Archives for May 9, 2022

* Review * THE WRONG VICTIM by Allison Brennan

* Review * THE WRONG VICTIM by Allison BrennanThe Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan
Series: A Quinn & Costa Thriller #3
Published by MIRA on April 26, 202
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four-stars

A bomb explodes on a sunset charter cruise out of Friday Harbor at the height of tourist season and kills everyone on board. Now this fishing and boating community is in shock and asking who would commit such a heinous crime—the largest act of mass murder in the history of the San Juan Islands.

Was the explosion an act of domestic terrorism, or was one of the dead the primary target? That is the first question Special Agent Matt Costa, Detective Kara Quinn and the rest of the FBI team need to answer, but they have few clues and no witnesses.

Accused of putting profits before people after leaking fuel endangered an environmentally sensitive preserve, the West End Charter company may itself have been the target. As Matt and his team get closer to answers, they find one of their own caught in the crosshairs of a determined killer.

 

An explosion sets the stage for various mysteries colliding! The third book in the Quinn and Costa Thriller series was a bit slow to start, but once Quinn and Costa were introduced into the scene it all began coming together a bit. Various suspects kept us guessing as danger lurked, secrets were uncovered and nefarious plots were carried out. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and follow and a few things got lost in the translation along the way, but the suspense kept me going forward and the end road was satisfying.

four-stars

* Review * THE ADOPTION by Jenna Kernan

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE ADOPTION by Jenna KernanThe Adoption by Jenna Kernan
Published by Bookouture on May 11, 2022
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three-stars

Your little girl is all yours… isn’t she?

Dani and her husband Tate’s life together is almost perfect. But Dani is haunted by guilt for causing a terrible car accident that left her unable to have children. She can’t remember why she was driving so fast that day or where she was going. Her therapist says she should try to move on.

So when their application to adopt is accepted, Dani sobs with joy. As perfect little Willow nestles in her arms, Dani looks at Tate’s loving smile and knows he will always provide for his family, no matter what.

When Dani sees a woman staring as she pushes Willow’s stroller around the safe, gated Florida community where they live, she tells herself it’s simply an admiring passer-by. After all, Dani herself used to watch the local moms and wish she was in their shoes.

But when Dani wakes in the night to find Willow’s crib empty, their perfect life becomes a nightmare.

In her frantic distress for her daughter, Dani’s memories of the accident flash through her mind. And with a jolt she realises: everyone around her has been lying about that day.

Will Dani find out the truth before it’s too late for her baby girl?

Or will facing her own dark secrets tear them all apart?

 

Emotional twists and turns will grab your attention! I was captivated by the premise of this story, however it fell flat in the end for me. There was much potential as the story unfolded, yet a good bit of repetitive and disjointed prose made the connection sag. I liked the character depiction, the development was iffy because of time shifts and overall confusion of what was happening and who was truly in the story. I felt the very end gave a little more insight into what the author was going for, but not a favorite by this author for me. Holes needed to be filled, more concise suspense needed to be in place and less retelling of the same happenings or feelings.

three-stars

* Review * FOREVER YOURS by Jules Bennett

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FOREVER YOURS by Jules BennettForever Yours by Jules Bennett
Series: A Haven Novella
Published by Jules Bennett on May 10, 2022
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four-stars

Ex-military turned small-town pilot Brock Monroe has never forgotten his high school sweetheart…or the heartbreak she caused when she left town. But when she returns years later for a birthday celebration, Brock is taken off guard and can’t help but wonder if there’s any spark left between them.

Alli Foster is too much of a free-spirit to stay in one place for very long. She’s allowed herself one week in Haven to visit her family, but then she runs into Brock and all of those old feelings resurface.

When Alli gets caught in an innocent little lie with her family, Brock comes to her rescue as her faux date. Will their ruse of playing pretend turn into their happily-ever-after?

 

A sweet return to Haven, Georgia! This novella is a quick dash back into the town we fell in love with a few years back in The Monroes series. I highly enjoyed the catch up with some treasured characters and enjoyed every minute of their story. That said, I think you need to go back and read The Monroes series first in order to pick up on the nuances depicted in this story. There wasn’t any true relationship development because it’s a short story, but it’s sweet none-the-less.

four-stars