Tag Archives: Vickie M.

Mastered (The Enforcers #1) by Maya Banks-a review

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Mastered (The Enforcers #1) by Maya Banks-a review

Mastered

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM

About the book: Release Date December 29, 2015

She stood out in his club like a gem, unspoiled and untouched. A lamb among wolves, she clearly didn’t belong. Drawn to her innocence he watched as she was surrounded by men who saw what he did—but no one but him could touch her. He summoned her to his private quarters. He sensed her fear. He also recognized the desire in her eyes. And he knew she wouldn’t leave before he possessed her. She had no need to know his secrets. Not until he had her under his complete and utter control.

What he wants, she isn’t sure she can give him.

The moment he told her want he wanted, she couldn’t resist. Instinct told her to run, but her heart said stay and walk the fine line between pleasure and pain. Though she wasn’t sure she could ever completely surrender, the primal part of her wanted to try, even knowing this man could break her in ways she never imagined. Because once he possessed her, he owned her and it would be too late to turn back. She can only pray that he doesn’t destroy her in the end.

••••••••••••••••

Mastered begins with Evangeline being dumped by her jerk of a boyfriend. Her group of best friends are dressing her up and sending her to a club (to which one of them got a VIP pass), by herself. Seems the friend could only snag one pass. The reason Evangeline agrees to go is because her ex frequents the club and she wants him to see what he’s missing. (Really?) Of course, once she gets there, she runs smack dab into him and to say he berates her is a bit of an understatement. As he physically attacks her, the bouncers step in and quickly handle the ex and hustle Evangeline upstairs to the boss’ office.

As Drake watched the events downstairs unfold, he was livid. He could absolutely tell that Evangeline was in way over her head by coming to a club like his, but even more than that, no one was ever allowed to put their hands on a woman the way that jacka$$ had. When the door to Drake’s office opened and in walked Evangeline, he knew, somehow, that things would never be the same.

Things heat up quickly between the two, and as the blurb says, Evangeline knew she should run, but just couldn’t make herself do it. As Drake tried to sooth Evangeline, he also seduced her, and she couldn’t say no. He also informed her he’d see her again the next night. Once she regained a little control, she went home and was glad her room mates weren’t up. She had to get her head wrapped around what had happened before she could begin to talk about it. Once she and her friends did discuss what happened, they were all a little bumfuzzled. Evangeline was the slow and steady one and had never been adventurous and decided to go to work instead of going back to see Drake.

When Evangeline wasn’t there when she was supposed to be, Drake sent one of his men to pick Evangeline up after her shift and bring her to him. When she walked out and saw Drake’s man waiting on her, she tried to talk her way out of going with him, but he more or less told her she was going one way or the other. After that, things happen very quickly. They are both attracted to each other, but she is scared out of her mind. Her friends are not supportive of her decision to move things further with Drake, she’s left heartbroken by that, but decides she doesn’t need their permission or their encouragement. As Drake and Evangeline navigate their new relationship and try to get to know each other, they hit a few bumps but seem to work through things. Until one night when Evangeline was supposed to be gone because Drake was entertaining business associates, but she decides to surprise him by cooking for him and his guests. What follows turns everyone’s world upside down. Drake had his reasons, but all Evangeline knows is that she was humiliated and hurt more than she ever thought she could be. When she runs away, all Drake can do is go after her……

Mastered is a little bit different than Maya’s other books. First off, it ends with a cliffhanger. She said there wasn’t enough room in one book to tell these characters’ stories. Due to that, we really don’t know any of the background information on Drake. I mean nothing! We know some about Evangeline, but I have a feeling there’s more to her as well. The central characters are typical. Evangeline is surviving paycheck to paycheck and is doing everything she can to help her family back in Mississippi. Drake is very dominant and bossy and wants everything his way. Of course there was instant attraction, but I liked both of the characters, as I always do with Maya’s books. I liked this book, but didn’t love it. However, if the next book goes the way I hope it does, I may need to come back and amend the like/love thing. It has the potential to be really, really good, but I’ll have to see how the next one goes. Again, I liked the book. Just, didn’t love it. I’m a huge, HUGE Maya fan and can’t wait for the next one.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M

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Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark #16) by Kresley Cole-a review

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Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark #16) by Kresley Cole-a review

Sweet Ruin

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

About the book:Release Date December 1, 2015

An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty…

A foundling raised in a world of humans

Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Her baby brother Thaddeus was as perfect as she was flawed; protecting him became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl… to would-be superhero… to enchanting, ruthless villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission

A threat to the Møriør has brought archer Rune the Baneblood to the mortal realm to slay the oldest living Valkyrie. Whether by bow or in bed, he never fails to eliminate his target. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty conceals a black heart. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, taking his forbidden blood – and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…

Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. Despite his millennia of sexual conquests, he can’t ignore the unfamiliar longing she arouses deep within him. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

Review:

Sweet Ruin begins with Josephine, aka Jo, and her little brother on the streets with only each other to depend on. They had been in and out of the foster system until Jo finally decided that was not the way to go. They’d had “problems” with the foster parents and Jo was doing her best to take care of herself and Thaddie.

Fortunately, Mrs. Brayden, aka Miz B, a part-time librarian feeds them on a regular basis and will watch Jo’s little brother, Thaddeus, for a little while so that Jo can take care of a few things. The neighborhood wasn’t a good one. There was a gang that was brutal to girls on the streets and that made Jo’s blood boil. She did what she could to help them, until that fateful afternoon she encountered “The Wall”, the gang leader. He’d figured out she was the one that had been messing with his stuff and, last night, sat his house on fire. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your pov, he had a gun pointed at her face……and pulled the trigger.

When Jo woke, she was disoriented and it took her a little bit to remember what had happened. And, then she figured out she was…..a ghost? She seeks revenge against the one who shot her and then strikes out to get Thaddie back. But when she goes to Miz B’s, Thaddie doesn’t recognize her and Miz B tells her she died and she needs to “pass on”. Devastated, she leaves and spends a few months trying to get herself together and goes back to take her brother. But, when she arrives and sees how well he’s doing, she knows she’s lost him….for now.

Rune the Baneblood was the one Morior who had stayed awake for five centuries as the dimension of Tenebrous had gone through time and space to reach Earth. Once they neared, he woke the others. The Morior is a group of extremely powerful beings that include the first werefolf, the Overlady of Witches, and the oldest vampire, just to name a few. Their mission to kill the oldest living Valkyrie….Nucking Futs Nix herself. Rune is dispatched to ferret out information and to locate Nix and ends up in present day New Orleans. He’s called Rune the Insatiable because he uses sex to achieve his goals, and he always gets what he wants.

Since Jo has been in New Orleans, she has discovered that there are others like her. Not “just” like her, but not human. She has used her powers for good trying to rid the streets of pimps and help the girls on the streets as best she can. One night while out walking, she encounters a handsome man servicing a group of nymphs and decides to do a little spying. Rune almost immediately knows someone is watching, but he can’t see her. Once he leaves the group of nymphs, he zeroes in on Jo and they talk for a bit. Rune knows she’s not human, but doesn’t know exactly what she is. When Jo rebuffs his advances, Rune is stunned. And intrigued. What follows is a series of events that will make you laugh, will make you tear up and will definitely keep you turning the pages.

Sweet Ruin is an awesome story that will advance the Accession storyline. I, for one, was disappointed when I saw that the leads were new characters, but the disappointment didn’t last long. Cole has said that this story was necessary for a few reasons. It will push the Accession forward in a major way. She also said it had to come before the others because she’s setting up future conflicts, and that one of the new characters will play a huge role in Nix’s future. I believe that one of the Morior is Nix’s mate and can’t wait to read that story! But, I digress. Jo was a great heroine. She was so naïve in the fact that she didn’t know there were more like her, but when she finds out what she is AND what she can do? Awesome! She’s been by herself for so long and has longed for someone to be hers, and she misses Thaddie terribly. Rune, whom Jo calls Ruin to tic him off, has a heartbreaking past. He’d been enslaved for centuries and is thousands of years old, and had given up on finding a mate. When he finally figures out what Jo is and that she’s not affected by his poison blood, he feels something that he hasn’t felt in eons….Hope. But, as he and Jo navigate their burgeoning relationship, he worries that his fellow Morior will never be accepting of him, or any of them, having a mate. The two of them are an amazing pairing. Probably in my top three of the series. Nix plays a big part in this one, and we get to see a lot of the other characters from the series. I wish I could tell you what EXACTLY is happening with the Accession, but I don’t have a clue as of yet. Ha! All I can tell you is you’d better get to reading!! Well done, Kresley Cole! Very, very, very well done!!!!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Razor Sharp (Raney and Levine #6) by J.A.Schneider-a review

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Razor Sharp (Raney And Levine #6) by J.A.Schneider-a review

Razor Sharp

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

About the book: Release Date October 25, 2015

A young woman is found brutally attacked with a straight razor, her cruel facial mutilation the only link to three other horrific murders: a transgender woman, a transvestite, and a 17-year-old hustler. So nasty are those three born-male kills that the psychopath seems to be saying, they’re all males…

FROM HELL he scrawls, taunting the NYPD with the original Jack the Ripper’s 1888 letter to the police. This killer is cunning: wears gloves, disguises, and leaves no physical evidence. At a loss, the police ask “one small favor” from physicians Jill Raney and David Levine, friends and – until now, detectives on their own. “No warrant? No problem!” had been their mantra…until their relationship with the cops led to exhaustion and conflict.

But they share the horror that grips the country and agree to help, thus plunging into an unimaginable and terrifying maze of psycho-sexual obsession and madness.

Review:

Razor Sharp begins with the horrific murder of a young woman by an unknown assailant. The attack was as brutal as it was horrific. When the cops needed help, they once again called Drs. Jill Raney and David Levine. The couple has become friends with the cops and have a knack for getting unattainable information out of certain individuals. Even though Jill and David were taking a week off, they agreed to help once they saw the crime scene. Things happen pretty quickly from that point on.

Jill and David talk to a therapist who had treated the young woman and were able to obtain some crucial information about the victim as well as a couple of others who were associated with her. Even though the therapist was leery of giving names, he knew he had to help out to keep others safe. Unfortunately for everyone, the killings escalated and everyone was doing their best to track down the murder, who was touting himself as another Jack the Ripper.

Eventually, persons of interest are brought in to be questioned which almost leaves more questions than answers. But, as the cops, and namely Jill and David, delve into the secret lives of people connected to the victims, what they find will shock them to their very core.

Razor Sharp is another well written story by J.A. Schneider that grabs your attention from the very beginning. There was a surprise in this one that has to do with their miracle baby, Jesse, which has left me wondering just what direction this series is going. And, if I’m being honest, I can’t wait to find out. Jill and David, as well as the cast of supporting characters, are very relatable and I enjoy the banter. Once again, if you’re looking for a fast paced and suspenseful medical mystery, this is the series for you. Well done, J.A. Schneider!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Vickie M

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Jewell (A Second Chance Novel #2) by Tina DeSalvo-a review

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Jewell (A Second Chance Novel #2) by Tina DeSalvo-a review

Jewell

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About the book: Release Date June 23, 2015

Once invited into New Orleans’ historic mansions to evaluate prized antiques, Dr. Jewell Duet held a coveted professorship at a top university. With her deep knowledge of Louisiana history and antiquities, she was the go-to person for anyone requiring professional appraisals. But, one hasty decision cost her both her reputation and possibly her freedom. Now, as she waits to discover if her future includes prison, Jewell knows that taking the job at Sugar Mill is necessary if she is to support her beloved grandmother who has advanced dementia.

Charming, sexy lawyer Beau Bienvenu’s attraction to the intriguing historian vies with his distrust of her motives. Beau has one simple goal when it comes to the family that rescued him and made him part of their clan…protect them at all costs. He doesn’t trust Jewell, nor her reason for taking the lowly job at Sugar Mill Plantation. What is she really up to? Is it possible Jewell and her quirky grandmother are there to try to profit from a Bienvenu family mystery? If so, both women are out of luck.

Jewell and Beau are at odds about almost everything. The only things they agree on are that family is everything…and that their mutual attraction is inconvenient.

Hope, Love and Second Chances Continue in the heart of Cajun Country.

••••••••••

Review:

Jewell begins with Dr. Jewell Duet and her beloved grandmother, Mimi, overseeing an estate sale. Unfortunately, it seems it’s more of a garage sale and Jewell knows her commission won’t be much. However, her next job is for Elli Bienvenu, (whom we met in the first book of this series) and she’s hoping that will give her an infusion of much needed money. Her Mimi has advanced dementia, but that’s not even the worst of it. Jewell has been accused of a crime and it will take everything she’s got, financially and emotionally, to try and get through it AND see to it that her beloved grandmother is taken care of in case she actually goes to jail for said crime.

Jewell’s Mimi raised her. Her birth mother hasn’t participated since Jewell was a toddler and Mimi is all Jewell has ever had. As Mimi has aged, she has started talking about things that Jewell’s never heard her talk about before and she worries that her grandmother is sinking further into her own private world. When Jewell and Mimi finally make it to Elli’s, things go kind of wonky at the very beginning. Mimi ends up in the house where Beau and Ben (Elli’s husband) are watching a Saints football game and joins them, making herself right at home. Jewell is mortified, but the two men tell her it’s okay. Until Mimi wants a footstool and tells them where one is…….in a secret hideaway that no one knew was there. Beau is immediately suspicious, deservedly so. Once he checks out Jewell’s past, he tell Elli and Ben that she’s been charged with a crime and is awaiting trial and that Elli needs to send both of them packing. Of course, Elli won’t hear of it. She likes Jewell and is hell bent that she be the one to catalog and sell the antiques there at the plantation. Beau makes it his personal mission to ensure that his family is not taken advantage of and spends a lot of time with Jewell and her grandmother as Jewell gets to work. Even though they are both attracted to each other, each, in their own way, tries to avoid what could only end in heartache and hurt feelings for them. Fate seems to have a different plan…………….

What follows has more twists and turns and revelations that you could ever imagine. Things, on both sides, are not as everyone thought and once they starts piecing together the parts of this wonderful and amazing puzzle, everyone’s life is changed forever.

OH MY SWEET JESUS, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! I loved Elli, and couldn’t imagine DeSalvo upping the ante, but I was wrong. Jewell is a wonderfully written tale that will keep you guessing until almost the very end. I’m not easily surprised when the “big reveal” happens, but, I was in this one. There are actually a few reveals in Jewell, neither of which I saw coming. Tina DeSalvo does a masterful job of letting us get to know her characters and you feel as though you know everyone of them personally. If for no other reason, Tante Izzy, the Bienvenu family matriarch is reason enough to read these novels. However, there are LOTS of other reasons to read Tina DeSalvo. It is so refreshing to read an author who doesn’t fill their pages with wasted words of over describing and repeating things over and over. Her world building is amazing and her characters are so relatable that you are immediately drawn in. Jewell is ultimately a tale of learning to trust in what will be and to let people in who are willing to help. There are some heart wrenching scenes that had me tearing up. There is also humor and a beautifully developed romance. If you’ve not read Elli or Jewell by Tina DeSalvo, you are missing out on two awesome stories. I can’t wait for the next installment!!! Well done, Tina DeSalvo!! Very, very, very well done!!!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Darkest Before Dawn (KGI #10) by Maya Banks-Review & Giveaway

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Darkest Before Dawn (KGI #10) by Maya Banks-Review & Giveaway

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DARKEST BEFORE DAWN
KGI #10
by Maya Banks
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense

Darkest Before Dawn

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About the book: Release Date October 27, 2015

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

Review:

Honor Cambridge has dedicated her life to helping in war torn areas of the Middle East. When the camp she’s been volunteering at is bombed, she is the only one who survives. As the attackers are searching to make sure there are no survivors, she gets lucky in that they don’t discover that she’s alive. Even though she’s injured, she knows that she has to put as much distance between her and the camp as she can. She travels by night and finds hidey holes to rest in during the day, until she runs across a female in a village who is willing to help her, even though she knows that she herself could be killed for aiding Honor. There is a price on Honor’s head…………

Hancock has been trying to take out an enemy who is the epitome of evil. When his “boss” informs him that his next mission is to find the American woman who has outsmarted the very faction that he’s been trying to infiltrate for years, he can feel in his bones that he’s close to attaining his goal. As he and his team head out to track down the woman who has managed to stay two steps ahead of those searching for her, he has no idea how much everything is about to change.

It doesn’t take too long for Hancock and his team to locate Honor in the very village where she has found somewhat of a champion. When Hancock convinces Honor that they are her only option, she reluctantly goes with them. He’s promised to keep her safe and deliver her. Unfortunately for Honor, she thinks that she’s going to be going home. Once she figures out that she is no more than a pawn to be sacrificed for the greater good, she has never felt more betrayed. Neither has Hancock. He let his target slip away a couple of times before by helping KGI, but has vowed that he will not do so again. What follows is a series of highs and lows that will change everything.

I’ve been waiting for Hancock’s story for a long time now. I think most fans of KGI have been as well. Hancock has walked the line between good and bad for a long time. There have been times in previous books where you wanted to strangle him and times where you were cheering for him. His back story lets you in on why he has such a hard time letting down his guard. He’s had a hard life full of betrayal and heartbreak. But, when he meets Honor we see that guard slipping. He is so torn between saving one or letting down possibly thousands. Honor perplexed me. One minute she’s very understanding of being “sacrificed” and the next she is mad, albeit deservedly so. She is attracted to Hancock and his sense of honor, and then turned off by the same sense of honor. And, bless her bones, she’s so torn about what’s going on between her and Hancock, that she doesn’t know which end is up. She’s just not what I imagined Hancock’s woman would be.

There is a lot of action in this story, which I love. I just didn’t think that the romance was prevalent until the very last part of the book. We get to see pretty much all of the KGI folks in this one, so that’s always a big plus. If I were to pick one thing to be critical of, it would be the repetitiveness. The same thing gets said a lot. (I think I’ve said in other reviews that that seems to be a trend with a lot of authors lately.) The book was very long, and usually that’s a good thing for me, but not with this one. I did like the fact that there was a political undertone in this one that is current. With all of that said, I really liked the book. I just didn’t love it and I usually love anything in the KGI series. Fans of this series will like the fact that Hancock finally got his story. I look forward to the next installment. Well done, Maya Banks!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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Maya’s publisher and The Reading Cafe are offering a paper copy of DARKEST BEFORE DAWN to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway is open to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from October 29-November 2, 2015

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The Rebel by Adrienne Giordano-Review and Book Tour

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The Rebel by Adrienne Giordano-Review and Book Tour

the Rebel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 1, 2015

Bad to the bone…in all the right ways

A brilliant civil lawyer, David Hennings has always been the outsider—at odds with his wealthy family, shunning relationships, defying convention as a sexy leather-jacketed biker. Which is why sculptor Amanda LeBlanc agrees to his request to reconstruct a skull from a cold case murder. The instant heat between them is scorching.

But once Amanda takes the job and gets too close to the rebellious attorney, her carefully balanced life is upended by a series of methodical attacks. Someone doesn’t want her to finish the job. Now David will risk everything not to lose the woman he unknowingly put in jeopardy.

••••••••••

REVIEW:  The Rebel begins with Amanda attending a gala and being approached by a detective seeking her help. Five years earlier, he discovered a buried skull while walking his dog and hasn’t been able to solve the case. Amanda is a well known artist and sculptor, but quickly tells the detective that her area of expertise doesn’t include forensic reconstruction. After the detective walks away, Pamela Hennings, who happens to overhear the conversation, strikes up a conversation with Amanda and asks if she will meet with her son, David, who has just moved back to Chicago. He needs some artwork for his new apartment and she thinks that Amanda is just the one to help him out. Seeing as how no one seems to be able to tell Mrs. Hennings no, Amanda agrees. What Amanda doesn’t realize is that Pamela Hennings overheard her conversation with the detective, and thinks that David may be able to persuade her to help out.

When David calls Amanda and goes to meet her, the attraction is immediate. Neither is what the other expected and both are intrigued. However, when David broaches the subject of the reconstruction, Amanda tries to politely decline, but when David ups the ante, she agrees to “look” at the case. Once Amanda decides to take on the task asked of her, her world is turned upside down. She has always lived her life in neutral, afraid of upsetting the balance that she finally gained after the death of her mother years before, who also just happened to be a forensic artist. David can’t believe what’s happening and enlists the help of his father’s law firm, namely, their private investigator. But when David’s sister and he argue in front of Amanda, she thinks they are all crazy and decides that she likes neutral. A lot. When things take a dangerous turn though, it’s David who moves heaven and earth to set things right. Will Amanda be able to accept his help and not lose her heart in the process? Well, my friends, you will just have to read to find out. And, oh, what a read it is.

Adrienne Giordano has once again written a story that grabs you from the very beginning. Amanda is a wonderfully written character, as is David. Amanda’s independent streak and sense of honor will have you pulling for her right from the get-go. David’s love of his mother and family endears him to you immediately, but it’s his protective nature that will hook you. Their chemistry is amazing and how they deal with all that happens will leave you cheering. We also get to see characters from previous stories, which is always a plus in my world. If you’re looking for a mystery wrought with romance, this one is for you. This author has quickly become a favorite of mine and I can’t wait for the next installment. Well done, Adrienne Giordano, very very well done!!

Copy supplied by the tour promoter

Review by Vickie M

excerpt

INSIDE THE STAIRWELL of the hundred-year-old building on the city’s West Side, David climbed the last few steps leading to the landing of Amanda’s second-floor studio. He loved these old structures with the Portland stone and brick. The iconic columns on the facade urged the history major in him to research the place. Check the city records, see what information he could find on who’d built it, who’d lived here or which companies had run their wares through its doors.
Structures like this had a charm all their own that couldn’t be duplicated with modern wizardry. Old buildings, this building, had a life, a past to be researched and appreciated.
Or maybe he just wanted to believe that.
He rapped on the door. No hollow wood there. By the scarred look and feel of its heavy weight under his knuckles, it might be the original door. How amazing would that be?
The door swung open and a woman with lush curves a guy his size could wrap himself around greeted him. She wore jeans and a graphic T-shirt announcing he should make love, not war—gladly, sweetheart—and her honey-blond hair fell around her shoulders, curling at the ends. The whole look brought thoughts of lazy Sunday mornings, hot coffee and a few extracurricular activities, in a bed and out, David could think of.
To say the least, she affected him.
And she hadn’t even opened her mouth. Please don’t be an airhead.
“David?”
Yep. That was the voice from earlier. Soft and sweet and stirring up all kinds of images right along with Sunday mornings and coffee. With any luck, more than the coffee would be hot.
Hokay. Mission Pam Hennings getting derailed by wicked thoughts. Time to get serious.
“Hi. Amanda?”
“Yes.” She held her hand out. “Amanda LeBlanc.”
David grasped her hand and glanced down at her long, elegant fingers folding over his. Her silky skin absorbed his much larger hand, and he might like to stay this way awhile. Nice hands. Soft hands. He’d imagined a sculptor’s hands to be work-hardened and rough. Not that she swung an ax all day, but he’d expected…different.
“Um.” She pointed at their still joined hands. “I kinda need that hand back.”
Epic fail, Dave. He grinned and regrettably slid his hand away. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but where have you been all my life?”
As recoveries went, it wouldn’t be listed among the top hundred in brilliance, but a man had to work with what he had. Still, her lips, those extraordinary, shapely lips, twisted until she finally gave up and awarded him with a smile.
“Good one,” she said. “Come inside and we’ll talk about your project.”

About The Author Black and Blue

Adrienne GiordanoUSA Today bestselling author Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and mystery.  She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her workaholic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier). She is a co-founder of Romance University blog and Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, a reading series dedicated to romantic fiction.

Connect with Adrienne: Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Street Team

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About a Vampire (Argeneau #22) by Lynsay Sands-a review

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About a Vampire (Argeneau #22) by Lynsay Sands-a review

About A Vampire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

About the book: Release Date September 29, 2015

With immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can’t win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed, Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her. And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly’s already married.

Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they belong together. She needs Bricker’s help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate—maybe even his life—and he’ll break every rule to do it.

Review:

Little did Holly Bosley know that when she forgot her purse at work (at a cemetery!!) that things would never be the same. When she retrieves her purse, she sees some papers that the guys need down at the crematorium, but the place scares the bejesus out of her. On top of that, it’s midnight and foggy. She conquers her fears and heads there anyway. But, when she stumbles upon two men throwing bodies into the crematorium, decapitated ones at that, she runs for her life. Anders is busy with the bodies which leaves Justin Bricker to chase after her. And, wouldn’t you know it? He can’t control her or read her thoughts. As he’s chasing her, she stumbles and falls. Bricker reaches her and as he turns her over, he sees that she has fallen on a pair of scissors and stabbed herself in the chest, as well as hit her head on the way down. Unconscious and bleeding to death, Bricker makes a split second decision to turn her. She is, after all, his life mate.

When Holly awakens in a strange room, she has no idea where she is. All she knows is she’s in a hotel room, one that she doesn’t remember going to, and the man’s clothing in the room is definitely NOT her husband’s. When she tries to leave the room, she encounters Lucian, the leader of the Enforcers and Justin’s boss. However, when Bricker tries to explain to her what has happened, all she can think is that this man is nuts and she needs to get away. Fast. As with all newly turned immortals, there is a training period and Lucian places Bricker in charge. His turn, his responsibility. What follows leaves them both confused, as well as attracted to each other. Will Bricker be doomed to live an eternity without his life mate, or will Holly come around when she figures out that there is something…………about a vampire?

The Argeneau Series is one of my absolute favorites, and I’ve waited a long time for Bricker’s story. So, it kills me to say that this one kind of missed the mark for me. Bricker is an awesome character. He’s given his fellow immortals absolute hell over finding their life mates. He’s made fun of them for the lengths they’ve gone to woo their life mates and, at the same time, he’s been their biggest supporter. Great guy, loyal, funny, handsome and deserving of a life mate that is his equal. I didn’t feel that Holly was all that she could be. She was meek and not a real go-getter. But she is loyal. And, she was married. Now, don’t get me wrong. I liked the story and, of course, they ultimately make everything work between them and she upholds her marriage vows, but it just didn’t flow like her other stories. We do get to see a lot of our old friends and their interaction makes you laugh out loud. Not to give away any spoilers, she kills two birds with one stone in this book, which was kind of strange as well, but it was necessary to get Bricker to his happily ever after. All in all, About a Vampire is a good story, written with all of the humor and family interactions that we’ve come to expect from the Argeneaus. If you’re a fan of the series, it’s one you can’t miss. Liked it, just didn’t love it.

Review by Vickie M

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

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Here All Along (Kelly Brothers #7) by Crista McHugh-a review

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Here All Along (Kelly Brothers #7) by Crista McHugh-a review

Here All Along

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

About the book: Release Date August 26, 2015

Movie star Gideon Kelly has always harbored a secret crush for his long-time friend and assistant, Sarah. One sizzling on-screen kiss is enough to convince him she’s the only woman for him, and he’s determined to prove to her they have all the makings of an epic Hollywood romance.

Sarah Holtz rose to stardom as a child only to crash and burn in her late teen years. Gideon was there to help put the pieces of her life back together, and she now relishes her life far away from the paparazzi flashes. Her need for privacy is the one thing holding her back from exploring something more with him. When a video of their kiss goes viral, she’s left wondering if he’s worth the risk of stepping back into the spotlight to become his leading lady.

Review:

Gideon Kelly, at least for me, has almost been an enigma throughout the Kelly Brothers series. I mean, the others aren’t unbefitting my adoration, but we’ve not really heard a lot about Gideon. Only that he is super busy and they don’t get to see each other a lot. (That is, until mama, Maureen Kelly, gets her can full of that business.) Here All Along begins with Gideon being sent on location for his latest film. Once he and his entourage arrive and get settled, a chance encounter with two of his co-stars sets things into motion that neither Gideon nor Sarah saw coming. Even though Gideon has been crushing on Sarah for a long time, his possessiveness not only surprises him, but motivates him to manipulate, with the help of one of his hot co-stars, his time with Sarah to try and make her see that they belong together. Sarah, who has known for a long time that Gideon wants more, is surprised to find herself….jealous… of Gideon’s other co-star. What follows will have you rooting for them both, even though at times you’ll want to reach in and pop one/both of them upside their thick heads! Which, now that I think about it, Maureen Kelly actually takes care of that for us! 😉

Here All Along is another wonderfully written book by Crista McHugh, and the last one about the Kelly Brothers. (I keep looking online for a support group!!) Gideon and Sarah were both wonderfully written, even though I felt like I got to know Sarah better than I did Gideon. Their chemistry was awesome. I felt for Gideon when he was torn between letting Sarah go to follow her dream of being a fashion designer, as much as I felt for Sarah not wanting to leave Gideon. Their angst was honest and their true feelings for each other will make your heart smile, even though it took a trip from Mama Kelly to make things really get jumping!

I really do refuse to believe that this is the last book in this series, or the last we will hear from the Kellys. There are a number of things that Crista could do, so I just have my fingers crossed that we’ll get another one………..or 172. ☺ So, here I go again. If you aren’t reading Crista McHugh, you are seriously missing out. They are fast reads that start at the very first word and you never feel slighted within one of her stories. And, once again, well done Crista McHugh! Very, very well done!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Vickie M.

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