Category: 4 Star

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Kelly reviews The Accidental Unicorn by Dakota Cassidy

TITLE: The Accidental Unicorn
SERIES #: Accidental #18
CHARACTERS: Oliver Baldwin & Vinnie
AUTHOR: Dakota Cassidy
PUBLICATION DATE: September 20, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Oliver Baldwin has a problem.
And it’s a big one.
He has a unicorn horn. A unicorn horn that’s pink and purple and shoots glitter everywhere.
Everywhere…
But that’s not all it does.
So what’s a guy who, out of nowhere, has a swirly horn sprout from his head to do?
He calls the ladies of OOPS and in the process gets a bird’s eye view of a world he never knew existed.
The good news?
Oliver meets a woman named Vinnie who just might change his mind about never falling in love again.
The bad news?
It’s really hard to find the time to get to know someone you think might be the woman of your dreams when you have crazy unicorn hunters hot on your tail, a handful of gods and goddesses who’d like nothing more than to hack your horn off for its special power…
Oh, and the threat of imminent death…

REVIEW:
You are in for a treat in this latest installment in the Accidental Series!!! The ladies of OOPS take on one of their more complicated cases ever.
Who’d have thunk that unicorns really existed. I mean Vampires sure. Werewolves of course. Zombies, duh!!! But Unicorns? Well buckle up because you are about to be taking on a grand adventure of a major “Oops did I do that?” with a large splash of glitter.
This was a great story! As with all of Dakota Cassidy’s Accidental stories we get to see how the OOPS family has grown. How they work together to solve and protect those they believe are their own. This is just a super fun series!! If you are looking for a good make you smile and laugh series you need to pick up one of these books (I would start at the beginning so you know all the history, but I guess you could pick up any book in the series and start there. That is if you don’t mind spoilers.)
Looking forward to what is next in this series. I think I saw something about Trolls.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Twelve Dogs Of Christmas by Lizzie Shane

TITLE: The Twelve Dogs Of Christmas
SERIES #: Pine Hollow #1
CHARACTERS: Ally & Ben
AUTHOR: Lizzie Shane
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/29/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A delightful holiday romance about a small-town single dad and an animal rescue owner as they try to find forever homes for a dozen lovable pups before Christmas.

Pine Hollow has everything Ally Gilmore could wish for in a holiday break: gently falling snow in a charming small town and time with her family. Then she learns some Grinch has pulled the funding for her family’s rescue shelter, and now she has only four weeks to find new homes for a dozen dogs! But when she confronts her Scroogey councilman nemesis, Ally finds he’s far more reasonable — and handsome — than she ever expected.

As the guardian of his dog-obsessed ten-year-old niece, Ben West doesn’t have time to build a cuddly reputation. But he does feel guilty about the shelter closing. So he proposes a truce with Ally, agreeing to help her adopt out the pups. As the two spend more time together, the town’s gossip is spreading faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. And soon Ben is hoping he can convince Ally that Pine Hollow is her home for the holidays. . . and the whole year through.

REVIEW:
Ally comes back to Pine Hollow to help her grandparents with their animal shelter but finds that the shelter is having funding taken away and given to the community center. Now she has to find homes for all the animals in a month.

And as always, there is a devil in the details and in this case it is Ben who was the deciding vote on being defunded and since he is already on her list she is not a happy camper. So off she goes to confront Ben.

But there is more to Ben then being the Grinch. He is raising his niece who happens to love dogs. So Ben says he will help Ally find homes for all of the dogs. And as expected romance begins to bloom.

Ally, Ben, Astrid and the pups make this story worth the read. Living in a very small town I could see this exact thing happening here.

By the end of this book I kept thinking how Hallmark HAS to make this book into a Christmas movie. Great way to start getting into the holiday spirit.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews See Her Die by Melinda Leigh

TITLE: See Her Die
SERIES #: Bree Taggert #2
CHARACTERS: Bree & Matt
AUTHOR: Melinda Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/15/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sheriff Bree Taggert is both hunter and hunted in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s blood-freezing thriller of murder, rage, and revenge.

New sheriff Bree Taggert is called to a shooting in a campground shuttered for the winter. But she arrives to find a perplexing crime. There is no shooter, no victim, and no blood. No one but Bree believes the sole witness, Alyssa, a homeless teenager who insists she saw her friend shot.

Bree calls in former deputy Matt Flynn and his K-9 to track the killer and search for Alyssa’s friend. They discover the battered corpse of a missing university student under the ice in Grey Lake—but it’s not the victim they were looking for.

When two more students go missing and additional bodies turn up, Bree must find the link between the victims. She knows only one thing for certain: the murders are fueled by rage. When Alyssa disappears, Bree must race against time to find her before her witness becomes another victim.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I tried the first book in the series because a friend likes Melinda Leigh’s books. I picked up the second one because the first was so good.

I really thought the beginning of this story was interesting. Bree, as the new sheriff, is called in on a murder-that-wasn’t. Meaning she gets to the crime scene and there is no there. Not even a victim. So how can she investigate?

She calls in Matt Flynn and his K9. And then up pops a murder of a University student and now Bree has to figure out what these murders and the murders that come after have to do with each other.

I like Bree. I like her as a Sheriff, as an Aunt, as a potential romantic partner with Matt and just in general as a “person”.

I really look forward to the next on in the series.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Bears Behaving Badly by Mary Janice Davidson

TITLE: Bears Behaving Badly
SERIES #: BeWere My Heart #1
CHARACTERS: Annette & David
AUTHOR: MaryJanice Davidson
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/31/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
These social worker bear shifters give the term “mama bear” a whole new meaning! Bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with this brand-new paranormal romance series featuring a foster care system for at-risk shifter babies and teens.

Werebear shifter Annette Garsea is a caseworker for the Interspecies Placement Agency. When a selectively mute and freakishly strong teen werewolf is put in her custody, Annette has to uncover the young girl’s secrets if she’s to have any hopes of helping her. And not even the growling of a scruffy private investigator can distract her from her mission…

Bear shifter David Auberon appreciates Annette’s work with at-risk teen shifters, but he’s not sure if her latest charge is so much a vulnerable teen as a predator who should be locked up. All that changes when he, Annette, and her motley band of juveniles find themselves dodging multiple murder attempts and uncovering a trafficking cartel that doesn’t just threaten the kids, but risks discovery of the shifters by the wider world of homo sapiens.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts First this is the first in a new series. And can I say I am just so happy to read a shifter novel that is NOT about wolves. I mean I love wolf-shifters but there are like a million other kinds of animals in the world.

Anyway…… This was really cute. There was a lot of humor and fun mayhem in this book that actually had me smiling and chuckling at certain times. David has a crush on Annette, Annette has a crush on David… They do not think the other like the other and when posted together to find a group of traffickers of shifters they start getting a little clearer picture of each other and really in the most humorous of ways.

This is a really cute story and I look forward to the next in the series.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Deadly Houses by Charlie Gallagher

TITLE: The Deadly Houses
CHARACTERS: Maddie Ives
AUTHOR: Charlie Gallagher
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/14/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
THEY LOST THEIR FAMILIES, NOW THEY’RE COMING FOR YOURS

Four brutal men destroyed their own families. And they will do anything to get them back.

Detective Maddie Ives won’t let that happen.

She works with the people who will keep them safe. But then the team protecting them begin to be hunted down.

The social worker leading the case is found beaten and suffocated. A man turns himself in claiming to be the killer, but Maddie knows he’s lying.

FEAR WILL MAKE YOU DO THE UNIMAGINABLE

Three more victims are under pressure. If they fail, their families will die.

Detective Maddie Ives faces a heart-pounding race against time to connect the crimes. And she calls in Harry Blaker, still grieving the loss of his own daughter, to help.

YOU’RE NOT EVEN SAFE IN YOUR OWN HOUSE

REVIEW:
I have not read any of the books in this series. And while the story itself can be read as a stand alone I believe if I had read the previous ones I would have understood Detective Maddie Ives a bit better but I really enjoyed the suspense of this book. And I very well may go back and read the others in the series.

I will say it took me a bit to get into the suspense part of the book. Mainly, because we already knew so much. I mean there is suspense but we know what is going on more than the police do and it took a bit away from the beginning for me. But once I got into the book some I enjoyed it.

It can be a bit creepy but still a good read. Have a light on.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Whirlwind by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Whirlwind
SERIES #: The Champions #1
CHARACTERS: Shane & Lexie
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/25/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
At the Alamo Canyon Ranch, set amid the desert foothills of Southern Arizona, the Champion women carry on the family legacy of breeding bucking bulls for the rodeo. In a world where bloodline is everything, love is the only risk worth taking . . .

Everyone’s talking about Whirlwind at this year’s Professional Bull Rider’s Competition. But the promising young bull is the last thing on Shane Tully’s mind once he lays eyes on the lady responsible for bringing Whirlwind to the arena. Beautiful, smart, and sexy as hell, Lexie Champion has this rodeo man hungry for more than the thrill of his next competition. But the daughter of bull rancher Bert Champion wants nothing to do with a daredevil, despite the powerful attraction between them . . .

After losing her beloved brother to a bull riding accident, Lexie is no stranger to the dangers of rodeo life. Which is why resisting Shane’s rugged allure should have been easy. But nothing is simple about her reaction to the handsome cowboy, from their first kiss, to the terrifying moment Lexie watches Shane go down in the ring. Faced with a devastating decision, will Lexie make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love?

REVIEW:
This is a new series from Janet Dailey. Dailey was one of the best in women’s lit. The interesting thing is Dailey passed in 2013 but she did what she loved and wrote. Thankfully her family continues to share all the works she wrote before her passing.

I kept thinking as I read this book that somehow she wrote a (clean) version of Yellowstone before the tv show was released. There are cowboys, romance, drama, rodeo and mostly family.

Somehow Dailey catches you from the first moment and never lets go. I have been a fan for decades and I will keep reading her books until the family says there are no more. And even after as I reread her stories.

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

4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews The Silence by Kendra Elliot

TITLE: The Silence
SERIES #: Columbia River #2
CHARACTERS: Mason Callahan & Ave McLane
AUTHOR: Kendra Elliot
PUBLICATION DATE: August 25, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A dead conspiracy theorist. A mass murderer. Two cases collide for Callahan and McLane in a pulse-pounding thriller by Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author Kendra Elliot.
A man is savagely murdered outside Portland, and Detective Mason Callahan finds blood-spatter evidence that tells a troubling story. Files reveal the murder victim, Reuben Braswell, was a radical conspiracist. In his home, investigators find pages of diatribes against law enforcement as well as ties to Mason’s fiancée, FBI special agent Ava McLane. The victim was her informant—and had strong reasons to be paranoid.
To Ava, Braswell’s rants were those of a wearying and harmless man…until they collide with her investigation into the murders of police officers and finding the connection becomes urgent. Meanwhile, Braswell’s brother and Ava’s twin sister both disappear, and disturbing acts of sabotage target Ava’s personal life.
For Mason and Ava, the brutal crimes and escalating mysteries create a perfect storm for a terrorist conspiracy that becomes dangerously personal—one that has yet to claim its last victim.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Like all good suspense stories starts with a murder and a who done it.
But The Silence adds in so many twists, turns and surprises that I was on the edge of my seat wondering if I was on the right path and like always Ms. Elliot surprises me!!! I love when a suspense book keeps me guessing!!
Another excellent book from Ms. Elliot. It was great to see how Mason and Ava were doing. I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
If you are looking for a great suspense series I would highly suggest picking up one of Kendra’s books!!

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Don’t Hex And Drive by Juliette Cross

TITLE: Don’t Hex And Drive
SERIES #: Stay A Spell #2
CHARACTERS: Isadora & Devraj
AUTHOR: Juliette Cross
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/08/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Notoriously bad at peopling, Isadora Savoie spends most of her time in the greenhouse or at the local animal shelter, using her Conduit powers of growth and healing. Content to remain in the background of the Savoie sister shenanigans, she’s reluctantly roped into the mystery of missing neighborhood girls. Now, she’s partnered with a flashy, flirty vampire to find them before it’s too late.

Devraj Kumar has seen and done it all. Three hundred years roaming the earth as a Stygorn—a legendary vampire warrior who operates in the shadows—has its perks. But ennui has set in. That is, until he has a run-in—literally—with an intriguing witch while on a new assignment in New Orleans. Fascinated by her resistance to his charms, Devraj can’t help but push her buttons in an effort to get to know the shy witch. Fortunately for him, she’s been recruited by the Lord of Vampires to assist Devraj on the case.

Between a Bollywood marathon, supernatural dating app, secret package, and sexy driving instruction, Isadora is in over her head. And Devraj? After just one taste, he’s playing for keeps.

REVIEW:
Too funny! This is the second in the series and I did not read book one but that is ok. It most certainly can be a stand alone as this time it is about Isadora (I guess book one was about her sister) and Devraj.

Isadora is a healing witch, and she loves her plants and animals. People not so much. She is really just an introverted witch. Devraj is an old vampire who is asked to find out why there have been missing girls in the area and it’s being blamed on another vampire. But when the two meet and Isadora doesn’t fall for her vampy charm Devraj becomes obsessed with this shy witch.

An adorable paranormal romance. I just loved these characters.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Dark Song by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Dark Song
SERIES #: Dark #30
CHARACTERS: Elisabeta & Ferro
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/01/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The 30th book in the Dark / Carpathian series is about Ferro and Elisabeta.

Stolen from her home at a young age and tormented for centuries, Elisabeta Trigovise is scared to show herself to anyone. Even though she has been rescued and is now safe within the Carpathian compound, she has lived in fear for so long she has no idea how to survive without it. She wants to answer the siren call of her lifemate–but the very thought terrifies her.

Before he found Elisabeta, Ferro Arany was an ancient warrior without emotion. Now that his senses have come alive, he knows it will take more than kind words and soft touches to convince the fractured woman that they are partners, not master and prisoner. For now, he will give her his strength until she finds hers, allowing the steady rhythm of his heart to soothe Elisabeta’s fragile soul.

But even as she learns to stand on her own, the vampire who kept her captive is desperate to claim her again, threatening the song Elisabeta and Ferro are writing together.

REVIEW:
This is the 30th (30th!!!) in this series. But the amazing part? I can’t wait for even more. As one of the Queens of Paranormal, in my opinion, I can’t get enough of her stories. And this time we read Elisabeta and Ferro. Elisabeth has been a captive for so longer once she is no longer a prisoner she doesn’t know how to live. Ferro is willing to take it slow and teach her that love is not another prison.

Another incredible read from Feehan. No matter how many times I travel into a world of Feehan I can’t wait to visit again.

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

4 Hearts

https://amzn.to/3gycMB7

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Snowball’s Christmas by Kristen McKanagh

TITLE: Snowball’s Christmas
CHARACTERS: Emily & Lukas
AUTHOR: Kristen McKanagh
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/29/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Snowball–an aptly named bundle of feline fluff–is thankful to be spending her first Christmas in the comfort of Weber Haus, the Victorian B&B run by Miss Tilly. Emily Diemer, who cooks for the guests, dotes on Snowball, but she’s not thrilled about another new arrival at the B&B: Miss Tilly’s nephew, Lukas. Which is odd, because Snowball’s animal instincts tell her that Lukas and Emily should definitely be friends.

Everything Emily needs is in this quaint community–including, she hopes, the chance to open her own bakery one day. She doesn’t think much of Lukas for leaving his aging aunt to struggle while he jets around the world taking photographs. But now that he’s here, helping to spruce up the property and getting mixed up in Snowball’s antics, she begins to soften a little. Until she learns what he has planned . . .

Lukas is going to sell Weber Haus so that Miss Tilly can retire. But Snowball is certain that this B&B, and these people, are supposed to be her forever home. Somehow she has to get these stubborn humans to see things through the wisdom of a cat’s eye and a kitten’s loyal, loving heart . . .

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This was a quick read that had me read to start the holidays. I will admit it was the cover that dragged me in and then I read the synopsis and thought “Why not?” and I am glad I did. This is a sweet holiday romance set about by a kitten who’s animal instinct tells her Emily and Lukas are supposed to be together.

Having had kittens throughout my life I could imagine every scene of this little furball… I mean Snowball… as it happens.

The story is perfect to start off the season of holiday romances.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews What Not To Wear To Graveyard by Debra Sennefelder

TITLE: What Not To Wear To Graveyard
SERIES #: Resale Boutique Mystery #3
CHARACTERS: Kelly Quinn & Constance Lane
AUTHOR: Debra Sennefelder
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/08/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After trading her Manhattan digs for her upstate hometown, fashionista Kelly Quinn has big plans for her grandmother’s consignment shop. But this All Hallow’s Eve someone is already dressed to kill . .

A socialite’s missing dog has made front page news in Lucky Cove—complete with a hefty reward. But between renovating the consignment shop, planning her costume for a 1970s themed Halloween party, and scouting a location for a fashion shoot, Kelly doesn’t have time to search. Yet a visit to the local colonial-era cemetery—ideal for the moody atmosphere she’s after—soon turns up the precious pooch. Kelly’s looking forward to collecting the check—until she makes a gruesome discovery in an abandoned farmhouse: The dog’s owner, stabbed through the heart.

Kelly can’t help wondering why Constance Lane was traipsing around the farmhouse in stilettos. But as Kelly gets decked out in a vintage disco caftan, that isn’t the only fashion misstatement spooking her. Hidden in the dead woman’s past is a secret that could be the motive for the murder. And as the Halloween party gets started, even a menacing clown and a threatening bearded lady can’t keep Kelly from trick or treating for the truth—even if it means her last dance . . .

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is a quick read to a series I have not read, however, this can be read as a stand alone even though it was cute enough that I will go back and read the first two.

I thought this was a light hearted cute read. It is not a paranormal even if from the title you think it is. It is more of a who-dun-it. I enjoyed Kelly. She seems over her head at times but yet she prevails.

Enjoyable!

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Sunrise On Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr

TITLE: Sunrise On Half Moon Bay
CHARACTERS: Adele & Justine
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/14/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes the happiness we’re looking for has been there all along…

Adele and Justine have never been close. Born twenty years apart, Justine was already an adult when Addie was born. The sisters love each other but they don’t really know each other.

When Addie dropped out of university to care for their ailing parents, Justine, a successful lawyer, covered the expenses. It was the best arrangement at the time but now that their parents are gone, the future has changed dramatically for both women.

Addie had great plans for her life but has been worn down by the pressures of being a caregiver and doesn’t know how to live for herself. And Justine’s success has come at a price. Her marriage is falling apart despite her best efforts.

Neither woman knows how to start life over but both realize they can and must support each other the way only sisters can. Together they find the strength to accept their failures and overcome their challenges. Happiness is within reach, if only they have the courage to fight for it.

Set in the stunning coastal town of Half Moon Bay, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr’s new novel examines the joys of sisterhood and the importance of embracing change.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts I would have picked up this book no matter what because it is Robyn Carr and I love her work, but when I read Half Moon Bay and it was set in the coastal town not far from where I grew up I knew I had to read it. I can picture every scene Carr writes. And I loved it!

This is a story of Addie and Justine. Sisters who love each other but, as I tell my son, don’t necessarily like each other. But life is changing for both of them so now they need to turn to each other.

I have always loved the way Robyn Carr writes but something about this story was special to me. Maybe it was the location, or the fact that I just found out I have a half-sister but this story just really hit home.

I loved Addie and Justine and all they have and all they want to have. Another great story worth every hour Robyn Carr put into it.

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

4 Hearts