Category: Book Reviews


I love Katie Reus’s Red Stone Security Series!! They are full of testosterone alpha males protecting their own no matter what. As much as there’s plenty of action and thrill, I love the way they are one big family, not that blood is what’s important, but relationships made from the heart bring the members and family of the Red Stone Security together and they kick ass when needed. UnderHisProtection-KatieReus-Sept2014

The latest addition to the Red Stone Team is Ivan – big, bulky and all soft in the inside. A loner by nature, he joins Red Stone and the entire team as a family got his six covered. And he ends up falling in love with Julieta, a lingerie shop owner, family to the Red Stone team, witty and charming and victim of a stalker. When Julieta’s life is threatened from an unknown stalker, Ivan jumps in to protect her, and both end up under the same roof. A perfect arrangement to test their attraction, sizzling between them.

I can never get bored of Katie’s characters. Under His Protection” is another enjoyable read of charm, passion, danger and love. It keeps you guessing as to whom the stalker is and Ivan and Jules make an endearing pair.

“Winter and its long, frigid nights were coming. This week’s mild weather was merely a temporary reprieve, a delay of the unpleasant and inevitable months of cold darkness breathing down Philadelphia’s neck…At this point in the game, my biggest concern was that someone would discover my captive…” the evil thinks and plots…

The crime has been scripted. The action choreographed to the last detail. And the web around the usual suspect has just gotten a little bit tighter, as Melinda Leigh takes us into the deceit and dangers under the midnight sky, in her latest book “Midnight Betrayal”. How evil can evil get? 

Curator Dr. Louisa Hancock and Conor Sullivan have a past in Maine that binds them with some unusual circumstances. Moving to Philadelphia, to start a new life, Louisa gets drawn into a killer’s mad game of hide and seeks. The disappearance of interns working at the museum brings back Conor Sullivan into her life, as he becomes the prime suspect due to circumstantial evidence. 

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As Conor and Louisa wage their own investigation into the killings to clear Conor’s name, they battle immense attraction for each other as their insecurities and betrayal from the past holds them hostage to accept what the present is offering to take the relationship into a future. Two characters etched to perfection with impeccable imperfections!

Melinda Leigh did a brilliant job of narrating the story with so much passion and suspense; you forget that you are reading a book. Not even once does she give us a whiff of a hint as to who the killer may be. Not until you reach the last few pages of the thriller, the evil is revealed!!! She’s done such a great job of holding the interest of the readers to the very last word, and it is no mean achievement.

The whole essence of a good thriller rests on maintaining the suspense, an element of surprise and the tone of guessing in every page, and Melinda has exploited all those to the fullest extent. From her first book “She Can Hide” to her latest, “Midnight Betrayal”, she has progressed into an amazing writer of romantic suspense and thrillers.

Midnight Betrayal is a page-turner with a story rich in excitement and anticipation, deceptive and malicious, endurance and support, love and passion. 

Received an ARC from the author for an honest review.

 

I’ve had a couple of Susan Kearney’s books in my library for a while now, but ended up reading her Born Trilogy. The book covers were so captivating and endearing. Been her books a first for me, was not sure what to expect even though the synopsis of the books was intriguing.

BornInSecret-Braddack1-Aug2014Born In Secret is the first of the trilogy of the Braddack brothers and introduces Max Braddack, a genius inventor and Brooke, a mom on the hunt for the secret behind her daughter Skye’s birth. Brooke lands on Max’s doorstep in with the shocking news that a Braddack is the biological father of Skye.

Born In Secrets is a thrilling ride of hidden secrets, suspense and danger lurking in the shadows of a fertility clinic. As much as the story was interesting, somehow I felt that Max and Brooke were rushed into love. There was not that much of a character development versus giving the premise of the story more importance.

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The second in the trilogy is Born In Danger, with Ford Braddack getting kidnapped by the sassy Devlin Ward, who happens to be the cousin of Ford’s dead wife Rhonda. Ford, Rhonda and Devlin are mentioned in the first book, Born In Secret.

Ford’s been trying to find the killer of his wife for a few months now, and Devlin is a private investigator hired in secrecy to find the killer too. She kidnaps Ford to get his help as her leads travel continents, and she needs Ford’s help and contacts to pursue.

Now this story is better paced and I enjoyed this far more than the first one. The character development of Ford and Devlin was etched well and they catch your attention. They had time to spend time together, get to know each other, as they are forced into dangerous situations and try to protect each other from getting killed.

This is a definite read that will be enjoyed for sure. I really like this book a lot as it keeps you guessing, taking you into another ride of suspense, thrill and betrayal.

BornInMystery-Braddack3-Aug 2014The last book in the trilogy, Born In Mystery brings us up close and personal with Craig Braddack and Summer Warren, carrying Craig’s babies in her womb as a surrogate mother. Summer ends up with Craig as she is trying to leave a dangerous past behind her and get Craig’s protection for her babies.

This is by far the best of the trilogy and so loved Craig and Summer. Their chemistry was good, their banter was filled with wit and humor and Craig is one alpha protector as a stalker makes his appearance from Summer’s past. Now Craig and Summer have to make sure they counter every dangerous step the stalker places in their path, and survive the horrors of a mad man.

Another enjoyable read of suspense, sizzling chemistry and a race against time to keep them alive.

Received an advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review

Sensual and passionate may be Sam Brody’s kisses, but I got to say that Jill Shalvis’s penning leaves me all hot and bothered!!! Every story is as different as chalk and cheese and every character is as different as silk and velvet and every scene seems to come right out of her backyard whether she talks about Man-Repellant PJs or raccoons housing the trash. 

The tenth installment in her Lucky Harbor Series, “It’s In His Kiss” brings Sam Brody and Becca Thorpe together on the sensual sands of the Pacific Ocean. Sam is an amazing boat-builder and a genius investor, partnering with his two best friends Tanner and Cole, and runs the Lucky Harbor Charters. With irresistible charm and kisses that can melt panties (as they say), he shies away from long term relationships until Becca comes along and anchors him with her curves and sassiness.

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Becca leaves her claustrophobic city life and ends on the shores of Lucky Harbor to make a new life. A lady with a heart of gold and ready to give her shirt off her back to anyone needy, she has a lot of pain and loneliness to get over despite having a family. Yet she never lets her past rule her present to make a future for herself – for Becca Thorpe. She falls for the Sexy Grumpy Surfer-Boy and goes all the way, wishing and hoping that her love gets returned in spades and more. 

It’s In His Kiss is another endearing and cute story out of Shalvis’s treasure trove. Revisiting older characters from her previous stories is always a treat. And how can we forget Lucille and her social media prowess as she leaves Facebook and Twitter on the back burner to pin interests on her boards on Pinterest! 

Looking forward to Olivia and Cole killing each other to get to their fine HEA, coming soon.

Received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

 

 

Just when I think how can Cynthia Eden top her previous paranormal romance, she comes out with a fireball that takes us on fiery ride of unbridled passion, evil as dark as midnight and defiant paranormal who would burn the very ends of earth to protect their mates. 

Cynthia Eden’s latest release, “Playing With Fire” is the third (maybe the final) in her Phoenix Series and what read it is! Dante the Immortal is pitched against Cassie Armstrong the Siren and we get a deadly combination of fire and control!

As the daughter of a father who is the ultimate evil to hold a scalpel, Cassie has a lot to redress. In the name of research, her father experimented and created soldiers of mass destruction with the mix of various paranormal and their DNA, unbalancing the very cycle of life and his daughter was not spared either. Cassie wants to correct the wrong and save the good from being devoured by the evil and she needs Dante to make it happen. 

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Dante is a mass of fire, an Immortal who can rise from the dead again and again. Devoid of any emotion and feelings, memories lost to many deaths he falls to, tears from a heartless Immortal may be the only cure for the virus on a rampage. But Dante shedding tears is not on the agenda and neither is him been drawn by the sweet voice of Cassie. 

Fighting the evil dogging their backs, giving into the passion raging between them, Cassie and Dante are on the run leaving a ball of fire in their wake. Dante brings to light the reality of Cassie’s power and Cassie helps Dante remember that he has a heart and sometimes sacrifice is essential to save a normal human being. It is wonderful to revisit the previous powerful paranormal and their quest for finding a cure and peace to live a normal life among the mortals. And the epilogue was icing on the cake! Almost had me in tears….

Playing With Fire breathes down your neck, makes your heart beat faster, gets your adrenaline pumping and chills racing your veins. I don’t think anyone can beat Cynthia Eden in her writing of paranormal romance.

 Received a copy courtesy Netgalley for a honest review.

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