Book Reviews – Page 77

* Review * ALL THE SAUCE by Toni Aleo

October 12, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

All the Sauce by Toni Aleo
Series: IceCats #5
on October 12, 2021
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Owen Adler has spent his whole life being half of a matched set. But when his twin brother Evan leaves hockey—and him—behind on the Carolina IceCats, Owen finds he has to skate a new path on his own.

Angie Paxton knows a lot about being on her own. She pushed Nashville, and the trauma she experienced there, to the back of her mind and started over in South Carolina. And though she’s blooming where she planted herself both academically and professionally, emotionally, she’s been struggling under the weight of her past.

Owen has had a thing for Angie since they were kids, but she would never give him the time of day. Now that they’re reconnecting as adults, they quickly find they want to spend all their days together. Angie is struggling to let go of the insecurities that plague her, but growing up Adler has made Owen an expert at getting what he wants. And for him, Angie is the only goal worth making.

A delectably delicious return to Carolina IceCats hockey! ALL THE SAUCE is book four in Toni Aleo’s IceCats hockey series and centers around Owen Adler and Angie Paxton. The characters were quick to hold my attention and the important issues touched on in this book made it well rounded and rewarding. Looking forward to more in the series!

Owen is a reformed playboy and a sweetheart who loves his twin bro more than just about anything in the world. They have been together through thick and thin and now that Evan is quitting hockey to improve his outlook on life, Owen has to figure out who he is without him by his side.

Angie is easy to sympathize with because she feels like the lessons life has thrown at her and her reaction to them has left her snowed under in a way she’s not having an easy time digging herself out of. She’s a real go getter when it comes to achieving her dreams, but she sees herself as less than and that withholds a lot of life from her.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey setting with funny moments between the teammates as each of them finds their one and only along the way.

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* Review * THE SECRETS WE BURY by Debra Webb

October 12, 2021 Leave a Comment

The Secrets We Bury by Debra Webb
Series: The Undertaker's Daughter #1
Published by MIRA on April 30, 2019
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Nothing stays buried forever…

Doctor Rowan Dupont knows death. She grew up surrounded by it in her family’s Victorian funeral home, and it’s haunted her since the day her twin sister drowned years ago. Between her mother’s subsequent suicide and the recent murder of her father, coming home to run the funeral home feels fitting—even if it leaves her vulnerable to an obsessive serial killer.

Rowan refuses to let fear keep her from honoring her family. But the more time she spends back in Winchester, Tennessee, the more she finds herself questioning what really happened that fateful summer. Had her sister’s death truly been an accident? And what pushed their mother to take her own life? The dark lake surrounding Rowan’s hometown holds as many secrets as the bodies that float in its chilling depths. But Rowan is running out of time if she’s going to uncover the truth before somebody sinks her for good.

High intensity intrigue with a lot of heart thrown in the mix! The first full length book in Debra Webb’s The Undertaker’s Daughter series picks up shortly after the prequel and immediately hooks a reader with the mystery that surrounds Rowan now that she’s returned home to Winchester. The story continues the hunt for the serial killer we saw revealed in the prequel while adding to our knowledge of Rowan’s past and uncovering further secrets and betrayals along the way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a series revolving around a serial killer with smaller mysteries to solve along the way.

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* Review * BREAKING THE RULES by Kendall Ryan

October 12, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * BREAKING THE RULES by Kendall Ryan

Breaking the Rules by Kendall Ryan
Series: Hot Jocks #8
on October 12, 2021
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In this much anticipated return of the hockey team you know and love, you'll see what the guys are up to now, and meet the hot new rookie on the team.
It also includes bonus material and deleted scenes from the original series

A short glimpse back into the Hot Jocks series! BREAKING THE RULES by Kendall Ryan has a short story with follow up of a fan favorite couple, Becca and Owen. While I loved the check in to see how life is treating them as a reader of the entire series, this novella would not feel complete to someone who didn’t read their original story. I highly recommend reading at a minimum ALL THE WAY which was book 2 in the series and Owen and Becca’s full story. The second novellaish story in this new book is a glimpse into the new rookie player on the team and was a quick and sassy read. I enjoyed it!

A check in with Becca and Owen from ALL THE WAY, plus updates on several other players and their families.

A glimpse into the life of rookie Preston and his feisty roomie Essex.

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* Review * THE BUTLER by Danielle Steel

October 7, 2021 Leave a Comment

The Butler by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on October 5, 2021
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Joachim von Hartmann was born and raised in Buenos Aires by his loving German mother, inseparable from his identical twin. When Joachim moves to Paris with his mother in his late teens, his twin stays behind and enters a dark world. Meanwhile, Joachim begins training to be a butler, fascinated by the precision and intense demands, and goes on to work in some of the grandest homes in England. His brother never reappears.

Olivia White has given ten years of her life to her magazine, which failed, taking all her dreams with it. A bequest from her mother allows her a year in Paris to reinvent herself. She needs help setting up a home in a charming Parisian apartment. It is then that her path and Joachim’s cross.

Joachim takes a job working for Olivia as a lark and enjoys the whimsy of a different life for a few weeks, which turn to months as the unlikely employer and employee learn they enjoy working side by side. At the same time, Joachim discovers the family history he never knew: a criminal grandfather who died in prison, the wealthy father who abandoned him, and the dangerous criminal his twin has become. While Olivia struggles to put her life back together, Joachim’s comes apart.

Stripped of their old roles, they strive to discover the truth about each other and themselves, first as employer and employee, then as friends. Their paths no longer sure, they are a man and woman who reach a place where the past doesn’t matter and only what they are living now is true.

This unlikely pair won me over! Danielle Steel can always be counted on to delve right into the heart of a character and with her signature ease of prose, she hooks her reader with the character’s storyline early and unravels their life right before our eyes. I highly enjoyed Joachim and Olivia!

Joachim is a gentle soul and very likable from the start. We learn the path he chose in life and watch him mature and settle into a career he loves only to have an upheaval come about that allows him to return to his homeland for the first time in multiple decades and reconnect with a past he previously only skimmed the surface of.

Olivia is at a crossroad in life and showcases her fortitude quickly when she sets out on a solitary journey of enlightenment.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a women’s fiction novel that brings two characters to a turning point in life and watches as they reevaluate and connect to prosper in something new.

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* Review * THE UNDERTAKER’S DAUGHTER by Debra Webb

October 7, 2021 Leave a Comment

The Undertaker's Daughter by Debra Webb
Series: The Undertaker's Daughter #.5
Published by Pink House Press on December 27, 2018
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Dr. Rowan DuPont and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department are hunting a serial killer. All the victims have one thing in common--they could be Rowan's twin, except her twin sister is dead.

Rowan grew up in a funeral home, surrounded by death, so her keen insights into homicide cases seldom fall short of the mark. Though growing up as the undertaker's daughter made her acutely aware of life and all its frailties, she is only human. Will her one mistake in this shocking case be her last one?

Debra Webb hooked me from the first page! With the prequel to her The Undertaker’s Daughter series Webb sets the stage for a manhunt for a serial killer who is knocking too close to home for Dr. Rowan DuPont’s comfort. In THE UNDERTAKER’S DAUGHTER the characters are easy to connect with, the drama is high and the set up for the story yet to come is intense. I loved every minute of it!

Rowan is a complex character with a high intensity job and a back story that makes her easy to sympathize with.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an action packed serial killer mystery. This series is a continuation from book to book, so cliffhangerish.

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* Release Blitz/Review * BROKEN SPARROW by Chelle Bliss

October 5, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * BROKEN SPARROW by Chelle Bliss

Broken Sparrow by Chelle Bliss
Series: Open Road Series #1
Published by Bliss Ink LLC on October 5, 2021
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A chance encounter. An unlikely hero.

Morris has always dedicated himself to his brothers in the MC, choosing the freedom of the open road over the monotony of family life. But a chance encounter with a single mother on the run causes his protective alpha instincts to kick into overdrive.

Alice Sparrow thought she had planned her escape perfectly, but everything that could go wrong, did. Bank account emptied. Broken-down car. No place to stay. But when she bumps into a handsome biker, she doesn’t have the luxury of walking away from his help, especially when she must keep her daughter safe.

What is supposed to be a simple act of kindness quickly turns into something bigger and more complicated than either expects…especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

Emotionally riveting sexy goodness! BROKEN SPARROW by Chelle Bliss delivers a happily ever after for good ol’ Morris and it was so much fun to see! Fast paced and attention grabbing from the start, this unlikely duo meet at just the right time to change her life for the better. Really enjoyed their story!

Alice is easy to sympathize with and grow fond of, but she has just enough “helpless female who needs a man to save her time after time” under her belt to make her equally in need of redemption.

Morris is tough and rugged with the heart of a teddy bear when he sees an underdog. I loved him with Alice and her daughter, but I equally loved him for taking Leo under his wing.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a tough alpha male riding to the rescue of a damsel in distress and setting the world on fire with her by his side.

A chance encounter. An unlikely hero.

Broken Sparrow by Chelle Bliss is now live!

Morris has always dedicated himself to his brothers in the Disciples MC, choosing the freedom of the open road over the monotony of family life. But a chance encounter with a single mother on the run causes his protective alpha instincts to kick into overdrive.

Alice Sparrow thought she had planned her escape perfectly, but everything that could go wrong, did. Bank account emptied. Broken-down car. No place to stay. But when she bumps into a handsome biker, she doesn’t have the luxury of walking away from his help, especially when she must keep her daughter safe. What is supposed to be a simple act of kindness quickly turns into something bigger and more complicated than either expects…especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Broken Sparrow is a steamy age-gap, single mother, hot biker standalone romance that’s guaranteed to bring the steam and the feels.

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/394koKl
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3AaYqBp
Nook: https://bit.ly/2Xen7hN
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2XenfOj
Google Play: menofinked.com/bs-gp
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3kaGz89

Audible: https://adbl.co/39OK2mO Narrated by: Jason Clarke & Samantha Brentmoor

Meet Chelle

Chelle Bliss is the Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of Men of Inked Series and Misadventures of a City Girl.

She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, coffee fiend, ex-high school history teacher, and currently lives near the beach even though she hates sand. Chelle loves spending time with her two cats, alpha boyfriend, and chatting with readers.

Connect with Chelle

Website: menofinked.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164384.Chelle_Bliss
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chelle-Bliss/e/B00FIPAHYQ/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchellebliss1
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blisshangout/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorchellebliss/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChelleBliss1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chelle-bliss
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/chellebliss10/
Other: https://bingebooks.com/author/chelle-bliss
Book+Main: https://bookandmainbites.com/chellebliss/bites

Text BLISS to 24587

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* Review * CHALK DIRTY TO ME by Lani Lynn Vale

October 5, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Chalk Dirty to Me by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Madd CrossFit #3
on October 5, 2021
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Two years ago, Cannel Crow experienced the worst day of her life. She was taken from a supermarket, and forced to spend a year with a man that treated her worse than a neglected, chained up dog.

One year later, she’s saved by a shadow organization that believes the law is a joke, and the only person you can count on is you.

After another year, she finally realizes the law’s limitation firsthand when the man that bought her from human traffickers, and then forced her to comply to his every whim for a year, is given a plea bargain for names of others in the operation.

Knowing that her abuser will spend the rest of his life in the lap of luxury under an assumed name, Cannel spirals.

At least, she begins to.

Then Wilhelm Schultz, call me Will, walks into her narrow world, larger than life, and changes her reality between one breath and the next.

The abrasive, larger, gruff police detective sees the world in black and white. There is right, and there is wrong.
Until he falls for a woman that needs him to see shades of gray.

The second he sees the world like she needs him to, there’s not a single thing on the planet that’ll stop him from fighting for her.

Not even the oath he swore to protect and do no harm.

Healing and redemption at it’s best! With the third book in her Madd CrossFit series Lani Lynn Vale gives a much deserved happily ever after to a victim of human trafficking that we got to know in a previous series. Cannel is tough but emotionally wounded a year after her return home from a year long abduction but meeting the man who becomes her life in CHALK DIRTY TO ME gives her a much deserved return to the land of the living. I found the partner tidbit of the storyline to be an un-needed distraction, but loved Cannel and Will hard!

I strongly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit group of friends who love hard and never fail to have each other’s back when it’s called for.

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* Review * WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS … by Yvonne Lindsay

September 29, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

What Happens at Christmas... by Yvonne Lindsay
Series: Clashing Birthrights #3
Published by Harlequin Desire on September 28, 2021
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This Christmas, she won’t just forgive her enemy,
she’ll be seduced by him…

Kristin Richmond knows too much about secrets and lies. Her family’s property development empire has survived its share of scandals. But this Christmas, there’s one more surprise in store: new family attorney Jackson Jones. He was the first man Kristin ever loved—and the man who broke her heart. Now she's forced to work with him, torn between clashing over corporate matters and succumbing to the heat still crackling between them. Can Kristin—and her family business—survive his seductive charm this time around?

A delectable reunion of first loves! With the third Richmond sibling’s story in the continuation of the Clashing Birthrights series Yvonne Lindsay brings us the story of Kristin and Jackson in WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS … and it was quite satisfying. I wanted a bit more at the ending to make it feel like their current relationship was developing thoroughly, but overall they were a sweet couple who overcame mistakes they made in their youth to go on to become accomplished, self- assured adults who had the good fortune of finding one another again. I enjoyed this series!

I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who likes a good bit of family drama mixed into their romance and depiction of real life. The family is successful and very captivating.

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* Review * OFF-SEASON by Jami Davenport

September 29, 2021 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Off-Season by Jami Davenport
Series: The Scoring Series #6
Published by Cedrona Enterprises on September 23, 2021
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Andy:
I just ended my rookie year with the Seattle Sockeyes in a win-or-go-home game, and we went home. I played a big part in that loss thanks in part to my lack of team play. It's time to lick my wounds, re-examine my role, and come to terms with demons I've been avoiding for too long. I buy an RV and take to the wilderness for a little solitude and lot of soul-searching. Just me, my dog Bones, and nature. There's one problem. My campsite neighbor is a too-cheerful, busy-body camp host. She brings out the worst in me, but I can't stop thinking about sharing a sleeping bag with her.

Kennedy:
As a brand ambassador for a large RV manufacturer, it's my job to make sure everyone is enjoying their camping experience. Usually I'm quite good at fixing problems and assisting campers until I meet the hot, grumpy hockey player next door. He claims he wants to be left alone; but after one look at his lost expression, I'm certain that's the last thing he needs. To complicate things, we have chemistry, the kind which blazes past all misgivings and singes everyone in sight.

Sweet, sexy and captivating! OFF-SEASON by Jami Davenport is the sixth book in her always popular spinoff The Scoring Series from her Seattle Sockeyes hockey franchise. Andrew is licking his wounds after his rookie season with the team and capping it off with a camping trip all on his own … or as alone as he can be with a peppy camp director wanna-be sharing the space next to him. If you want front row seats to the game, this book is not for you because it takes place in the off-season, but there is a good bit of teammate camaraderie taking place none-the-less. I recommend reading the prior book FACEOFF prior to this one to get a full picture of Andy. Looking forward to more to come in the series!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit team of hockey players who know how to party and have a good time as love snags the heart of one player after another.

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* Review * THE LIGHTS ON KNOCKBRIDGE LANE by Roan Parrish

September 26, 2021 Leave a Comment

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish
Series: Garnet Run #3
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on September 28, 2021
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Can one man’s crowded, messy life fill another man’s empty heart?

Raising a family was always Adam Mills’ dream, although solo parenting and moving back to tiny Garnet Run certainly were not. After a messy breakup, Adam is doing his best to give his young daughter the life she deserves—including accepting help from their new, reclusive neighbor to fulfill her Christmas wish.

Though the little house may not have “the most lights ever,” the Mills home begins to brighten as handsome Wes Mobray spends more time there and slowly sheds his protective layers. But when the eye-catching house ends up in the news, Wes has to make a choice: hide from the darkness of his unusual past or embrace the light of a future—and a family—with Adam.

A delightful holiday romance filled with life lessons and happily ever afters! I was thrilled to dive in to the first ever gay romance from Harlequin’s Special Edition line and Roan Parrish did NOT disappoint! With a precocious 8 year old leading the charge, the characters of Knockbridge Lane bring a fulfilling storyline to life with adorable interactions, emotional revelations and an overall awe inspiring sweetness between this child, her father and the man they both are falling for. There’s a tad more heat here than this line generally puts out, but I highly enjoyed Adam, Wes and sweet lil’ Gus!

Adam is a sweetheart. He’s a gentle soul with his heart on his sleeve who feels thing deeply and loves hard. I adored the father that he was to Gus.

Wes was an unexpected surprise. He comes across as standoffish, but in reality he’s misunderstood and protecting his heart. I loved seeing the joy that true love opened up for him.

August AKA Gus is the type of person everyone should strive to be. She’s energetic, hungry for knowledge and she embraces “different” wholeheartedly and with open arms. She’s a joy to read.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an emotional backstory as these two guys use the magic of the holiday season to fall hard for each other.

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