Category: 3 Star

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Natasha reviews Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole

sweet ruinTITLE: Sweet Ruin
SERIES #: Immortals After Dark #16
CHARACTERS: Josephine & Rune
AUTHOR: Kresley Cole
PUBLICATION DATE: December 1, 2015
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty in this sizzling new novel from Kresley Cole’s #1 New York Times bestselling Immortals After Dark series.

A foundling raised in a world of humans
Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Protecting her baby brother Thaddeus became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl…to would-be superhero…to enchanting villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission
Whether by bow or in bed, archer Rune the Baneblood never fails to eliminate his target. In his sights: the oldest living Valkyrie. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty mesmerizes him. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, stealing his forbidden blood—and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…
Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is one of my favorite series, and I was so excited for this book. While I still love the series, and I loved where the book ultimately ended up, I was disappointed with most of it. Rune and Jo are a great match for each other, but I never really connected with either character. Jo seemed so bratty from the very beginning and I found her annoying. Kinda the same with Rune. The story was meandering along for most of the book, with a few exciting points. I will say that towards the end of the book, it really picked up speed and I finally couldn’t put it down. It’s worth reading for that alone. We also finally got more page time from our favorite characters – NIX!! There’s a healthy dose of Nix in this book, which is great for any freaking IAD book! She has to be the most genius character ever created. Though this entire book wasn’t my cup of tea, many important things happened that will affect the entire series, and I am still a huge fan IAD and will gobble up every book released. I do not want the series to end – ever!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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Kimberly reviews Redemption Bay by RaeAnne Thayne

redemption bayTITLE: Redemption Bay
SERIES #: Haven Point #2
CHARACTERS: McKenzie & Ben
AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/30/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne brings you back to Haven Point—a place made for second chances…

McKenzie Shaw would do anything for her beloved hometown of Haven Point. It may be small and struggling, but it’s never let her down…unlike gorgeous, infuriating Ben Kilpatrick. He was her childhood hero until he closed his family’s factory, leaving the town’s economy in shambles. Now he’s back—his tech firm is considering opening a local facility. For Haven Point’s sake, McKenzie has to grit her teeth and play nice.

What could a town filled with painful memories ever offer Ben? He left Haven Point behind years ago, for good reason. Yet seeing the town through the eyes of McKenzie—its fiery young mayor—he suddenly has his answer. If only he can resolve the animosity crackling between them, Ben may have found the place where he can build ties and find healing…a place where love arrives when it’s least expected.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts So I didn’t seem to get a bunch about this book. Ben is there to see if Haven Point is where Aidan, who we met in book #1, should open up a new portion of his business but Ben has bad memories of his home town. McKenzie is the new mayor and loves her town even though she was brought there as a child under difficult circumstances.

Ok so first Aidan has a new life with Eliza that sorta centers around Haven Point so why is he sending in Ben to check out the town (possible spoiler for this sentence: I half expected Aidan to say I knew we would build here but I wanted you to start over, etc so we would know why Aidan made this happen but that didn’t happen). The town doesn’t like Ben for reasons that the reader understands but I am not sure why Ben doesn’t like the town. I mean I understand the basic but it just seems odd.

The book is a little wordy and repeats things a number of times but that is ok. There was an odd connection between Kenz and Ben if you ask me. I mean they have great moments but then other times there is so much opposition between them that I am not sure it will work.

That all being said I enjoyed the story. Not as much as book one but it is still a good story and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Risk It by Jennifer Chance

risk itTITLE: Risk It
SERIES #: Rule Breakers # 4
CHARACTERS: Rand & Dani
AUTHOR: Jennifer Chance
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/02/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jennifer Chance’s Rule Breakers series turns up the heat as a wealthy playboy and a beautiful con artist engage in a high-stakes game of seduction.

As dominating in business as he is in bed, Rand Sterling Winston, IV, always gets what he wants. And even before he realizes that she’s scammed him into paying triple the cost for her friend’s painting, he wants Dani Michaels. To catch her alone, Rand demands she personally deliver his purchase. The attraction between them is immediate and electric, and he knows she feels it, too. So when the part-time petty thief rebuffs his advances, he gives her a choice: a night in jail or an evening with him.

Despite her checkered past, Dani has never met someone like Rand: brooding, intense, and oh-so tempting. Only a man with a broken soul could make losing control feel this dangerous. Still, when Rand proposes a no-strings, no-holds-barred affair, Dani’s more than a little intrigued. It’ll be the trickiest con she’s ever run and a chance to indulge her steamiest fantasies—nothing more. But as their encounters grow increasingly intimate, Dani uncovers a vulnerable side to Rand’s steely exterior . . . and opens her heart to the ultimate risk.

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts Well you know how you read a series and there is just one that blows you away and one that doesn’t? Well this is the one that doesn’t. I have enjoyed the rest of the series but something about this story just didn’t sit well. First the characters have no chemistry. There is way too much head talk for me. And honestly I really never even liked Rand. I mean this is a romance and he is out looking to get laid more than halfway into the book? Not something I like.

Once thing the author is good at is the sex scenes and this is not different. But I wish I hadn’t had to read the rest of the book to get to the good parts.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Midnight Clear by Hope Ramsey

a midnight clearTITLE: A Midnight Clear
SERIES #: Last Chance #9.5
CHARACTERS: Teri & Tom
AUTHOR: Hope Ramsey
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/01/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dr. Tom Crawford isn’t feeling the spirit of the season when he arrives in Last Chance. Far from friends and family, he’s the odd man out in this town of gossiping, tight-knit Southerners-until he meets a sweetly sexy single mom who makes him feel welcome. Suddenly the handsome doctor is thinking he’s finally found a place to call home. Local florist Teri Summers has her hands full of mistletoe in preparation for the holiday, yet finding someone to kiss is her last priority. But when the gorgeous new doctor makes a connection with her special needs son, Aiden, Teri finds herself wondering if she’s finally found happiness in this season of joy. For Teri and Tom, Last Chance may be their best chance at love . . .

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a sweet story of believing in the spirit of Christmas and the angels that watch over us. The story is short but will get you in the holiday mood.

Teri is a hard working single mom of a boy who is on the Autistic Spectrum. I truly believe that Hope Ramsey wrote a great interpretation of how life is with a child with Autism. The problems they face with always having to watch what is around the child, what the child eats, even what colors are hard for the child to deal with. It is a life of exhaustion and Ramsey showed that without lecturing about the condition. She did a great job!

Tom is a good guy trying to help the new town as well as Teri and her son. But I feel he oversteps too often. As a single mom I would never allow a man who didn’t know my son and the situation to tell me how I should be raising him. I liked Tom but it really put me off a bit to read.

I think this is a story worth telling and worth reading. Especially if you have someone in your life living the life that Teri is.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Eeny Meeny by MJ Arlidge

eeny meenyTITLE: Eeny Meeny
SERIES #: Helen Grace #1
CHARACTERS: Helen Grace
AUTHOR: MJ Arlidge
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/02/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The “dark, twisted, thought-provoking” (#1 New York Times bestseller Tami Hoag) international bestseller—first in the new series featuring Detective Helen Grace.

Two people are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.

It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.

Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense….

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts So let me say I am kind of on the fence with this one. First I am not one for British Suspense. Is that a term? Well it is now. Unless I am reading a historical I am not really into the British thing. And second while reading this I wasn’t really invested in the characters. I do not think the author did a great job of explain them. I actually wondered if this was not the first in the series and I should have already known them but it is the first.

While somewhat interesting the story was a little mind numbing and that can be good and bad. If you want to be steeped in a mystery then it is bad but if you want to read a story and get your mind off your real life then it can be good. So again I am on the fence.

And finally it was a little dark for me. I was interested in a suspenseful story but it just was too dark. Will I pick up the next one in the series… well again I am on the fence. We will see.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kelly reviews The Bali Mystery by Linda Weaver Clarke

bali mysteryTITLE: The Bali Mystery
SERIES: Amelia Moore Detective #1
CHARACTERS: Amelia Moore & Rick Bonito
AUTHOR: Linda Weaver Clarke
NARRATOR: Diane Lehman
RUN TIME: 4 Hours & 26 Minutes
AUDIO PUBLICATION DATE: June 01, 2015
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Audible

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A COZY MYSTERY: Amelia Moore, the founder of the Moore Detective Agency, specializes in missing persons. Her cases have taken her to some interesting places and put her in some dangerous situations, but she always solves the case. With the help of Rick Bonito, her business is flourishing. When Mrs. Brody hires Amelia and Rick to find her missing brother, they find themselves in Bali, Indonesia. They are mystified why her brother quit his job, put his home up for sale, and ran off to this mysterious and exotic island without telling a soul.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This was a cute and quick read (listen, the audiobook was only 4 1/2 hours long so it didn’t take to0 much time). I enjoyed this story. Both Amelia and Rick are fun characters. There were times will listening I had to wonder about Amelia’s detective skills. Thank goodness she had Rick with her to keep her in line and out of trouble. Rick was a hoot and I loved his comic relief on and his bucket list!! I will be picking up the next story in this series. I want to see how Rick and Amelia grow as detectives and I want to see what trouble they may get into next.
Diane Lehman did a really good job narrating this book. I felt like was taking away to Bali. I loved that she actually got to sing a few South Pacific tunes for us both as Amelia and Rick.
If you are a Cosy Mystery reader/listener I believe you will enjoy this story.

Until the next adventure.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Audible.com in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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Kimberly reviews Salvage by Duncan Ralston

salvageTITLE: Salvage
CHARACTERS: Owen Saddler
AUTHOR: Duncan Ralston
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/10/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Something is Lurking Under the Lake…

When Owen Saddler’s little sister mysteriously drowns, Owen is determined to uncover the circumstances by following in her footsteps, even if it means diving into the murky–some would say haunted–waters of Chapel Lake.

Thirty years earlier, the town of Peace Falls had been flooded to build a hydroelectric dam, and its ruins remain below the surface of Chapel Lake. The strange disappearance of the town Pastor, along with many of the parishioners, still haunts the citizens of Chapel Lake. But does the church haunt the lake itself? Is Owen really seeing ghosts… or has he descended into the depths of madness?

Salvage is the debut horror novel of author Duncan Ralston (Gristle & Bone). A darkly disturbing story of depression, religious fanaticism, and the afterlife, Salvage seeks to illuminate the evil within us all.

REVIEW:
2.75 Heart This was not what I expected. First off the “ghost” story had very little ghost at all. The horror was not exactly scary. The suspense didn’t have me on the edge of my seat and the storyline just wasn’t very believable and I am not talking about the paranormal part I am talking the actions of the characters.

The story is very slow and never really builds to the climax I wanted from the story. I kept hoping but nothing.

I am not sure why this story is getting so much high praise everywhere but I just can’t add any praise from my end. I will say the author sure knows how to write a great synopsis. If only the book was as good.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Bad Boy CEO by Sugar Jamison

bad boy ceoTITLE: The Bad Boy CEO
CHARACTERS: Colt & Zanna
AUTHOR: Sugar Jamison
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/03/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Colt King has spent his whole life trying to prove he’s not the trash his hometown of Destiny, Nevada, thought he and his brothers were. As soon as he was old enough he left town, vowing to make a name for himself and never looking back at the place that looked down on him. But that plan goes out the window when his ailing elderly aunt asks him to come home.

He begrudgingly returns to help the woman who raised him. But he’s no longer the poor kid from the bad part of town. He’s the ruler of a custom car empire and a financial genius. He arrives expecting a boring stay, but when he walks into his childhood home to find a woman in nothing but her underwear pointing a shotgun at his face, he knows his trip home will be a memorable one. With his aunt sick and forcing him to help her restore her fledgling hair salon, he has more than enough on his plate. Colt has no idea that her sexy tenant, Zanna, is going to be the cause of his many sleepless nights.

Zanna Jacobs came to the ghost town of Destiny to stay out of trouble and stay the hell away from men. She’s got a serious thing for bad boys that’s she trying to kick, and when she lays her eyes on the brutishly handsome Colt, she knows he’s got bad news written all over him. He’s not the typical thug she goes for: He’s too clean cut, too good looking, and too cold–and when he comes to take over her salon, she’s not going to take it. Zanna decides to show him exactly who the boss is. Colt is used to people following his orders, and when Zanna challenges his every word he finds her infuriating and incredibly sexy. He can’t keep his hands off her…and knows that once he returns to Las Vegas, all bets are off…

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I really enjoy the books from Jamison. I especially enjoy her Perfect Fit series. But this one just didn’t have the same feel for me. I never ended up liking Colt. He was a bit too cold. He never seemed to warm up to me. While the intensity was sometimes there, the heat never seemed to spark. Zanna is supposed to be hard nosed and strong enough to survive a lot but she never had that feel to me.

Now don’t get me wrong. The story was ok. The writing was good. The story just didn’t sit well with me. I know how Jamison writes so I still look forward to the next story she puts out and especially if it is a Perfect Fit title but this just left me cold.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Someone To Save You by Paul Pilkington

someone to save youTITLE: Someone To Save You
CHARACTERS: Sam Becker
AUTHOR: Paul Pilkington
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/03/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A car astride the railway track as an express train approaches at high speed. In the front seat, a woman seemingly determined to end her life. In the back, her two young children are oblivious to the impending disaster.

For talented young heart surgeon, Sam Becker, his heroic actions to save the family mark the beginning of a nightmare. A nightmare that will rip open old wounds, bring him face to face with ghosts from the past, and endanger those he cares for the most.

A nightmare linked to the brutal murder of his sister, fifteen years ago.

A fast-paced suspense thriller, Someone to Save You follows in the tradition of writers such as Linwood Barclay, Harlan Coben and Nicci French.

REVIEW:
This is a quick read that isn’t a real brain teaser but at the same time keeps your interest. This is a re-release from recently. I am not sure if it just didn’t do as well as the publisher wanted but it seems weird to re-release already. Now that being said this would make a good quick read for someone who enjoys thrillers without a lot of suspense.

The writing style is a bit different for me. While I enjoy thrillers I want to be absorbed in it and hopefully not figure it out until the end. I can’t say that is what happened with this one and yet I would recommend it. However if you are looking for deep-thinking and edge of your seat suspense this might not be what you want to pick up.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kelly reviews Ex-Con by Shiloh Walker & M.S. Parker

exconTITLE: Ex-Con
SERIES #: A Bad Boy Romance
CHARACTERS: Bobby Cantrell & Carly Prince
AUTHOR: Shiloh Walker & M.S. Parker
PUBLICATION DATE: November 3, 2015
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N: Coming Soon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
I was an ex-con. A convicted killer. And I knew that’s all anyone would ever see me as. At least I thought so…until I met her…

Ex-Con: Bad Boy Romance
When recent parolee Bobby Cantrell loses yet another job, he resigns himself to the usual struggle of finding a place willing to take a chance on someone with his past. Then, without warning, a gorgeous blonde careens into his life and everything changes.

Carly Prince. Gorgeous. Untouchable. Everything Bobby could ever want and knows he can Ex Con Finalnever have.

Except, maybe, he’s finally found someone who sees something good inside him, something even he can’t see.

What he can’t do, however, is escape from his past. A past that now threatens to destroy the new life he’s building for himself…and threatens people he’s come to care about. Can he save them, or will he have more blood on his hands?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts When I started Ex-Con, Bad Boy Romance I felt like I was reading the movie Pretty Woman, only the roles were reversed. But as the story went on I realized that it was only like the movie in the fact that one was rich and one was not.
I really liked Bobby. Even if he was an Ex-con. He did his time and is trying to be a better person. With a twist of fate Bobby finds himself in the right place at the right time. Even if that means taking a hit over the head from a hand bag.
Carly Prince is Hollywood royalty who just happens to be in the wrong place at the right time. Carly could have never know that here need for some fresh air would lead her to met the man that will forever change her life.
I really enjoyed this story. At every page I was rooting for Bobby and Carly. I wanted Bobby to prove that he is not the cold blooded killer that he thinks he his. As the story goes on we learn more and more about his past. It is heartbreaking, despise everything Bobby turns out to be a pretty good guy.
I am glad that I got this book for review. This is not a normally story that I would have picked up. But I am glad that I did.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shiloh Walker in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie

hot toyTITLE: Hot Toy
CHARACTERS: Trudy & Nolan
AUTHOR: Jennifer Crusie
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/13/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Previously published in the anthology Santa, Baby, HOT TOY is now available as a standalone e-story for the first time!

Mayhem ensues under the mistletoe as a determined shopper grabs the very last hot toy action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the middle of a real-life spy game and in the arms of a sexy secret agent…

REVIEW:
3.25 Hearts This is a short holiday story… sorta. It is about 50 pages and a very quick read. It was part of an anthology that I had not read even though I thought I had read all of Crusie’s books. I had a hard time getting started with this book. First Trudy is a bit well witchy. Nolan seems a bit immature and they didn’t have much chemistry. Then the story takes off a little and then it gets a bit better.

It is set in 2006 over “the toy to have” and back then that would have been a big thing alone but then there is a bit of a spy game going on and who is the bad guy and who is the good guy. If you want a quick read that is set at Christmas time and gives you more of the overload of the holiday than the romance of it than this is a great book…

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kelly reviews Fury Of A Highland Dragon by Coreene Callahan

fury of a highland dragonTITLE: Fury of a Highland Dragon
SERIES #: Dragonfury #5.5
CHARACTERS: Tydrin & Ivy Macpherson
AUTHOR: Coreene Callahan
PUBLICATION DATE: October 27, 2015
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Trapped by a future she refuses to face…
Accused of cyber espionage by the United States government, ethical hacker Ivy Macpherson is now on the FBI’s most wanted list. Out of options, she runs, desperate for time to prove her innocence. When fate takes an unexpected turn, bringing her face-to-face with Tydrin, she must decide—trust a man more dangerous than the hunters on her trail to keep her safe. Or risk capture by a covert agency well known for ruthlessness.

Condemned by a past he doesn’t want to remember…
Cursed with a terrible temper, Scottish dragon-warrior Tydrin struggles to atone for a mistake that took innocent lives. Unable to forgive himself, he returns to the scene of his crime in hopes of finding absolution, but discovers a woman in need of his help instead. Intervening in the nick of time, he whisks Ivy to safety, only to realize the daughter of the family he wronged is the one destined to steal his heart.

REVIEW:
Super excited for a new Dragonfury story. I love this world. I mean come on Dragons!!!! While I love this world and am already looking forward to the next story in this series. Fury of a Highland Dragon was a good story and we got a whole new set of Scottish Dragons. I really liked Tydrin, I really liked Ivy this story was average to me.
Don’t get me wrong. Tydrin and Ivy have a great love story. Everything moved really fast (which is fine and happens in novellas) but there was a big part of the story that left questions unanswered. I hope that this means we will get to revisit Tydrin & Ivy again soon in the future.

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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