Category: Kimberly’s Review

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Kimberly reviews Diablo Mesa by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

TITLE: Diablo Mesa
SERIES #: Nora Kelly #3
CHARACTERS: Nora Kelly
AUTHOR: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/15/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
#1 New York Times bestselling authors Preston & Child continue with the wildly popular series featuring archeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson.

Lucas Tappan, a wealthy and eccentric billionaire and founder of Icarus Space Systems, approaches the Santa Fe Archeological Institute with an outlandish proposal—to finance a careful, scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site, where a UFO is alleged to have crashed in 1947. A skeptical Nora Kelly, to her great annoyance, is tasked with the job.

Nora’s excavation immediately uncovers two murder victims buried at the site, faces and hands obliterated with acid to erase their identities. Special Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned to the case. As Nora’s excavation proceeds, uncovering things both bizarre and seemingly inexplicable, Corrie’s homicide investigation throws open a Pandora’s box of espionage and violence, uncovering bloody traces of a powerful force that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets—and that threatens to engulf them all in an unimaginable fate.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts Another great book from these incredible authors. I love these authors separately but I truly enjoy them when they write together.

In the third book about Nora Kelly we are on the hunt for UFO’s. Yeah, you heard that right. Nora is set to look for a downed UFO from the 40’s but finds dead bodies. Enter Special Agent Swanson and everything Nora uncovers leads to more and more questions.

You can not go wrong with Preston/Child books. There is something special they bring out in each other’s writing when they are together. I highly recommend this series. You will never be disappointed in these two incredible authors.!

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Deadly Caller by OMJ Ryan

TITLE: Deadly Caller
SERIES #: Detective Jane Phillips #6
CHARACTERS: Jane Phillips
AUTHOR: OMJ Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/05/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Two people, an online business meeting. Before it’s over, one of them will be dead.

On a weekly Zoom call with her most valuable client, Antonia Berry is beyond horrified when she witnesses his murder – four-hundred miles away – live on her laptop screen.

DCI Jane Phillips and the Major Crimes Unit begin to investigate and at first it seems the victim is just a regular guy with no obvious enemies or connections to crime. But then, when a woman is killed in a seemingly random hit-and-run, they discover the two victims are closely connected. A coincidence? Or a double murder?

As the team dig deeper into the two attacks, they hardly have time to draw breath before a third victim turns up dead – once more with clear connections to the previous murders.

With the clock ticking, Phillips and her team pull out all the stops, desperate to solve the case before the killer strikes again. The only problem – the person most likely to be the next victim is also the number one suspect.

Can Phillips find the killer before another person dies? Or will her determination to serve and protect at all costs see her become the final victim of the Deadly Caller?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the 6th in the series but I have only read a few of them. In this one Jane Phillips is investigating the murders happening at Ardent Technologies.

The thing about this story and most of the stories by OMJ Ryan is the “who-dun-it” is told about ⅔ to ¾ of the way through the book which is different from most suspense/thrillers that we see today. There is good and bad to this. The good thing is we know who did it so we can enjoy the characters learning the truth when we already know it. The bad is we don’t get to guess along with the characters.

Another good read by OMJ Ryan with a number of twist any fan of the genre will enjoy.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Island by Mary Grand

TITLE: The Island
CHARACTERS: Juliet, Cassie, Mira & Rosalind
AUTHOR: Mary Grand
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/24/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The Island – where everyone knows everyone, and secrets are impossible to keep…
‘Be careful, you don’t know them as well as you think. Remember – anyone can kill.’

Juliet has returned to the Isle of Wight from years abroad to visit her sick father and to be reunited with her three sisters – Cassie, a professional musician who seems to have lost her way in life, Mira, who is profoundly deaf, is married to the local vicar but their relationship is falling apart, and Rosalind, glamorous and charming but now deeply unhappy and secretive about her life.

As Juliet’s father lies dying, he issues her with a warning. There is a killer on the loose, and they may be closer than she can ever imagine. He anxiously tells Juliet that he confided a family secret in son-in-law Rhys, and now regrets ever saying a word.

Days later, as the clock strikes one in the morning, a man comes out of Rhys’s church, walks along the path and is run down by a car driven by an unidentified person. When the finger of suspicion points to Juliet, she realises the only way to clear her name is to uncover the secrets her family has been keeping from her for years. But with a killer on the loose, danger is getting closer all the time…

The Island is set on the Isle of Wight – insular, claustrophobic, and where secrets are hard to keep. Mary Grand’s heart-stopping who-dunnits are perfect for fans of Louise Candlish. Agatha Christie and Lucy Foley.

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts Ok I had a hard time with this book. The story follows Juliet who is trying to find out what her father was trying to tell her on his death bed since she suspects his “accident” was intentional and when her brother-in-law dies as well she is even more suspicious.

The problem comes with the writing. It is so all over the place. It never felt like any conversation gave us any clues or answers. Juliet is a bit irritating. I never really cared if she found out any information and found myself skipping parts of the book and reading just the dialogue to see what was going on.

Just not my cup of tea.

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

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Kimberly reviews John Eyre by Mimi Matthews

TITLE: John Eyre
CHARACTERS: John Eyre
AUTHOR: Mimi Matthews
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/20/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews comes a supernatural Victorian gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s timeless classic.

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he’s ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John’s new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn’t on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she’s powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn’t quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Ok here is the thing. I have never read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I know! As a fan of romance and books in general I should have by now but there are just so many great books out there. Anyway, with that being said it was hard for me to “compare” the books to see if Mimi Matthews was able to pull off the retelling.

Even though I couldn’t compare I can tell you this was a really well written gothic romance. The characters are interesting and charming. The story can turn very dark but you expect that from a gothic story.

I was pleasantly surprised.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Night She Disappeared by Kevin O’Brien

TITLE: The Night She Disappeared
CHARACTERS: Anna Malone
AUTHOR: Kevin O’Brien
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/27/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For fans of Gone Girl and of Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay’s domestic suspense—a gripping novel by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kevin O’Brien, in which “the other woman” becomes the prime suspect when the wife goes missing.

Some nightmares you can’t forget
From the depths of sleep, Seattle TV reporter Anna Malone awakens to her phone ringing. She rarely drinks, and this hangover is brutal. Why can’t she shake the feeling that something terrible happened last night? And why can’t she recall any of it?

But even worse
What Anna does remember: an awkward restaurant meal with her married lover, Russ Knoll, and his unsuspecting wife, Courtney. Russ’s phone call reveals that Courtney is missing, and as days go by with no trace, he comes under police scrutiny. Anna’s in the spotlight too, thanks to a TV rival with a grudge. Anna’s not proud of her affair, but she and Russ aren’t bad people. They’re certainly not the killing kind.

Is the one you can’t remember . . .
Anna already suspected that Courtney—a successful, charming author—might have a darker side. Is she truly missing? Perhaps the sudden disturbances in Anna’s life aren’t accidental after all. But no scenario that Anna imagines can compare to the twisted game unfolding around her, one chilling piece at a time . . .

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I was pleasantly surprised by this story. When her lover’s wife disappears and she has no memory of the night before Anna starts to question everything.

I enjoyed the twist and turns in this story. Just when I thought I had an idea of who and why I was redirected. The writing by O’Brien kept me on the edge wanting to turn the page to find out more details.

Yes, the story premise is nothing new but there was a number of fun details that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Quick Trick by Skye Jordan

TITLE: Quick Trick
SERIES #: Rough Riders Hockey #1
CHARACTERS: Grant & Faith
AUTHOR: Skye Jordan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/12/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Infamous Rough Riders’ playboy Grant Saber has been sidelined for a bum shoulder. If he has to be off the ice for three weeks of recovery, he‘ll do it on his back—breaking in a new wanna-be cowgirl every night. But pressure from the team’s owner and Grant’s parents land him in his hometown of Holly, North Carolina instead. Things look up when he learns the hometown beauty who was once so out of his league is now single, and sexier than ever. Determined to slip in a night with her while he’s in town, Grant is shocked to discover one will never be enough.

Faith Nicholas has no interest in the newest Saber-son gossip. After losing her father just months before, she is now on the verge of losing their family hardware store—which is also her home. She couldn’t care less about the Saber’s big money or flashy toys. But she can’t seem to keep Grant out of her store–or her dreams. His magnetic charisma is impossible to ignore, and the longer he stays in town, the more she finds to love about a man who isn’t as superficial as he’d like others to believe.

With a struggling store, four-hundred miles and a rigorous hockey season looming between them, Grant will have to pull out his very best moves if he’s going to make this quick trick last forever.

ROUGH RIDER HOCKEY NOVELS
QUICK TRICK
HOT PUCK
DIRTY SCORE
WILD ZONE

REVIEW:
3.75 Heart This is a new series by Skye Jordan and this is set around hockey. I am a fan of ice hockey so I was really excited to read this new series.

We meet the Rough Riders in this series and begin with Grant. Grant is a hockey star so when he meets Faith who has no clue who he is Grant wants to get to know her. I really enjoyed Grant. In the beginning he seemed stereotypical of star athletes. Exactly what we think they all are. Egotistical, hot headed and entitled but when we get to know Grant we find he is just a good old fashioned kind of guy. Faith is a sweet hometown girl. She has run her dad’s business since he passed away. The town knows her and she has been hurt enough to not be sure she wants to be involved with Grant but the heart knows what the heart wants.

Another great book by Jordan and I can’t wait to read the rest 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 Nine Lives by Danielle Steel

TITLE: Nine Lives
CHARACTERS: Mary Margaret Kelly
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/06/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A woman who longs to avoid risk at all cost learns that men who love danger are the most exciting in this moving novel from New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.

After a carefree childhood, Mary Margaret Kelly came of age in the shadow of grief. Her father, a dashing daredevil Air Force pilot, died when she was nine. Maggie saw her mother struggle to put their lives back together. As the family moved from one city to the next, her mother warned her to beware of daredevil men and avoid risk at all cost.

Following her mother’s advice, and forgoing the magic of first love with a high school boyfriend who was too wild to feel safe, Maggie instead sought out all the things her mother had lost–a predictable partner, a stable home, and a regular paycheck. She chose to marry a dependable, kind man who was a reliable husband and successful accountant. Together they had a son and found happiness in a conventional suburban life. Until tragedy struck again.

Now on her own, feeling a sense of adventure for the first time, Maggie decides to face her fears, setting off on a whirlwind trip from San Francisco to Rome, Paris, and Monaco. But when her travels reconnect her with the very same irresistible, thrill-seeking man she’s spent thirty years trying to forget, Maggie becomes terrified that rushing into love and sharing his life may very well end in disaster. But ultimately, while Maggie tries to outrun her fears and painful memories of her past, fate will surprise her in the most astounding of ways, as she walks the tightrope between danger and courage, and between wisdom and love.

REVIEW:
I have been a fan of Danielle Steel’s since I was a teenager and have rarely not enjoyed a book from her. And thankfully I enjoyed this story as I usually do.

In this one we meet Maggie who left her first love when they were teenagers because her mom convinced her he was too much of a daredevil to give her any support and a good life. She settled for a man who could give her exactly what her mother said she needed.
But 30 years later she meets her first love and the question of “is fate telling her something” is what she needs to decide.

So on a personal note this happened to me. I met up with my high school love 30 years later and we are now happily married. No it wasn’t for the same reasons as in the story but I felt I had a connection with Maggie as I read this story. Maybe more than any of Steel’s other stories.

Another great story from one of the queens of women’s lit/romance.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Lightning In A Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz

TITLE: Lightning In A Mirror
SERIES #: Fogg Lake #3
CHARACTERS: Olivia & Harlan
AUTHOR: Jayne Ann Krentz
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/18/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The final installment in the chilling Fogg Lake trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

Olivia LeClair’s experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she’s the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.

This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn’t have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There’s just one problem—no one knows Harlan’s real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There’s a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance.

For now, however, it’s a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.

Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project’s most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

REVIEW:
Sadly, this is the last in the trilogy of Fogg Lake. I always hate when Krentz ends one of her series/trilogies. I could read anything Krentz (as well as her other aliases) writes and not be satisfied with where she leaves it. I want more!!!!

In this story Olivia has an offer to help her find who murdered her mother and she decides to take it. Both Olivia and Harlan have abilities that only Krentz could make sound realistic. And they are after the Vortex Lab. The bad guys are even written well.

As I said there is never enough when it comes to Krentz and her books always leave you wanting more even if everything has been answered.

Another great read! Can’t wait for the next 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 Family You Make by Jill Shalvis

TITLE: The Family You Make
SERIES #: Sunrise Cove #1
CHARACTERS: Levi & Jane
AUTHOR: Jill Shalvis
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/11/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis begins a new series–Sunrise Cove–set near beautiful Lake Tahoe, with a heartwarming story of found family and love.

During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend–right before his phone dies.

But Levi and Jane do not.

Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.

As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts This is the first in a new series by Jill Shalvis and I was so excited. I love Shalvis and have enjoyed each of her books and this was no exception.

This book is just adorable. Every part of it. From strangers, Jane and Levi, becoming fake partners to the family and friends the “couple” have.

Shalvis is really one of the best and doesn’t get enough love for her books, characters and her writing skills. I would love to see her books come to life on a streaming service.

Any fan of the romance genre will love Shalvis and since this is a new series it is a perfect time to discover (or rediscover) such a wonderful author.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub

TITLE: The Other Family
CHARACTERS: The Howell Family
AUTHOR: Wendy Corsi Staub
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/18/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub makes her trade paperback debut with a fast-paced thriller in the vein of Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs and Megan Collins’ The Winter Sister. Here, a family making a fresh start moves into a house which was the site of an unsolved triple homicide–and are watched by an unknown person…

The watcher sees who you are…and knows what you did.

It’s the perfect home for the perfect family: pretty Nora Howell, her handsome husband, their two teenage daughters, and lovable dog. As California transplants making a fresh start in Brooklyn, they expected to live in a shoebox, but the brownstone has a huge kitchen, lots of light, and a backyard. The catch: its previous residents were victims of a grisly triple homicide that remains unsolved.

Soon, peculiar things begin happening. The pug is nosing around like a bloodhound. Nora unearths a long-hidden rusty box in the flowerbed. Oldest daughter Stacey, obsessed with the family murdered in their house, pokes into the bloody past and becomes convinced that a stranger is watching the house. Watching them.

She’s right. But one of the Howells will recognize his face. Because one of them has a secret that will blindside the others with a truth that lies shockingly close to home–and to this one’s terrifying history.

REVIEW:
I had a hard time with this story. Mainly because I never really cared about any of the characters. Yeah I kind of wanted to know the secrets they were all hiding but then I was a bit disappointed in what they were.

I used to read Staub but hadn’t read one of her books for a while so I was interested to see if her writing appealed to me anymore. And I was sad that I was not wowed by the story.

There were parts of the story I found that caught my attention but mostly I was just rushing through the story.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Best Of Both Wolves by Terry Spear

TITLE: The Best Of Both Wolves
SERIES #: Red Wolf #2
CHARACTERS: Sierra & Adam
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/25/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear takes you on a thrilling ride into the world of red wolf shifters in an action-packed paranormal romance like no other!
Sierra Redding is eager to begin her new job as an art teacher for a red wolf pack in Portland, when her hotel room is broken into. She’s just in time to see her would-be thief and sketch him for detective Adam Holmes, earning her a job with the police department as a sketch artist, and bringing her closer to the handsome investigator.
Once Adam finds the culprit and puts him in jail, he hopes he’ll have more time to get to know the police department’s newest member. But thieves have friends in low places, and this one is determined to make Sierra’s life miserable. With Adam by her side, she knows she’s safe, and that she’d like to stay close to the intriguing cop as long as she can…

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the second in the Red Wolves series. But it is far from the first in the stories that Terry Spear writes about wolves.

Sierra is part of the Red Wolf Pack and teaches the cubs. When her hotel room is broken into she becomes a sketch artist for the police department and a slow moving romance happens between Sierra and Adam the detective that helps her find the thief.

Honestly, it is hard to not read these books by Spear but she has written so many it seems some things are repeated and all too familiar. This was enjoyable and I really like the friendship turned romance between Sierra and Adam.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenhauf

TITLE: The Overnight Guest
CHARACTERS: Wylie Lark
AUTHOR: Heather Gudenhauf
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/25/22
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf

She thought she was alone…

True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.

As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I have never read this author before but I was pleasantly surprised with this story. Taking place in three different times it was interesting to see how the author brought all three incidents together.

I will say the mother and daughter dynamic in the third story is hard to deal with. The daughter is being abused and it is very emotional and sometimes palpable through the pages.

I did figure out a lot of the suspense but I enjoyed the way that the author got there so I was not disappointed even though I found myself correct on most things.

I will certainly look this author up again.

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

4 Hearts