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The Cowboy – Not For Me

“The Cowboy” Jake Richardson maybe at home in his Australian outback, but the city slick Carina Chapman is way out of her league in his territory, and so was I.

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Book one in the Hot Aussie Heroes; “The Cowboy” unfortunately just did not ride my senses. Jake wants to diversify into tourism to keep his lands, and he’s struggling to get it all together. Carina ends up at his work in progress resort, as a result of a wrong booking by her assistant.

If I really think about it, the premise of the story is good, but the development of the story did not sit well with me. For a city girl from New York, who revels in her daily comforts, hates snakes and crawly things, less than a week is way too short to fall in love with an Australian cowboy and decide to stay back with him.

I haven’t read Margareta Osborn before “The Cowboy”, and just because this story did not reel in my senses doesn’t mean I will not go back for more. I actually liked her writing, diction and grasp of telling a story. But I felt that the narration was too short for the story to unfold properly and develop the relationship between Jake and Carina. The HEA was too fast and too soon.

Received an ARC from Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

I believe everyone deserves a second chance at redeeming life. Be it two legged or the four legged. We get thrown into situations by force or choice, and when that moment of break or make stares at us, we need courage, immense will power and motivation to get to the other side. And along with all that, is the need for support, a lending hand, an open heart and people not to sit in judgment, and most of all we need to find it in ourselves to be able to forgive and give ourselves a second chance.

No mean feat, considering the pain, the guilt and loss that dogs Mary Hannah Gallo everyday of her life. Working as a therapy dog trainer for Second Chance Ranch Animal Rescue and a counselor is not easy for Mary Hannah, as everyday reminds her of a life before Second Chance Rescue. A bust at a meth house brings her up close and personal with a painful past, her one night pleasure, AJ Parker and dogs in abuse.

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Detective AJ Parker joins small town police force leaving behind undercover work that almost ruined him. Little does he realize that very soon Mary would become his Kryptonite. Working together with her as they train the rescued dog Holly, AJ realizes he needs to get over his scars as much as Holly, the dog rescued from the meth house. Working with Mary Hannah brings out his feelings of protectiveness and love that he had been avoiding. But Mary Hannah’s past collides with AJ’s scars, and they both need therapeutic help and who better than Holly to be the divine intervention!

Catherine Mann’s second book in the Second Chance Ranch Series, “Rescue Me” is more than a HEA. It is a story of one strong woman who had the courage to make right the wrong that she had been living. It is the story of people who want to make a difference in the lives of abused canines, even as they reach within themselves to sort their own personal trauma and pain. It is the story of one big family, with bonds made through blood and heart, humans and animals, as they support and love unconditionally

Catherine Mann is a rescuer and nurturer by nature and all that love, energy ad passion flows into her stories. “Rescue Me” is so eloquently titled, as every character in the story need to be rescued at some point or the other, be it from the past, be it the events happening in the current, be it humans or animals, or be it from danger close to home.

Rescue Me is an emotional ride of pain, love, support and most of all the possibility of second chances, only if we have the courage to keep our hearts open, and accept the promise of a better tomorrow.

Received an ARC from the author for an honest review.

I first read Laura Griffin through her Glass Sisters Series about a year ago, and since then have been religiously knocking out her books in the list. The Glass Sisters series was brilliant and I was so fascinated with her narration and writing, I’ve read, re-read and re-read that series countless time!!!

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Her Tracer Series is no exception to her writing prowess, and enjoyed every single book of it so far. And so it was wonderful to finally get to her latest book in the series, “Beyond Limits” where a Navy SEAL and an FBI agent together as they race against time to save the innocent from terrorists.

I think the first I’ve come across Elizabeth LeBlanc and Derek Vaughn was in “Scorched” (don’t quote me on this ;)), and I hoped that they would get a chance to get to know each other well. Derek comes into some Intel of a terrorist cell on US soil, and Elizabeth gets roped in by her special team, and inevitably they run into each other as they try to unravel the terrorist plot before thousands of innocent people die.

As danger dogs them at every turn, Derek and Elizabeth have some unfinished business with each other, a business that involves the sparks of love and hearts that refuse to listen to logic. As they thwart the terrorist plot with help from Delphi Center, Derek and Elizabeth need to make decision about a future that doesn’t look promising. Derek and Liz do absolute justice to their characters, with their subtle romance, loyalty and courage to their country beyond and above the call of duty or their hearts.

“Beyond Limits” is another breathtaking read of danger and suspense, love and passion, loyalty and trust with a nail biting finish.

Received an ARC from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

The Brodies are heating up the cold Alaskan winters!

“Against The Sky” takes us into the beautiful locales of Alaska in all its wild winter glory, as Nick Brody and Samantha Hollis fight their growing attraction to each other.

A chance meeting between ex-homicide detective Nick Brody and business owner Samantha Hollis in the Sin City sets the stage for a romance between them. Having scorched the bed sheets with a life changing consequences, Samantha decides to accept Nick’s invitation to Alaska to give their desire for each other a chance to develop into a relationship.

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But Alaska is anything but quiet and slow, because under the big sky lurks danger that threatens the lives of loved ones. With betrayal and evil shadowing them, Nick and Samantha have to trust each other to survive kidnapping and death, if they want to want to get a chance at a future.

I love Kat Martin’s Raines Series – one of my favorites. And the Brodies Of Alaska are a close second. Kat Martin did a fabulous job of weaving romance and suspense as Nick and Samantha try to bridge the distance in their lives. I loved the way their characters did justice to their roles, as they try to understand each other, the subtleties of life that take over their existence and the doubts and insecurities that dog a relationship. Nick and Samantha are just perfect for each other in this imperfect world!

An invigorating read filled with enough romance and suspense to keep our hearts pulsing and minds racing.

Received an ARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

One obsessive man will kill to have her. Another man will kill to protect her!!! That is the whole crux of Cynthia Eden’s book 2 “Want Me”, in the Dark Obsession Series.

Sophie Sarantos is a kick-ass defense lawyer, defending the innocent, and maybe the bad men according to some. But she is a force to reckon with, yet behind closed doors of her heart, hides intense pain and nightmares that keep men at bay. As much as she thrives on walking the edge of danger, she never lets any man get close to her heart. Yet she has no control of her mind, body and soul when she hires Lex Jensen to protect her from a stalker.

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Lex Jensen is part owner of VJS Securities, along with his childhood friends Chance and Dev. From the moment he saved her from being killed by gas at home, it was instant attraction, and time only deepened those feelings into intense desire and love. And he is determined to protect Sophie from an obsessive stalker, and there’s no way anyone would lay a finger on her, on his watch.

With dark secrets dogging both Sophie and Lex, their passion for each other set fire between the sheets, and their desire to possess each other only fuels the stalker to go to the next level of leaving dead bodies in the wake of his rage and obsession.

The Dark Obsession Series will be enjoyed more if it’s read in sequence (my personal opinion), to follow the story and the recurring characters. Mind you that there are no cliffhangers in any of the books, but the story starts with “Watch Me”, and you will get introduced to Sophie and Lex

“Want Me” is another intoxicatingly dark love story where the obsession of a stalker crosses path with an equally obsessive protective lover.

Received an ARC from Hocus Pocus Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

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