* Review * LOVE BETRAYAL by Chantal Fernando

June 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * LOVE BETRAYAL by Chantal FernandoLove Betrayal by Chantal Fernando
Series: Angels & Devils MC #2
Published by Carina Press on June 25, 2024
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four-half-stars

In a world of monsters, falling in love requires sacrifice.

River

I'm VP of Devils MC, and every decision I make is to protect the Club. I’m the one they call when things go south. That means getting my hands dirty—a lot. Outsiders think I’m a monster. I agreed. Until Bella. She was able to look past the violence and see…me. I never thought love was in the cards, but now she’s mine. I’ll protect her. No matter the cost.

Bella

It was supposed to be a fling—a way for us both to scratch an itch. But River wasn’t what I expected. I’ve seen monsters, and River isn’t one. Our relationship isn’t all rainbows and butterflies—but it’s real. I’d never betray him, even when my ex-boyfriend threatens to destroy me if I don’t. I’m not a damsel in distress. I can solve this problem without sacrificing the man I love.

Even if it costs me everything.

Angels & Devils MC

 

Raw, gritty and sensuous! The second book in Chantal Fernando’s Angels and Demons MC series picks up soon after book one and the main characters this time around are cousins to Romeo and Julianna who we fell in love with in the first book. River and Bella are equally intriguing and easy to like. He’s rough around the edges but willing to learn what she needs when they agree their fling has come to mean too much to them to be anything less than forever. I like the realness in them letting each other see the truth over time and I enjoyed their connection. I felt like there were too many flames left dangling in the fire to make it feel totally wrapped up and I’m sure some of that is intentional to lead into another book for the series, but I felt a little was lacking in the deliverance of a complete story. I do love this world and will happily come back time and time again!

four-half-stars
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* Review * TEXAS RANCH COLD CASE by Virginia Vaughan

June 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * TEXAS RANCH COLD CASE by Virginia VaughanTexas Ranch Cold Case by Virginia Vaughan
Series: Cowboy Protectors #4
Published by Love Inspired Suspense on June 25, 2024
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four-half-stars

Solving a decades-old crime

will leave no place safe…

Twenty years after her mother vanished, Ally Fulton returns to Harmon Ranch—the last place she was seen—and barely makes it out alive. Someone doesn’t want Ally digging up the truth. With a target on her back, she reluctantly accepts protection from Officer Tucker Harmon. Can he keep Ally alive—and right his family’s wrongs—before she’s silenced for good?

 

The exciting conclusion to Virginia Vaughan’s Cowboy Protectors series did not disappoint! Filled with twists and turns that keep us guessing and really easy to like and connect with characters. I liked Ally from the start and really liked how Tucker was quick to jump in and help her find out what happened to her mother all those years ago. They fell in love super fast without a lot of relationship development, but the storyline carried the momentum well. I felt the ending was abrupt and would have liked to have seen that fleshed out a bit more, but overall a very solid read and a great conclusion to the series. I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a faith based romance filled with top notch suspense.

four-half-stars
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* Review * THE WILDFIRE GIRL by Carolyn Arnold

June 22, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE WILDFIRE GIRL by Carolyn ArnoldThe Wildfire Girl by Carolyn Arnold
Series: Detective Amanda Steele #11
Published by Bookouture on June 20, 2024
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four-half-stars

The woman panics as the thick smoke starts to curl under the locked door. She can’t breathe and desperately tries to open the window, but it’s been sealed shut. Falling to the floor, she finally accepts there’s no way out of this room alive. And as her vision starts to fade, she prays she dies before the flames find her.

When human remains are discovered behind a dumpster in Woodbridge, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele rushes to the scene. Her heart drops when she arrives and is hit by the unmistakable stench of gasoline. Soon, her worst fear is confirmed: the victim was burned alive.

With only an engraved gold wedding band surviving the blaze, Amanda knows it could be days before they have a confirmed ID. But when her partner Detective Trent Stenson arrives, he pales at the sight of the ring, recognizing it as belonging to his Aunt Gertrude’s husband, Don.

Trent is convinced his aunt isn’t involved, but as more is unearthed about her troubled relationship with her husband, and she fails to provide an alibi, Amanda isn’t so sure. Desperate to prove his aunt’s innocence, Trent soon discovers someone from Don’s past is back in Woodbridge—someone who wants revenge. But Amanda and Trent are shaken to their core when that person is discovered brutally murdered.

Convinced the cases are linked, Amanda knows she has to find the cold-blooded killer before they strike again. And as Trent becomes even more emotionally entangled in the case, she’s terrified he could become the next victim…

 

Exhilarating excitement! With the next book in the Detective Amanda Steele series we get quickly thrust into a new case that hits too close to home for Amanda’s partner Trent and delivers twists and turns that have us reeling throughout. I enjoyed the case as a whole, but I’m still getting a little put-off by how long the will they or won’t they cat and mouse attraction is dragging on with Amanda and Trent. Great characters and police procedural with ongoing drama and always an enjoyable read.

four-half-stars
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* Review * ALL OUR TOMORROWS by Catherine Bybee

June 22, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * ALL OUR TOMORROWS by Catherine BybeeAll Our Tomorrows by Catherine Bybee
Series: The Heirs #1
Published by Montlake on June 18, 2024
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five-stars

When Chase Stone’s estranged father dies, leaving his multibillion-dollar business to his children, no one is more surprised than Chase. Growing up outside of the high-stakes world filled with human vultures, Chase and his sister, Alex, are less than enthusiastic about stepping into their father’s shoes. That is until they learn of a half brother they didn’t know existed and must find to share their inheritance with.

Piper Maddox was the elder Mr. Stone’s übercapable assistant—abruptly fired two weeks before his death. She knows everything about Stone Enterprises and the man who built it. But Piper has no desire to work for another member of the Stone family. Even one as down-to-earth as Chase.

Desperately needing financial security, Piper agrees to return so long as kissing up to Chase and accepting unwanted advances are not part of her job description. A promise that becomes a serious hurdle for both of them. Piper and Chase scramble to find the third Stone sibling before the media does, sharing secrets along the way. Secrets that can bring them together or tear them irrevocably apart.

 

Catherine Bybee can pour on the drama like nobody’s business! I was hooked from beginning to end on the first book in her new series The Heirs and couldn’t put it down until I devoured every page. It ends on a smidge of a cliffhanger because they have finally located the unknown sibling and are going to see him, but it just leaves room for our excitement to build leading up to Max’s book later in the year. I really hope Alex gets her own story as well.

Great characters with an addictive storyline kept me entertained throughout. Their story was fast paced and very satisfying.

five-stars
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* Review * FOUL PLAY by Kat Mizera

June 22, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FOUL PLAY by Kat MizeraFoul Play by Kat Mizera
Series: L.A. Phantoms #2
on June 18, 2024
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four-half-stars

The Phantoms are back with a vengeance… and the City of Angels will never be the same.

When the world's top supermodel’s friend zones you, what's a determined hockey player supposed to do?

Change her mind.

But it’ll take more than a trick play to convince her.

Cheyenne is more than a stunning beauty; she's a part of my life, my bed, and now my heart.

But she has a plan—one that doesn't include marriage or serious relationships.

She likes me, but its not enough. I need to know if I’m enough.

It’s time to man up and lay it all on the line.

It’s now or never.

 

Sweet, sexy and sentimental! The second book in the L.A. Phantoms hockey series by Kat Mizera was a fast paced delight. I loved Ivan with all of my being and adored watching him commit and enjoy his happiness. Cheyenne was too aloof for my liking and while I did enjoy her, I felt a disconnect from her a bit. I loved their story and everything about this series. I think Harper and her fight to make the team what it is was downplayed more than it should be and would love to see that angle kept front and center a bit more going forward, but I’m wholeheartedly enjoying this series. If you haven’t started it yet, this is a great book to kick off with!

four-half-stars
Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Review * I CAN’T EVEN by Lani Lynn Vale

June 4, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * I CAN’T EVEN by Lani Lynn ValeI Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Carter Brothers #2
on June 4, 2024
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five-stars

Ellodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.

That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.

It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.

Easy, right?

Wrong.

She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes.

Fast forward three months, and she’s unhappily saying yes to any man who asks.

Until one day, there she is, eating a chicken burrito waiting for traffic to clear, and he appears like a knight in shining armor.

One second, she’s counting down the seconds until the parade dissipates so she can go home, and the next, a car is flying through the air directly beside her, courtesy of a hot cop performing a PIT maneuver.

It’s during the middle of the arrest when Quaid Carter’s eyes find hers.

From that moment on, she’s lost to anyone else but him.

The only problem is that serial killer vibe she got off of her potential date a few months ago isn’t just a vibe. It’s a full-blown obsession. And the serial killer decides that she won’t be the one to get away.

Quaid Carter has different ideas, though.

 

LLV is synonymous with sexy as all get out heroes who melt my heart! The second book in Vale’s Carter Brothers series is pulling on all the ol’ heart strings as a goodhearted nurse meets a smokin’ hot cop and sparks fly the very first time their eyes meet. The characters and their surrounding family are super easy to like, the angst of trying to find the bad guy is spot on and the love and humor that plays out between them is heartwarming. I loved every minute of Quaid and Ellodie and I can’t wait for the next brother’s story!

I highly recommend this book as well as the first in the series to anyone who enjoys a fun loving romance with twists of suspense, lots of humor and so many great characters in the family to love as each brother finds “the one” that stops him in his tracks.

 

 

 

 

Title: I Can’t Even
Series: Carter Brothers #2
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Trope: Bad Girl/Good Guy
Release Date: June 4, 2024
BLURB

 

Ellodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.

 

That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.
It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.
Easy, right?
Wrong.
She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes.
Fast forward three months, and she’s unhappily saying yes to any man who asks.
Until one day, there she is, eating a chicken burrito waiting for traffic to clear, and he appears like a knight in shining armor.
One second, she’s counting down the seconds until the parade dissipates so she can go home, and the next, a car is flying through the air directly beside her, courtesy of a hot cop performing a PIT maneuver.
It’s during the middle of the arrest when Quaid Carter’s eyes find hers.
From that moment on, she’s lost to anyone else but him.
The only problem is that serial killer vibe she got off of her potential date a few months ago isn’t just a vibe. It’s a full-blown obsession. And the serial killer decides that she won’t be the one to get away.
Quaid Carter has different ideas, though.

 

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
 

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

COMING SOON

 

Releasing July 9
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
AUTHOR LINKS
FACEBOOK
five-stars
Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE LOVE SHACK by Lori Foster

June 2, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LOVE SHACK by Lori FosterThe Love Shack by Lori Foster
Series: Indiana Summers #3
Published by Canary Street Press on June 11, 2024
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five-stars

They’ve been trying to avoid each other.
But this town has other ideas…

When Berkley Carr opened The Love Shack Animal Haven, she thought she’d finally put her past behind her. But sometimes she feels the sting of the scandal from her youth, especially when she keeps crossing paths with her handsome neighbor. So, she keeps her head down and pours all her love into caring for animals.

Lawson Salder moved to Cemetery, Indiana, to escape from the grinding poverty of his childhood. He barely knew Berkley from their old neighborhood, but every time he sees her, the shame and pain come crashing back. He knows she’s got major baggage of her own. They're better off just avoiding each other.

But that’s downright impossible in a town full of matchmaking busybodies. Then there’s the hard-to-ignore attraction they feel every time they see each other. When the universe is conspiring to bring them together, will Berkley and Lawson let past hurts go and embrace the love they deserve?

 

Lori Foster can always be counted on to deliver emotion, humor and heartfelt entertainment! Hunky heroes, tenacious heroines and adorable rescue animals are always at the forefront of a visit to quirky, smalltown Cemetery, Indiana and I always leave with a warmed heart and a satisfied smile. I was quickly engrossed in getting to know newcomers Berkley, Lawson, Lark and Oliver and watching them pair off into friendships and romances quickly. Seeing more of Betty and getting to know a softer side yet again of her was really enjoyable. I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a small town romance with lots of spice that is filled to the brim with humor, heart and happily ever afters!

five-stars
Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * SIGNED, SEALED, MARRIED by Annie West

June 2, 2024 2 Comments

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * SIGNED, SEALED, MARRIED by Annie WestSigned, Sealed, Married by Annie West
Series: A Diamond in the Rough #4
Published by Harlequin Presents on June 25, 2024
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four-half-stars

“I’m acquiring the House of Fontaine…
and I want you as my wife.”

Razor-sharp Australian businessman Adam Wilde needs a high-society bride. Marrying Gisèle Fontaine, head of the luxurious French parfumerie he’s buying, will obliterate memories of his deprived childhood. But the ruthless tycoon is finding he can think of just one thing: his fiancée.

Gisèle’s company—and family’s legacy—will crumble without Adam’s financial takeover. She reluctantly accepts Adam’s proposal, only for her body to be electrified by his touch. How can this be a marriage of pure convenience when Gisèle craves much, much more?

 

Attention grabbing characters with angsty emotional confrontations! Annie West’s addition to the A Diamond in the Rough series is fast paced and addictive. A marriage of convenience quickly turns into the relationship of a lifetime to two wounded souls who happen upon one another’s softer sides when a business deal delivers on more than they bargained for. I loved the main characters and the basic plot and felt like their easy connection made them easily believable as a couple long before they admitted it to themselves. I would have liked to have seen his family as well as her brother brought to the forefront slightly more to get a complete feel for their backgrounds since they were all talked about a good bit, but overall a really enjoyable read and easy to follow even without having read the rest of the series. Highly recommend!

four-half-stars
Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * LACE ‘EM UP by Elise Faber

May 31, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * LACE ‘EM UP by Elise FaberLace 'em Up by Elise Faber
Series: Bang Brothers Hockey #1, Eagles Hockey
on June 11, 2024
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four-half-stars

With a last name like Bang, the jokes were endless.
I’d decided long ago it was easier to pretend to embrace my namesake than try to prove myself to the world.
No one had ever seen through that…
Until I rescued a runaway bride from the side of the road.
Then my mom—my interfering, matchmaking mom—saw the diamond ring, made assumptions I didn’t have the heart to dispel, and, suddenly, Rory and I were pretending to be engaged.
Only…somewhere along the way, it became real.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I could never let her go.

Meet the Bang Brothers—five hot hockey-playing brothers who are allergic to commitment.
The brothers are about to face off against their newly-retired mother…who suddenly has plenty of time to play matchmaker. Add in their baby sister and some secret dating, a single dad, an accidental pregnancy, a marriage of convenience, and a wrong bed—or two—and these siblings are not going to know what hit them!

Lace 'em Up is Book 1 in the Bang Brothers Hockey series

Bang Brothers Hockey Series Titles:
Book 1: 6/11/2024–Lace ’em Up by Elise Faber
Book 2: 6/25/2024–Show ’em How by Jami Davenport
Book 3: 7/9/2024–Hit ’em Hard by Kat Mizera
Book 4: 7/23/2024–Lock ’em Down by Gina Azzi
Book 5: 8/6/2024–Light ’em Up by Kelly Jamieson
Book 6: 8/20/2024–Hook ’em Hard by Cathryn Fox

 

A decadently sinful kick-off to the Bang Brothers series we’ve all been waiting for! Elise Faber is first up in the list of beloved hockey authors who are teaming up to bring us this steamy series of a much-loved hockey family. Faber gave a glimpse of what was to come at the tale end of the first book in her Eagles Hockey series Broken Laces and this book picks up where that one left off. You don’t have to have read that book first, but I highly recommend that one too because it was equally yummy. I loved King and Rory and the warmth that their relationship portrays within a few pages of the book, and getting to know his family and her support system as he helps her heal from trauma is heartwarming. The characters are down-to-earth, the drama is heated and the love and passion is intense. I wanted just a smidge more in revenge for the wrongs done to her, but overall I loved it and can’t wait for his sibling’s stories!

I highly recommend this book to hockey fans who enjoy heat and angst mixed into their romance. Elise Faber will be followed by books by Jami Davenport, Kat Mizera, Gina Azzi, Kelly Jamieson and Cathryn Fox for the rest of the series.

four-half-stars
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* Review * 15 SUMMERS LATER by RaeAnne Thayne

May 31, 2024 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * 15 SUMMERS LATER by RaeAnne Thayne15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne
Published by Canary Street Press on June 18, 2024
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five-stars

15 summers ago, everything changed…

Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a secret from her past—the truth of what happened to her and her sister all those years ago—that he’d walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move on with the only person who can truly understand…

Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals every day, and she’s in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But she can’t ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back?

With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have built for themselves, the Howell sisters’ reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their futures, they must face the demons of their past together.

 

RaeAnne Thayne’s unique voice always endears me to her story from the very first page! With this summer’s brand new women’s fiction release, Thayne is once again hooking her reader with attention grabbing characters, heartwarming love and also a bit of a twisted background that we learn about a little at a time over the course of the book. This story was slightly unorthodox for Thayne, but really enjoyable and fulfilling to the reader to witness the emotional healing of the characters. It isn’t what I would consider a fluffy beach read as the cover might lead one to believe, but it’s very rewarding once we get to the heart of each character. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys seeing family and friends overcome a past trauma to go on to grow and prosper in happiness and joy.

five-stars
Filed Under: Book Reviews

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