now, someone has put a bounty on her head…

Venom is one of the Seven, Archangel Raphael’s private guard, and he’s as infuriating as he is seductive. A centuries-old vampire, his fangs dispense a poison deadlier than Holly’s. But even if Venom can protect Holly from those hunting her, he might not be able to save himself—because the strange, violent power inside Holly is awakening…

Sandy’s Review:

ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is the tenth full-length installment in Nalini Singh’s adult GUILD HUNTER dystopian/UF/paranormal series focusing on Archangel’s, angels, vampires, shifters and hunters. This is vampire Venom, one of the Seven, Raphael’s private guard, and newly Made ‘vampire’ Holly Chang. ARCHANGEL’S VIPER can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for background and cohesion as many events in the current time line are as of a direct result of previous happenings and premises.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Venom and Holly) ARCHANGEL’S VIPER focuses on the search for the person(s) responsible for placing a five million dollar bounty on our heroine’s head. With the Cascade-an event that causes massive power fluctuations and other changes among the members of the Cadre- in motion, the Archangel Uram’s bloodlust was out of control, and Holly Chang became one of his victims to survive. Although destroyed by the Archangel Raphael, the fallout of Uram’s mindless brutality has left our heroine lost; without direction; not knowing the who or what of her newly ‘made’ body, Enter Venom, one of Raphael’s private guards known as the Seven, and the man with whom Holly will fall in love. As Holly and Venom struggle to uncover the truth behind the five million dollar bounty, Holly is pulled in another direction-a pull she is unable to ignore.

The relationship between Venom and Holly is acrimonious; a love-hate relationship that pushes the boundaries of mentor and friend. Their back and forth snarky banter is sexually charged but Venom doesn’t do relationships believing himself too damaged to fall in love towards a happily ever after. Venom’s Maker gifted our hero with a lethal poison that few can survive and finding a kindred spirit in newly made Holly Chang gives our hero a potential prospect for the future-a future with an unknown expiry date due to inexplicable talents and powers of our story line heroine. Holly Chang’s Maker was killed by the Archangel Raphael but what remains behind has taken control of its’ victim, leading her on a journey to the other side of the world. With Raphael sequestered with the meeting of the Cadre of Archangels, Holly and Venom follow the pull of the darkness within.

Unlike many of the other story lines in the series ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is limited in the amount of action; there are no battles or fight scenes except the internal battle Holly wages with herself and the ‘other’.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including the leader of the group of Seven Dimitri, Jason, Janvier, Ashwini, Illium, Guild Hunter Vivek Kapur, Angel Kanasha, Archangel Michaela, several members of The Legion, and a number of lesser known vampires including Daisy, Holly’s acquaintances Magnus, Zeph and Arabella as well as Holly’s human sister Mia, and their parents Allan and Daphne Chang. Raphael makes a cameo appearance as Holly battles the other for control.

ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is a fantastic story of friendship, family, power and control. Holly Chang is a woman desperate to understand the who and what of her growing power-every day her abilities begin to mimic Archangelic abilities and the only explanation is no longer alive. The premise is spirited and energetic; the characters are passionate and inspiring; the romance is passionate but slow to build-the $ex scenes are limited and mostly implied. ARCHANGEL’S VIPER is a compelling and enticing story line where one of Raphael’s Seven finds his heart and his happily ever after.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Barb’s Review:

Archangel’s Viper by Nalini Singh is the 10th book in her wonderful Guild Hunter series. I say this quite often; Nalini Singh is one of the best authors around, and the fact I love both her Psy/Changeling and Guild Hunter series proves how good she is.  Nalini writes fantastic stories in different worlds that flow so seamlessly, and each book just grabs hold of you at the start and never lets go till the very end.  I do feel bad for those of you who do not read Nalini Singh, as you are missing an amazing author. On to my review.

We met both Venom and Holly, our heroes in this book, early in this series when he saved her from sure death.  Holly had been tortured by an insane Archangel, Uram; and she had witness the horrifying deaths of her friends.  Though she is considered human, Holly was left with abilities she gained from Uram’s vampire blood coursing in her body.  Her acid green eyes; ability to mesmerize others; has a poisonous bite (which Venom also has, but he is immune to Holly’s bite); and does require blood, which she minimizes as much as she can.

Venom, is one of Rapheal’s Seven, and very dangerous, but loyal to the Seven, as well as being different from the others.   After being away for two years,  he returns  and Holly was sent to pick him up.  Venom not only was the one who saved Holly, but he also is the one who tries to teach her to control the violent impulses she has.  However, they have never gotten along, both always antagonizing each other. Venom enjoys pushing Holly’s buttons, and she just hates him.  Holly has changed since she was first rescued, and Honor (Dimitri’s mate), has worked with her on her emotional stability, as well as Janvier and Ash training her how to fight as a warrior.  She is tough, smart, and fights off an inner voice that wants to control her.  When Venom and Holly drive to the tower, someone attacks them trying to kidnap Holly.  It seems that someone has a bounty on her head. Dimitri and Venom begin to worry what is it about Holly’s blood that warrants a 5 million dollar bounty?

When Venom and Holly start working closely together to find out who is trying to kidnap her, they begin to see each other in a different light.  They were the same in many ways, allowing them to be their normal self in front of each other, and in a short time their relationship will escalate in an unexpected romance.  Venom sees that Holly is fighting something deep inside her, and she will tell him the truth about an otherness she feels.  Besides the mystery of who is trying to kidnap her, the main focus of this story is finding out what/who is trying to control Holly.

What follows is an addictive and captivating story with Venom and Holly following the trail that is pulling her into the lands of another Archangel.  Venom and Holly surprised me how much I fell in love with this fantastic couple, and they sizzled together. The last half of the book was such a thriller, with many twists and turns right to the very end.  I can’t tell too much more, as I do not want to ruin this for you,  but I loved Archangel’s Viper, as well as a couple that totally won me over. 

Nalini Singh once again gives us a wonderful addition to this fantastic series.  She is an author whose flawless skilled writing simply has me in awe. I have never failed to love every single one of her books in both series. If you have not read the Guild Hunter series, what are you waiting for?

Copies provided by Publisher

About the Author

Nalini Singh

I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I spent three years living and working in Japan, where I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page.

I’ve worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher, but not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency, but I call it grist for the writer’s mill.

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. All of my stories held a thread of romance, even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes. Creating unique characters and giving them happy endings is my favorite thing. I even love the voices in my head, so there’s no other job I’d rather be doing. When I got the call in September 2002 that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.

To learn more about Nalini Singh, you can follow her on the following links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

giveaway

Nalini’s publisher, Berkley, is offering a paper copy of ARCHANGEL’S VIPER to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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8. Giveaway runs from September 26 to October 1, 2017

 

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