Archives for December 20, 2022

* Review * DRAKE by Sawyer Bennett

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * DRAKE by Sawyer BennettDrake by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Pittsburgh Titans #5
Published by Big Dog Books, LLC on January 3, 2023
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five-stars

Drake McGinn turned his back on hockey after the league betrayed him. Will the Titans be his chance to clear his name and take back the career he once loved?

After I made the decision to divorce, my ex-wife set out on a smear campaign against me, telling anyone who would listen that I was betting on hockey and throwing games. It wasn’t surprising that my ex told the lies, but the fact that the media, league, and fans chose to believe her baseless claims was unforgivable. I walked away from it all and never looked back.

Having settled into life as a single dad to three boys, I’m content. I have more money than I could ever need, and plenty of time to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and whoever I want. So when Brienne Norcross, the team owner for the Pittsburgh Titans, shows up at my house with a job offer, I have no problem turning her down. But the no-nonsense billionaire, with sinfully seductive red lips and killer heels that would look hot as hell thrown over my shoulders, won’t take “no” for an answer.

Now I need to find balance between hockey, my boys, and the explosive chemistry Brienne and I can no longer deny. A cast-off hockey player and the league’s only female team owner? I can think of a million reasons why it could never work but can’t bring myself to care about a single one of them. Game on.

 

A muscular, brooding delight! Sawyer Bennett is pulling out all the stops in book five of her Pittsburgh Titans hockey series to bring us a gruff, sexy as all get out hero whose bark is worse than his bite when he starts falling for the boss lady! I was hooked from the moment these two started creating sparks across the room the first time they met in book one and I’m utterly entranced with their happily ever after!

I love Brienne! She’s smart, she’s successful and she’s willing to fight for what she wants and beneath the surface lives a lonely, grieving sister who had the rug pulled out from under her and makes herself get up and prosper every day of her life regardless. She’s the bomb!

Drake had me from hello when we first learned the gist of his story at the start of this series. I adore his love for his sons and enjoyed watching his story play out.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey franchise filled with more heart than you’ll know what to do with as they overcome adversity and heal from heartache.

five-stars

* Review * WITHOUT A TRACE by Danielle Steel

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * WITHOUT A TRACE by Danielle SteelWithout a Trace by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on January 3, 2023
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five-stars

Charles Vincent seems to have it all—a beautiful wife, two successful children, and a well-paying career. Yet happiness remains out of reach. He is trapped in a loveless marriage and his job is simply a paycheck. But his life changes forever one night as he drives along the Normandy coast, heading to their lavish château for the weekend. In one terrifying moment, Charles falls asleep at the wheel and veers off the road, plunging thirty feet down the face of a rocky cliff.

Miraculously, Charles survives. After gathering the courage to climb to safety, he starts to walk—bruised, bloody, and desperate for help. In the dark of night, he happens upon a cabin where he meets the kind and beautiful Aude Saint-Martin. They have an instant connection, and as she nurses him back to health, Charles begins to discover the passion he’s been missing for so many years.

In the aftermath of the crash, Charles has a startling realization: He doesn’t have to go back. He could simply choose to disappear, to walk away from his old life. When his car is discovered, he’ll be presumed dead, washed away at sea. If he stays with Aude, he has a chance at a fuller, happier life that he didn’t know was possible. It all seems too good to resist. But Aude has secrets of her own, and before long their pasts catch up to them, threatening everything they have fought to build.

What would happen if you were given a chance to walk away from everything in your life and start over with a blank slate, and you had a split second to decide? In Without a Trace, Danielle Steel tells an irresistible story of the risks two people are willing to take in exchange for a chance at the life they’ve always wanted.

 

Quick to catch my attention and hold it throughout! Danielle Steel always has a way of weaving a character into my soul in a way that has me entrenched in the outcome of their happiness even if I don’t always agree with their methods of getting there. Moral boundaries are straddled as passion ignites in the most unorthodox of ways that nonetheless left me rooting for the happily ever after from start to finish. Another addictive read from Steel!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a look in the life of someone that will take extreme measures when life on the other side looks brighter. The characters have a personable quality to them and while some of his actions are questionable, a delve into the depth of his despair shows the reader his thought process and makes him fairly redeemable.

five-stars

* Review * HOT SHOT by Kat Mizera

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * HOT SHOT by Kat MizeraHot Shot by Kat Mizera
Series: Lauderdale Knights #4
on December 27, 2022
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five-stars

Welcome to Fort Lauderdale—where the days are hot and the Knights are hotter.

Wolf:
I’ve been in love with the same girl since we were seventeen. Back before our careers took off and pulled us away from one another. No amount of fame, money, or puck bunnies could ever replace Scarlett. But she has a mind of her own, and dreams that don’t include me. We might not want the same things in life, but we still want each other. No matter how hard she fights it, she can’t deny that truth. I just need to prove to her it’s enough… we’re enough.

Scarlett:
I didn’t want to have to choose between Wolf and surfing, but I couldn’t have both. As much as he hates to admit it, neither of us might be where we are now if I hadn’t walked away. His life is about being the best on the ice, and mine is chasing down the next wave. I refuse to give it all up for a guy— even if he is the only guy I’ve ever loved.

A single mistake changes everything… turning both our worlds upside down. Now I have to figure out how to regain balance, not just in my life, but with Wolf. This time, there’s no bailing… even if it means a wipeout.

Author's note: There are some difficult themes in this story. For CW information, please check this book's page on my website.

 

An emotional roller coaster of meant-to-be vs career. With the fourth book in the Lauderdale Knights series Kat Mizera is delivering a sexy, heart wrenching tale that had me hooked quickly and hung up on every page from start to finish. I’m really loving this hockey franchise!

Wolf is kind, sincere and loyal and the fact that he hasn’t stopped loving his first love during all of these years apart goes to show how deep what they shared touched him.

Scarlett protects her heart by attempting to stay closed off from Wolf, but she admits to herself on a daily basis how much she loves him … she just doesn’t tell him much anymore.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that loves to read a hockey romance where the players know how to play hard and love just as deeply while having close friendships and successful careers.

five-stars

* Review * A FORTUNE’S WINDFALL by Michelle Major

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A FORTUNE’S WINDFALL by Michelle MajorA Fortune's Windfall by Michelle Major
Series: The Fortunes of Texas: Hitting the Jackpot #1
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on December 27, 2022
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four-half-stars

He might just find more than an inheritance!

When Linc Maloney inherits a fortune—in more ways than one!—he throws caution to the wind and vows to live life like there’s no tomorrow. He finally has it all and can’t wait to treat his loved ones to the finer things in life. His friend and former coworker Remi Reynolds thinks that Linc is out of control and tries to remind him that money can’t buy happiness. She can’t admit to herself that she’s been feeling more than like for Linc for a long time. But Remi is cautious and doesn’t dare risk her heart on a man with a big-as-Texas fear of commitment…

 

Another sexy Fortune branch to sink your teeth into! Michelle Major is delighting fans of the Fortunes of Texas series with the kickoff to a brand new spin off, Fortunes of Texas: Hitting the Jackpot. The groundwork is laid for the newly discovered Fortunes and the setting is rich with warmth, prestige and family. I’m looking to more to come in the series!

Linc is kindhearted and down-to-earth and the perfect type of older sibling to carry the torch of setting the stage for the series. His brothers are coming up next!

Remi is loved by many but overlooked as more than a friend from the guy she’s crushed on for years, but times are changing in more ways than one and she’s finally getting her opportunity to shine.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a background of drama as a family steps onto the pages to introduce themselves and the core of their foundation as each sibling ends up finding love when they least expect it.

four-half-stars