Review: TOUGH JUSTICE by Tee O’Fallon

B01DAB5A-5F5F-4AB7-8A58-96D58B32824C
TOUGH JUSTICE (K-9 Special Ops Series Book 1) by Tee O’Fallon

Publication Date: March 29, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Synopsis

0FF56DC6-3D37-4BD9-914A-15885C0BC145It should have been a routine investigation. Instead, DEA K-9 agent Adam “Deck” Decker watches in horror as one Denver hospital seems to be Ground Zero for overdoses of a new drug. Now Deck can only hope a certain icy, green-eyed ER doctor will help him and his canine partner track down the deadly source.

Dr. Tori Sampson has her reasons for not trusting federal agents, especially ones working for the DEA. But the rash of overdoses—including a heartbreaking case involving a teen—is alarmingly high. And the new opioid is not only extremely dangerous, it defies all the usual medical treatments. So Tori has a choice: work with the big, brawny, and annoyingly hot DEA agent…or watch more innocent people die.

Tori’s the only person who can help Deck break the case, and they’ll need to trust each other, no matter how high the tension and attraction sizzling between them runs. But with every question answered, they realize there’s something more behind these typical teen overdoses. There’s a pattern here, and a pattern can only suggest one thing. There’s a killer on the loose.

~*~*~*~

8EFDC566-9513-422B-9FC7-564B903C39EA

I’m a sucker for K-9 stories and was not disappointed in this one. This romantic suspense kept me glued to the pages and guessing until the end. The tension and danger around the string of opioid deaths was riveting and framed the romance nicely. The one downside for me was understanding two intelligent professionals harboring a general mistrust and hatred for certain professions. (I don’t want to give away any storyline.) It took me out of the story’s flow when it was brought up…a lot. Especially Tori’s particular dislike – the DEA were just doing their jobs.  (Ok, I’ll quit on that bit.)

The book was an enemies-to-lovers with a slow burn romance. Normally I like the physical stuff to move faster, but it worked for this story. Deck was the usual hot DEA Agent. I enjoyed his camaraderie with the other agents and his personality. He was my favorite kind of book hero. Tori was a strong and smart ER Doctor that could take care of herself. I liked that the only time she became a damsel in distress, was when she was out of her realm of experience. They made a good and realistic couple. Now – for my favorite character of this book – K-9 Officer Thor. I just loved that dog.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

2B22327B-441A-4256-862F-D8A8FC166677

Buy Links

Kindle | Paperback

~*~*~*~

About the Author

B4E77096-0243-4F0E-B751-179A744A6B8CTee O’Fallon has been a federal agent for twenty-two years, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. Tee’s job affords her the unique opportunity to work with the heroic and sexy men in law enforcement on a daily basis. For Tee, research is the easy part!

Besides reading and writing, Tee loves cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and her Belgian sheepdog.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

Review: THE NIGHTSLAYER by Zoe Forward

8CF4CDF6-F1AE-442D-9E01-245675B8D0B3
THE NIGHTSLAYER by Zoe Forward

Publication Date: March 30, 2022

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

732346E9-25F0-4E16-A65E-58A196ED531AGemma Leight doesn’t believe in magic—not after years of witnessing senseless tragedy as an ER nurse. But the sexy vampire anti-hero in her new favorite medieval-esque TV show speaks to her. As in, he says her name while looking at her through the screen. Just when Gemma’s convinced she hallucinated the whole thing, she gets pulled into his world.

For over a century, Skarde Blackmann has roamed as a hunter-for-hire against evil creatures. The moment he begins to believe the prophecy about him is bogus, Gemma comes through a mirror. One slip up, one bite to the sassy woman who makes him laugh, and she’ll become a vampire—and condemn his soul to damnation. Not a problem; he’ll just keep his distance.

But when Gemma’s life is at stake, staying away is no longer an option…

~*~*~*~

59B29AD9-207B-4633-A1D6-45D646BB766E

This is my first novel by Zoe Forward, and it won’t be my last. I found Nightslayer to be a fun and quick paranormal romance. Gemma’s life was rooted in gritty reality despite her friend being a witch. I liked that about her – that friendship helped her deal with the odd circumstances that propelled her into a new reality. It was a hoot watching her ramble on about things and sayings we would understand but were completely foreign to those on the other side. That made it fun to watch the taciturn  Skarde struggle to maintain his reputation as the biggest badass around. The storyline seemed a bit rushed at parts, and some behavior made me want to smack them upside the head, but I still enjoyed the dangerous twists and turns around their friends and foes…especially the characters I wasn’t sure about. I hope the next books is about Skarde’s brother. That I would like to see.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

2650AA83-73BD-4E99-8B57-1A53E4481FF9

1321F0BB-9F9F-4177-8C17-5852587DADFF

Kindle 

~*~*~*~

image

AE2FEC1B-5C5B-470D-83EB-FF29B84EFCA8USA Today bestselling author, parent, wife, veterinarian, chocolate lover. Author of spicy paranormal and contemporary romances. Zoe Forward brings readers the perfect combination of action adventure, romance, humor and a bit of magic.

Her novels have won numerous awards including the Prism, Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence, Golden Quill, Carolyn Readers Choice Award, and the Booksellers’ Best Award.

You can find her residing in the South with a menagerie of four-legged beasts and two wild kids.

See the latest on Zoe’s website: http://www.zoeforward.com

Don’t miss the newsletter: http://www.zoeforward.com/contact/

Review: PHANTOM GAME by Christine Feehan

4AD92575-C25A-4FB7-ACC1-340945E19386
PHANTOM GAME (A GhostWalker Novel Book 18) by Christine Feehan

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

E2DF688F-0338-4633-879B-C04095471650Two predators collide with unbridled passion in this intoxicating GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Jonas “Smoke” Harper has watched his brothers find their perfect mates, never imagining he’d actually meet someone who complements every part of him—even the monster that lurks within. But his instant connection with Camellia goes far beyond wanting the intelligent, beautiful, and lethal woman in his bed. They are two parts of a whole, linked to each other and to a larger network that exists everywhere around them.

Camellia has lived on her own for a long time, relying on her unique psychic abilities to keep her safe. She knows that Jonas was literally made for her, and that makes their addictive connection more dangerous than a thousand enhanced super soldiers. Once the larger threat looming over them is dealt with she’s going to get far away as fast as she can. Life has taught her that the only one she can truly trust is herself.

Jonas can sense Camellia is going to run—and the hunter inside doesn’t want to let go. Not when he knows how good they’ll be together. So he’ll just have to use all of his considerable skills to convince her to stay….

~*~*~*~

9C0F7809-58BB-4C10-90BE-5BCF72FB53CE

I enjoyed this installment in the GhostWalker series, especially since we get back to Team One again. I like the close-knit dynamic of that group and how they pull together during a crisis. The start of this book was a bit slow due to detailed descriptions of things that bogged it down for me. I would rather it had been more character driven. That feeling quickly changed as I came to appreciate how the author blended their personalities seamlessly as the story progressed.  Camellia was intelligent and self-driven, yet soft at heart. I’m glad that Jonas appreciated and was awed by her ability to accept and discover what her abilities were capable of doing. It was good to see him leaning on her for help with his own issues while still being strong. I’m usually not a fan of “fated love”, but they made it seem so natural and lovely.

The story itself was intense. Not so much physical battles, but battles that are unseen and can only be guessed at. The tension was fun and held me captive. I loved Jonas and Camellia’s unique abilities, it made for a fun and engrossing read. I won’t go into details on the storyline or their abilities, as I want the reader to make that journey without me giving it away. If it isn’t on the blurb…I am not going to share. Just know that I loved it.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review. 

~*~*~*~

B4000192-C151-471A-AF31-AC7C5A8B473C

Buy Links

Kindle | Hardback

Amazon Series Link

~*~*~*~

image

image#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan has over 40 novels published, including four series. Each of her four series has hit #1 on the NY Times. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature for 1999. Since then she has been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards.

She is pleased to have made numerous bestseller lists including the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Bookscan, B. Daltons, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, Ingrams, Borders, Rhapsody Book Club, Washington Post, and Walmart. She has received numerous honors throughout her career including being a nominee for the RWA’s RITA. She has received a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and the Borders 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.

She has been published in multiple languages and in many formats, including large print, palm pilot, e-book, and hardcover. In October of 2007 her first manga comic, Dark Hunger was released in stores. This was the first ever manga comic released by Berkley Publishing and it made #11 on Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller’s List. Her ground-breaking book trailer commercials have been shown on TV and in the movie theaters. She has been featured on local TV, appeared on the The Montel Williams Show, and her book Dark Legend was featured on the cover of Romantic Times Magazine.

Christine Feehan has also appeared at numerous writers’ conventions and book signings including: Romantic Times Convention, Get Caught Reading at Sea Cruise, Celebrate Romance Conference, Emerald City Conference, and numerous Romance Writers of America Conferences.

Website | Facebook | TwitterPinterest

Review: MR. WRONG NUMBER by Lynn Painter

076CA5B4-B68C-4C2C-BC93-30B3D5B9A2C3
MR. WRONG NUMBER by Lynn Painter

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

5039B00E-2B05-4520-A7B4-AC76722FC6B2Things get textual when a steamy message from a random wrong number turns into an anonymous relationship in this hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter.

Bad luck has always followed Olivia Marshall…or maybe she’s just the screw-up her family thinks she is. But when a “What are you wearing?” text from a random wrong number turns into the hottest, most entertaining—albeit anonymous—relationship of her life, she thinks things might be on the upswing….

Colin Beck has always considered Olivia his best friend’s annoying little sister, but when she moves in with them after one of her worst runs of luck, he realizes she’s turned into an altogether different and sexier distraction. He’s sure he can keep his distance, until the moment he discovers she’s the irresistible Miss Misdial he’s been sort of sexting for weeks—and now he has to decide whether to turn the heat up or ghost her before things get messy.

~*~*~*~ 

6A12C2EC-CE7A-4EEB-9F3F-3CD31FA0F38D

I was pulled into the story immediately by the witty banter and hilarious texts between Olivia and the wrong number. The writing style was also fast and lively, pulling you forward into the tale. Sadly, I did not like Olivia. Yes, she was a walking disaster, but her disregard for other people’s property bothered me. I kept reading in hopes that she would grow on me. She did not. Therefore, I never understood the attraction from Colin. This would have been one of my favorite stories if she had just been likeable. The back and forth between the characters did make me smile and laugh, so I am giving this book a 3.5. I’ll try this author again because I enjoyed her writing style and pace.

*Review copy provided by Pengiun in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Buy Links

Kindle | Paperback

~*~*~*~

About the Author

Lynn Painter lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and pack of wild kids. She is a community columnist for the Omaha World-Herald, as well as a regular blogger for their parenting section. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found eating her feelings and shot-gunning cans of Red Bull.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~*~*~

Review: THE DEEPER I FALL by Erika Kelly

989354DA-75EA-408C-A0CD-2E9D66598F63
THE DEEPER I FALL (A Calamity Falls Small Town Romance Novel Book 10) by Erika Kelly

Publication Date: February 24, 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

IMG_3306

AA9B41F0-5332-4D92-8493-19A9E9FADB2EHe’s a rough and rugged hockey player. She’s a posh British princess. To win an enormous inheritance, they’re forced to live together.

This is not going to go well.

When his former hockey coach passes away, Declan Cadell is shocked to learn the man left him a cattle ranch. Well, not exactly. He’s got one little hurdle to jump first. He has to win a trivia contest against the man’s estranged daughter. Oh, and there’s a caveat: he’s only in the running if he lives and works with the spoiled princess who blew off one of the greatest men he’s ever known.

As if it wasn’t hurtful enough that Seraphina Crutchley’s biological father replaced her with a bunch of sweaty hockey boys, now he’s forcing her to vie for her inheritance with one of them. Worse, the guy clearly can’t stand her because if—no, when she wins the contest—she’ll sell the land and return home to London. Why on earth would she keep a cattle ranch in Wyoming?

But Seraphina comes to learn the contest is about so much more than a ranch. It’s about learning who her father was and why he stopped asking to see her. It’s about falling in love…and finding the courage to fight for it.

~*~*~*~

Cori 4.5 Stars

Erika Kelly delivered another great love story. This one was a little different than some of her others. I didn’t immediately love the heroine. She went through a lot of character development. Declan and Phinney were complete opposites but worked. This story was emotional, steamy and kept me turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted more. I highly recommend anything Erika Kelly writes for romance lovers. She always delivers a well written story with great characters, plenty of romance and a happily ever after.  

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

D62EADBA-6973-4451-A4E9-7F864FBCB447

Buy Links

Kindle | Paperback

Amazon Series Link

~*~*~*~

image

604CAF16-513E-40B9-A008-94B19D5E8AF7 Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she lives in the northeast, drinks a lot of tea, and is always waiting for her cats to get off her keyboard.


Review: THE IMMORTAL by Gena Showalter

733A2060-0660-40CB-B063-38F536892480

THE IMMORTAL (The Warlord Series Book 2) by Gena Showalter

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

F0124386-126D-4BC5-BF49-15E3CAC7E90CNew York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter delivers The Immortal, the second dark and sexy book in her Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a cold, merciless assassin and a stubborn harpy warrior… one fated to die by the other’s hand.

Halo Phaninon, assassin of gods, is as cold and merciless as a machine. For victory, he crosses any line. When tasked to kill twelve of mythology’s fiercest monsters in twenty-four hours, Halo eagerly accepts. Except, each morning he awakens to the same day, forced to relive new horrors. Only one other person retains their memory—the beauty who threatens his iron control.

Ophelia the Flunk Out hates her disaster of a life. She’s the family disappointment, a harpy warrior without a kill and powerless—or is she? Nearly every night she’s doomed to repeat her own murder, but each morning she arises to spar with Halo, the ruthless warlord increasingly determined to save her…and lure her to his bed.

Halo’s insatiable desire for the stubborn Ophelia drives him wild…and he only craves more. If he remains in the time loop, they stay together. But if he escapes, they lose each other forever.

~*~*~*~

Cori 5 Stars

I started the year off with this book and it did not disappoint. I loved Halo and Ophelia together. A harpy was just what Halo needed to shake up his life. If I could be anything I think I would be one of Gena Showalter’s harpies. IMMORTAL kept me up all night flipping the pages. Lots of angst, humor, sexy times, danger and a great love story. I highly recommend this series! It is a spin-off from the Lords of the Underworld Series but it can be read as a stand alone series. I love the LOTU series and highly recommend it if you haven’t read it though. It’s one I read over and over and it never gets old. Gena Showalter is one of my favorites.

*Review copy provided by Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

203F0DF0-43D2-4607-9911-12ACFD515495

Buy Links

Kindle | Hardback

~*~*~*~

About the Author

411A3C05-FDF9-4C09-BE5D-F743C622384CGena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfan

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Review: HUNTER’S HOPE by Alyssa Day


HUNTER’S HOPE (Vampire Motorcycle Club Book 2) by Alyssa Day

Publication Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Romance

image

EA1DB6A6-2AD1-492F-8114-2ADB80D2072FHunter Evans risked his life again and again as a firefighter until the night he died saving a child…only to be reborn as a vampire. Now the man who lived his life as the quintessential “nice guy” must find a way to conquer the deadly urges that threaten to turn him feral. When his own actions put a beautiful woman in danger, he vows to protect her…even from himself.

Alice Darlington has a secret of her own: she sees ghosts. She thought she’d done a good job of keeping it under wraps—until now. A terrible threat from her past is hunting her down in order to use her power for dark purposes. Now she’s on the run and doesn’t know who to trust or where to go.

When Hunter and Alice team up to battle the dangers coming at them from all sides, they’re forced to rely on each other. But Hunter doesn’t know how long he can keep the beast inside him away from the woman it craves…

~*~*~*~

Donna 5 Stars

I enjoyed this lovely escape from reality. Alice is understandably a bit quirky, which I enjoyed right away. Her pet rescue facility has a fun assortment of odd animals, which only adds to her likeability and the fun factor of the story. She and Hunter made a good couple, he appreciates her strengths even while trying to protect her. They each made the other stronger. Their romance edged a bit toward the too sweet side, but that was tempered with a sexiness I enjoyed.

There was danger directed at everyone, but it didn’t have me chewing my nails as I read. The suspenseful story wrapped wonderfully around the group dynamics of the vampires and werewolves. I loved their camaraderie and banter! It made me wish I were a part of it all.

It’s a fun quick read full of smiles, laughter, danger, and steamy romance. Now I need to go back and purchase book one while waiting for the next installment!

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

7D824811-453C-46AB-8D18-F5A0FC06D03F

IMG_3308

Kindle | Paperback

~*~*~*~

image

Alyssa Day is the pen name (and dark and tortured alter ego) of author Alesia Holliday. As Alyssa, she is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author with more than a million books sold, and she writes the Warriors of Poseidon and Cardinal Witchesparanormal romance series and the Tiger’s Eye Mysteries, a paranormal mystery series.  As Alesia, she writes comedies that make readers snort things out of their noses, and is the author of the award-winning memoir about military families during war-time deployments: Email to the Front. She has won many awards for her writing, including Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award for outstanding romance fiction and the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance novel of 2012.

Alyssa is a diehard Buckeye who graduated summa cum laude from Capital University Law School and practiced as a trial lawyer in multi-million dollar litigation for several years before coming to her senses and letting the voices in her head loose on paper. She has lived all over the country, including Florida, Mississippi, Washington state, Ohio, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Alaska, Michigan, Virginia—and she has lived all over the world: the Philippines, Turkey, and Japan. She loves to travel, and just got back from trips to St. Pete Beach, Florida, New York City, Atlanta, and Savannah, and is heading to Houston soon. She currently lives in Florida with her Navy Guy husband, two kids, and any number of rescue dogs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Review: ONCE UPON A CABIN by Patience Griffin

30E5382B-686C-482D-9A4E-C80A49FA9E64
ONCE UPON A CABIN (Sweet Home, Alaska Book 2) by Patience Griffin

Publication Date: November 30, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

F84830E5-4777-4B8A-9EF4-FA205770F364Two sisters from Texas find themselves exiled to Alaska . . . and thrown into the arms of two very different men.

Tori and McKenna St. James have been living comfortably on their trust funds in Dallas. But their uncle Monty, keeper of the purse strings, decides to push them out of their comfort zones by requiring them to spend one year in Alaska or lose their inheritance. Initially the sisters are stunned, but they aren’t willing to back down from the challenge.

Tori is sent to a primitive homestead outside the tiny town of Sweet Home. She had been prepared to forego fashion magazines and lattes, but not electricity and running water! Will her rugged wilderness guide, Jesse Montana, teach her to survive, or send her fleeing back to civilization? Meanwhile, outdoorsy McKenna is stuck within the concrete walls of an Anchorage bank. Her sexy boss Luke McAvoy is tasked with teaching her the business but what he’s really doing is tempting her. Not that she’s the type to fall for a stuffed suit like him.

Tori and McKenna find much needed solace with Sweet Home’s Sisterhood of the Quilt. Will this crafty group of women be up to the challenge of teaching two outsiders how to sew—and perhaps how to love?

~*~*~*~

59B29AD9-207B-4633-A1D6-45D646BB766E

I enjoyed this book, it captivated me even through the holiday season chaos. Granted, the situation the women were thrust into seemed rather extreme – but it made for a fun escape. Tori was a prissy city girl that I planned to dislike and failed. I liked her and how she pushed herself to rough it in the wilderness despite obvious limitations. Jesse was her “teacher” for the adventure and a perfect match for her. He taught her how to survive without a feeling of rescuing or pampering her. He let her be strong. (I loved the homesteading tips strewn into the storyline.) Tori’s sister McKenna was a secondary romance within the story. This outdoorsy woman had to spend a year in the city to learn the banking business. Personally, I thought she got off easy, especially with Luke there to be her mentor. I wish both romances had a bit more depth in the emotions. It felt like I was told they were falling for each other instead of shown.

I love small town romances that also showcase the people that live there. How others treat the couples reinforces the character’s worthiness of caring. It also helps when the townspeople are fun and engaging. In closing, this is a fun romance. No sexy-time, but I didn’t miss it. I’ve found a new author.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

4E476BC7-4531-4BE5-81E1-2B561863C1EF

1321F0BB-9F9F-4177-8C17-5852587DADFF

Kindle | Paperback

~*~*~*~

image

93D84FA6-99DF-491D-BA4E-D0182D30FAF9Patience Griffin grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River. The author of the Quilts and Kilts and Sweet Home, Alaska novels, she has a master’s degree in nuclear engineering but spends her days writing stories about hearth and home and dreaming about the fictional small town of Gandiegow, Scotland.

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Review: DARK TAROT by Christine Feehan

3324F8A5-C9BB-42B1-A71B-B0F83DEA1E1B
DARK TAROT (A Carpathian Novel Book 35) by Christine Feehan

Publication Date: November 9, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

3E303138-7BB4-4021-8977-765FF09BFEE6Light and dark combine as the cards reveal hidden truths in this intoxicating installment in Christine Feehan’s #1 New York Times bestselling Carpathian series.

Sandu Berdardi continues to exist only to protect his people. An ancient Carpathian, his entire long life has been dedicated to honor above all else. He knows his time has passed, especially since he has not been able to find his lifemate—the anchor to keep him sane in a world he no longer understands. But just as he truly starts to give up hope, a voice reaches out to him in the night and his world explodes into color.

Adalasia enters Sandu’s mind seamlessly, as if she has been a part of him forever. While she can see the shape of things to come in her deck of cards, her gift is both a blessing and a curse. The true course of Sandu’s quest remains unclear, with danger waiting at every turn. She cannot see everything the future holds, but she does know it is a journey they will take together.

By joining him, she will start them down a dangerous, seductive path from which there is no coming back….

~*~*~*~

8EFDC566-9513-422B-9FC7-564B903C39EA

I truly enjoyed this installment in the Dark series. It gave a nice angle to the normal Carpathian male finding his life-mate and dealing with the vampires. Lasia is a human with psychic abilities and training that make her a force unto her own. She fights demons and has been prepared for a lifelong quest to guard a portal. She is strong and intelligent, yet kind and compassionate. Just like a kick-ass heroine should be. Sander is an ancient, and if you’ve read the series, you know what that means. I love that he isn’t as pushy as some in the past stories. He appreciates her strengths and abilities, letting her do what she must to get the job done. Of course he has a hard time with it….but he does it.

This book also has a group of ancients along with them as they travel. They are mentally linked and manage to share in a small bit of emotion due to Lasia.  During their journey, they meet up with other Carpathians and give the reader a fun ride through all the danger with their camaraderie. Some of the location shifts seemed a bit abrupt, but I was able to immerse myself into the new location and characters. I enjoyed this long book. It was filled with a nice group dynamic, a lovely romance with super sexy times, intricate battles, and a possible lead-in to a new branch to the Carpathian saga.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

B72A9C15-4875-4D2C-B56E-4EC5D7B46D39

Buy Links

Kindle | Hardback

Amazon Series Link

~*~*~*~

image

image#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan has over 40 novels published, including four series. Each of her four series has hit #1 on the NY Times. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature for 1999. Since then she has been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards.

She is pleased to have made numerous bestseller lists including the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Bookscan, B. Daltons, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, Ingrams, Borders, Rhapsody Book Club, Washington Post, and Walmart. She has received numerous honors throughout her career including being a nominee for the RWA’s RITA. She has received a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and the Borders 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.

She has been published in multiple languages and in many formats, including large print, palm pilot, e-book, and hardcover. In October of 2007 her first manga comic, Dark Hunger was released in stores. This was the first ever manga comic released by Berkley Publishing and it made #11 on Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller’s List. Her ground-breaking book trailer commercials have been shown on TV and in the movie theaters. She has been featured on local TV, appeared on the The Montel Williams Show, and her book Dark Legend was featured on the cover of Romantic Times Magazine.

Christine Feehan has also appeared at numerous writers’ conventions and book signings including: Romantic Times Convention, Get Caught Reading at Sea Cruise, Celebrate Romance Conference, Emerald City Conference, and numerous Romance Writers of America Conferences.

Website | Facebook | TwitterPinterest

Review: SWEET LOVE (Forever Adirondacks) by Lauren Accardo 

17D90B11-23BB-435A-9865-5EF6E4DAEF4E
SWEET LOVE (Forever Adirondacks Book 2) by Lauren Accardo 

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

45E82450-511C-4E69-ACF9-2C02CF16FDEBFalling for your best friend might be a recipe for disaster, but this small-town baker can’t help jumping from her pie pan into the fire.

Mila Bailey has always had a special talent for creating unique, show-stopping pies. But until her great-aunt leaves her the entry fee to the Pine Ridge Spring Bake-Off, she’s only ever shared them with friends and family. Thrust into the spotlight, Mila is determined to prove to everyone—but mostly herself—that she has what it takes to compete with top-level bakers. There’s only one flaw in her plan: The not-so-half-baked feelings she’s starting to develop for her best friend, Jared Kirkland.

Jared has always believed in Mila’s gifts, but lately he’s struggling not to fantasize about sampling more than just the spoon from the batter. No matter how much he tries to tell himself that Mila is not for him—his dreams have always reached beyond Pine Ridge—he can’t deny this new spark between them.

Mila embodies Pine Ridge, and Jared wants to break free. How can either of them move on knowing the loves of their lives have been right under their noses all along?

~*~*~*~

59B29AD9-207B-4633-A1D6-45D646BB766E

I enjoyed this contemporary romance. A friends-to-lovers story is always fun when the author can clearly show their long relationship without it feeling forced. The banter and camaraderie between them, and their friends, made me smile. I did get quite frustrated with both Jared and Mila during the progression of their romance. His visceral reaction to anything leading to marriage – his and others – was a bit absurd to me. At times, Mila’s reactions to Jared made me growl. However, they managed to have a steamy build to their relationship that I enjoyed. I liked my trip to Pine Ridge and look forward to visiting again. I’m hoping the next installment is for a certain new addition to this lovely town.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

D3D657E5-00BE-4130-A141-DBA8487E75CD

1321F0BB-9F9F-4177-8C17-5852587DADFF

Kindle | Paperback

~*~*~*~

image

Lauren Accardo is a romance novelist based in New York City and represented by Eva Scalzo at Speilburg Literary Agency. She loves pancakes, print magazines, karaoke, and her stand-up-comic husband. Not necessarily in that order. Her debut novel WILD LOVE is available from Berkley Romance.

Website | Facebook | Twitter