Category: Book Reviews


The Deadly Kinncaids – This I’ll Defend

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June 10, 2014

One of my favorite genres to read is a thriller with a dose of passion and romance.  The main characters necessarily don’t have to be SEALS, Army Rangers, Military or adrenaline pumping alpha males protecting their own. The stories can be of normal businessmen, doctors, or plain billionaires protecting their family and loved ones by any means.

I had the ‘Deadly Series’, by Jaycee Clark in my Nook for the longest time and finally got to read them, and was I impressed or not.  Each story was a thrilling ride of turmoil, suspense and passion. Each character was an epitome of love, anger, pain and hurt, as they battle the shadows of darkness threatening their lives. Image

The Kinncaids of the Deadly Series are a close-knit family of unconditional love and support. Yes they have a few issues like any normal family, but their motto is and had always been “This I Defend”. I just totally loved how every member from the head of the family to the little grandson down the line truly and wholesomely believe in this motto with no exception.

Aiden and Jesslyn (Dark Shadows), Quinlan and Ella (Dark Secrets), Brayden and Christian (Dark Obsession), Gavin and Taylor (Deadly Ties) and Ian and Rori (Deadly Games) – each go through a journey of pain and evil, before they finally find their love and happily everafters. The mystery surrounding the estranged son Ian Kinncaid was so well etched and loved the way Jaycee wove his story entwining with the rest of his brothers’ lives.

And as if the above testosterone was not enough, Jaycee had to go one step ahead and treat her readers to the patriarch of the family Jock Kinncaid and what he had to go through to get the love of his life Kaitlyn, in ‘Deadly Beginnings’ – a fabulous beginnings of the Kinncaid legacy!

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Typically with thrillers and suspense novels, once I reach the end, it’s hard for me to go back for a second read. But Jaycee Clark is one of the exceptions and had done a brilliant job of keeping the pace going at breakneck speed, cloaked with so many emotions of desperation, betrayal, pain, hope and faith and the ultimate feeling of ‘everything is going to be alright’, was a pure pleasure to read the Kinncaids.

And I did go back to these books to re-read, re-read and re-read. An exceptionally lethal series and I can say without qualms, “This I’ll defend”. Jaycee Clark is a definite winner for me.

 Pics courtesy: Various web pages

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Night Diver – Breed Apart

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June 8, 2014

There are writers and then there are writers like Elizabeth Lowell.  She writes real good romantic suspense stories, with so much depth and detail. I’ve always maintained that as much as I read books for pleasure, I enjoy the gratification of learning new things.

Night Diver as the name suggests, is about the Donnelly diving family. It’s their bread and butter, diving and salvaging treasures from under the sea. After a terrible tragedy, Kate Donnelly stays away from her hometown, her brother and grandfather, building a career for herself. But one desperate call for help from her brother changes her life forever.

Elizabeth takes us deep into the ocean as she unfolds the story behind the business of diving. Cut throat and filled with treacherous bumps, as much as it sounds exotic, it is also very competitive and dangerous. People have known to steal, lie and kill for the deep-sea treasures unknown, and this is the crux of her story. The story may have dragged a tad bit in the middle, since Elizabeth is particular about details, nonetheless it was worth a good read for me.

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I loved the subtlety with which she builds the budding friendship between Kate and Holden Cameron, former British military to investigate the suspicious activity tied in with the Donnelly’s dive searching for treasures from a sunken pirate ship. I loved the way Holden was characterized with tenacity and focus. His patient handling of Kate as she battles the waves of nightmares in the sea, the references to the changes in Kate as the days go along, and the love that Holden has for Kate as he gets to know her, was portrayed with clarity and sweetness, it hits you right in the heart.

The buildup to the end, the suspense as it gets ripped open, and the reality of Holden’s presence, is definitely a thrilling ride to the finish.

 

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Suddenly Last Summer – Heat, Passion ‘N Love

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June 6, 2014

My first introduction to Sarah Morgan and her books was “Sleigh Bells In The Snow”, book one in her “O’Neil Brother” Series. I instantly fell in love with Snow Crystal Resort, Vermont, Gramps and Grams and Elizabeth and of course Jackson and Kayla.

Her second book “Suddenly Last Summer” brings Jackson’s twin, Sean O’Neil from Boston to his roots and heritage in Vermont and to one fiery French chef Elise Philippe. Dedicated and renowned orthopedic surgeon, Sean O’Neil is pulled back to his home when his Gramps suffers a stroke and comes face to face with pain and hurt that drove him away from his family. He and his grandfather have been at loggers end for a couple of years now and stubborn as they are, just refuse to defuse the situation.

ImageIf that is not enough to make him feel unwanted, he has to deal with his one summer night erotic fling Elise! Simmering heat on both ends, Sean and Elise try to ignore their feelings for each other and end up getting into each other. Sleepless nights of lust and passion, hot days of denials and insecurities, “Suddenly Last Summer” is an emotional roller coaster of a ride for all involved, even as a lot of questions find their answers.

I couldn’t help falling in love with Sean and Elise. Sarah Morgan has done a brilliant job of modeling two characters, worlds apart yet so perfect for each other. Elise is a firecracker, who helps Sean understand his pain, value of a family and helps put a closer to his suffering and guilt. Sean is the lovable doctor, tender and patient as he stands in support of Elise as she tries to come to terms with her painful past and loss.

Sarah did a fantastic job of penning so much emotion and love in her story, that it catches you unawares. There were incidents in the book that had me feeling sad and lonely, loved and cherished, hot and erotic, unconditional support and trust, and the O’Neil family, always comes together to protect their own, no matter what. It is a lesson in learning what families mean, and that it’s just not blood that ties, but relationships can be made from the heart.

The O’Neil’s leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling and Snow Crystal Resort, a haven of family, love and protection.

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Baby, Be Mine – Delightful Renovation

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June 5, 2014

Samantha Chase writes the sweetest of love stories. The final installment in her “Life, Love and Babies” trilogy, “Baby, Be Mine” is one of her stellar works of sweet romance throwing in an unsuspecting alpha male into fatherhood, with not one but twins!!!! Now isn’t that a perfect Father’s Day gift!!!!!

ImageHere’s one handsome, sexy construction owner Jake Knight, getting hammered and nailed with the unexpected package of twins, his twins and add to the mix, his one and only, longtime love of his life Olivia, and he is one royally cemented guy!!!!!

This is one down-to-earth, utterly delicious book, not to be missed. Olivia is the super ace babysitter blackmailed into helping Jake with the babies, and Jake is on a crash course of Fatherhood 101. As they make adjustments, find a routine, reconnect with each other and bond with the babies, it is a delightful ride of romance, sleepless nights of lust and need, not to forget the feedings and the diaper changes, lifestyle changes and renovations, I had so much fun reading this book.

As much as books are fun to read, I love when an author injects a certain element of learning that applies to our daily lives, share personal experiences or bring to life emotions that we go through everyday. Jake Knight as a man thrown into fatherhood was so well etched – his fear, frustrations and insecurities, were so clearly penned, you could picture it happening to any of your male friends.

It’s always been a pleasure to read Samantha Chase.

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It Happened One Wedding – Utterly Scrumptious!!!!

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June 2, 2014

I’ve never read any of Julie James’s books that have disappointed me and her latest release “It Happened One Wedding”, is a fantabulous ride all the way to the altar.

I totally adore her FBI/US Attorney series, and Vaughn getting hitched was a treat to read. I still remember him from Julie’s first book, “Something About You”, and always wondered if he would get his own HEA, and am so happy he met with Sydney Sinclair.

I love….love Julie’s narration, so full of wit, charm and romance. The banter between Vaughn and Sydney was just so sweet and totally rocked! Caught up in their respective siblings Simon Roberts’s and Isabelle Sinclair’s marriage, the foreplay between Vaughn and Sydney is just hilarious. As they tap danced around each other baiting and skirting around the edge of lust and longing, you can’t help but fall in love with Vaughn and Sydney. Sydney’s 34 points of finding her Mr. Right was such a perfect twist to the story as was to Vaughn and her asking Vaughn for advice as she dates men, even after they slept together, was just too comical!Image

Having read Julie’s blog about her research with her Special Agent”, it made reading “It Happened One Wedding”, so much more special. Being a FBI Agent necessarily doesn’t mean there is always trouble in undercover work or handling any situations. I loved Julie for keeping the story calm, smooth and have Vaughn figure out whether he wanted to taste all the shiny treats at his disposal or chose to woo Sydney. This is one of my favorite parts in the book –

“For men as attractive as you, this city is one big candy store, filled with so many shiny treats, you couldn’t possibly choose just one.  So instead, you run around with your obviously healthy ego, sampling as many goods as you can get your hands on-simply because you can.”  Sidney’s and Vaughn’s first face to face 🙂

Cade and Huxley were just hilarious ribbing and getting back at Vaughn with his relationship, and Simon and Isabel just added more flavor and spice to the story. This is one smoking hot, ultra savvy, slick read and sumptuous to the end.

As much as this book can be read stand alone, don’t miss her earlier books in her “FBI/US Attorney Series”….my personal favorite is “Something About You” – Jack Pallas and Cameron’s story.

 

 

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