Tag Archive: suspense


The saga and the thrill at Sweetwater Ranch continue with the fifth book in the series “The Deputy’s Redemption” by Delores Fossen. The series can be read as stand alones, but reading them in sequence is so much more satisfying.

Deputy Colt McKinnon of Sweetwater Springs comes face to face with a past that turns out to be a battle against danger and saving his family from death. Saving Elise Nichols in the dead of the night from a killer was not on his menu and neither is the attraction and love he had for all these years flare up and consume with a passion, a love dangerous enough to put his family at risk.

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Elise Nichols grew up with the McKinnon family, and now fourteen years later returns to Sweetwater Springs as the star witness in Colt’s mother’s trial. Elise is not immune to the attraction and love she had for Colt all those years ago and having him safe her life only strengthens her love for him. But being the star witness with revelations that can tear apart the McKinnon family, and a killer stuck to her back, she has no hope of building on a desire that she may never live to see.

The McKinnon family gets under your skin, and you can’t but help read the series. Delores Fossen keeps the suspense going strong as she weaves a story around each member of the McKinnon family. She does a brilliant job of incorporating sub plots, without losing sight of the primary plot or its key elements. And so true with her writing, Delores doesn’t cut corners creating Colt and Elise, two strong characters, needing each other yet independent, fighting for justice in the face of danger, and courageous enough to accept their feelings in the midst of deathly chaos and follow their hearts.

“The Deputy’s Redemption” is another sizzling story of redemption of love, of forgiveness and acceptance and of a family that supports and protects their own, no matter what. With danger dogging every page, adrenaline coursing through every word, and with love and trust on the line, “The Deputy’s Redemption” is a must read.

Received a copy from Harlequin Intrigue via Net Galley for an honest review.

Call me biased, but in my opinion Jennifer Ryan writes one of the most romantic suspense stories that I’ve ever read. “The Hunted Series” is always going to be my chicken soup for the soul, having lost count of the number of times I’ve read that series.

For the uninitiated, The Montana Men Series takes us to the Bowden brothers, Gabe, Blake and Dane, the brothers of Caleb (married to Summer Turner) from The Hunted Series, and yes Caleb and Summer have their own story (All I Want For Christmas Is A Cowboy). I love when the stories have cross over characters from various books. And the Montana Men Series is set before the Hunted Series.

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Running away from New York after witnessing the murder of her twin sister, millionaire Ella Wolf ends up on the snowy roads of Montana, bruised and injured, trying to get to her family ranch, leaving behind an evil uncle trying to kill her. Ella ends up in Gabe’s arms as he rescues her from dying and takes her into his protective folds. Her only goal is to bring justice to her sister and put her uncle behind bars forever.

Gabe Bowden is starting fresh after his injuries at rodeo circuit, and ends up buying Wolf Ranch to run his cattle breeding business. Meeting Ella and realizing that his business plans are going down the drain, doesn’t deter the sparks of attraction that flare between Ella and Gabe. As Gabe learns the truth about Ella, he stands by her to help and support despite him losing his money to her evil Uncle.

Jennifer Ryan’s heroines are just pure sassy, kick-ass and courageous to the core. And her heroes are not any less alphas, protective and supportive of their women. Her romances have just the right blend of love and danger. Every single story of hers leaves me with renewed hope and warmth, that every evil person is balanced by at least four good people. There are people like Gabe and Ella, who have empathy and compassion for others, helpful and hearts as big as the Montana skies with immense love and trust.

“At Wolf Ranch” (Montana Men, Book 1) is another brilliant story steeped with love and passion, laced with secrets and danger, touched with warmth and trust, a perfect fusion of suspense and charm captivating the hearts of the readers.

Received an ARC from the author for an honest review.

 

Kendra Elliot’s third installment in the Callahan/McLane Series, “Spiraled” is all set to take the readers into a nightmare of danger and death, testing the very foundation of their love and trust, and will their relationship spiral out of control as Ava’s twin Jayne plays havoc in their lives…

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FBI Special Agent Ava McLane solves crimes; she doesn’t witness them. When she’s trapped in a mall without her weapon as a shooter picks off victims, she hides with a wounded teen and prays for her survival.

But that’s only the beginning…

An epidemic of mass shootings has been launched across Oregon. The young shooters terrify the public, committing random murders before taking their own lives. The task force assembled to solve the case—which includes Ava’s boyfriend, detective Mason Callahan—remains stumped. And on top of this chaos, Ava’s troubled twin sister reappears, throwing Ava’s already-tumultuous life into a tailspin.

An old-fashioned cop with a strong sense of duty, Mason struggles to find the cause of the shootings as the workaholic Ava spins ever closer to breaking down. But can one detective save the lives of countless innocents—and prevent the woman he loves from going over the edge?

Publisher: Montlake Romance

In my world of reading and authors, there are very few that I hold on a pedestal for their writing prowess and ingenuity. In my book, if an author/writer can progress on her prowess from one to the next, a winner for me. Especially in a series where the stories revolve around the protagonists, it’s very important to evolve their relationship, create layers of depth to their characters, only to be peeled to expose their strengths and weaknesses, and the connection that they have with the readers, as they bridge their own insecurities and fears for a future. And Kendra Elliot does just that with finesse.

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It’s not easy. It’s hard work and requires immense passion to be able to get into these characters to make them as believable as the next human being. The second book in the Callahan/McLane Series, “Bridged” by Kendra Elliot, is a brilliant narration of a past that haunts one person into killing, and a present that is burdened with guilt and the vulnerability of family and relationships.

FBI Agent Ava McLean and OSP Agent Mason Callahan are knee deep into investigating the murders that seem to be caught hanging at various bridges in the City Of Portland; Murders that leave no clues, or evidence. As Mason, Ava and their team of experts and agents, try to connect the pieces of the puzzle, Ava is drawn into a nightmare of a twin who is the power to bring Ava down single-handedly and test her sanity.

As the team goes into the past to dig through secrets, the present gets more and more ominous taking Ava closer to danger and death. What I most treasured about this book and my utter adoration to the writer is her technique of developing the story, piece by piece, detail by detail and character by character, be it the primary or the secondary. She delves into the pain and guilt haunting the killer as much she infuses strength and trust into the relationship between Ava and Mason. Ava’s twin Jayne is just another catalyst that tear opens Ava to the core, with Mason being her voice of love and reason.

Dripping with emotions of love and trust, tied up with frustration and fear, reeling in pangs of guilt and hatred, drowning in depths of despair and darkness, Bridged takes us over and under to the people who have made a choice to follow a path of evil and those who have chosen to protect until their last breath.

Received an ARC from Montlake Romance via NetGalley 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.

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