Category: Kimberly’s Review

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Kimberly reviews Meant To Be Yours by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Meant To Be Yours
SERIES #: Happily Inc #5
CHARACTERS: Renee & Jasper
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/22/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In Happily Inc, love means never having to say “I do”…

Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too.

After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse.

Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?

REVIEW:
Simply said Susan Mallery is my go to. She is the first name I mention when people ask me my favorite author and I have never been disappointed in a book. And I wasn’t with this book either. Far from it.

Renee and Jasper are so different and yet the same. They do not know what they want and have no idea how to find out. At least that is how I read them. Renee thinks she wants a FWB relationship with Jasper and Jasper is looking to understand women for his new book.

They are a great couple who like all of Mallery’s couples have a moment of heartbreak before they come back together for the HEA.

I really enjoyed Jasper trying to figure out women by watching “chick flicks” and such. It was too funny. And Renee just seems like an every woman. We think we have been through it all until something more happens.

Another great story from Mallery… but I expect nothing less from her.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum

TITLE: The Highland Outlaw
SERIES #: The Campbell’s #4
CHARACTERS: Shaw & Alana
AUTHOR: Heather McCollum
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/21/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Shaw Sinclair, chief of the outcast clan of Sinclairs of Caithness in northern Scotland, has made a deal with the devil. Despite his strength and lethal skills, he needs help—specifically from a woman—to accomplish his mission to bring a bairn to safety to the coast. When he meets the brave and beautiful Alana Campbell at a Samhain Festival, he decides she’s the one.

Alana Campbell is ready to show the world she’s just as skillful with a sgian dubh as any man. Attracting the attention of the brawny chief who coerces her to join him on his journey to the coast of Scotland gives her that very opportunity. Sparks flash between them as they’re forced to act as husband and wife to accomplish the deadly mission. However, when secrets threaten to tear them apart, they have to decide if their differences outweigh the reality of their feelings…

Each book in The Campbells series is STANDALONE:
* The Scottish Rogue
* The Savage Highlander
* The Wicked Viscount
* The Highland Outlaw

REVIEW:
I have very much enjoyed this series and this story was no different. Set in the Highlands we meet Shaw. He has been given the task of caring for a bairn and getting her to a boat with her wet-nurse. By doing so he may actually get everything he has lost back.

We met Alana in the previous series and now we get her story. Alana finds out her mother is alive and wants to get to Edinburg to rescue her. On the road to her mother she is taken hostage by Shaw to care for the bairn. Once she finds out they are going the same direction she allows the “kidnapping” to happen.

I found this story a fun, crazy, interesting read. I loved the connection that Alana found with Shaw but also with the baby.

A great read for any fan of Highlanders.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Liar’s Sister by Sarah Denzil

TITLE: The Liar’s Sister
CHARACTERS: Rosie & Heather
AUTHOR: Sarah A Denzil
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The must-read psychological thriller for 2019 from the million-copy-bestselling author of Silent Child.

Ten years ago Samuel Murray went missing from the small village of Buckthorpe and was never found again. A quiet boy who loved walking in the woods and tending the animals on his parents’ farm. Family, friends and neighbours all say they didn’t see him on the dark, rainy night he disappeared. But surely someone in the close-knit community must know something?

Rosie Sharpe cried for weeks after. But her little sister Heather knows that Rosie’s tears hide the truth. Because the night their friend Samuel was last seen, Heather saw her older sister climbing back into the window of their childhood bedroom. Her jacket torn, her eyes wild and her body trembling with fear.

Heather has never told anyone what she saw, but secrets can’t stay buried forever…

When Rosie and Heather are forced to return to the home they grew up in, to spend the last days with their dying mother, they must confront what really happened a decade ago. But the people of Buckthorpe make it clear they are unwelcome – they’ve always suspected the girls knew more than they said about the night Samuel went missing. And as the shocking lies of the past begin to unravel, they have the power to put the lives of both sisters in terrible danger…

This twist-filled, page-turning psychological thriller will keep you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping pages.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I believe this is the first book from this author that I have read. But I do not believe it will be my last.

What a story. This book kept me not only reading but guessing. If you are a fan of suspense thriller than this is the book for you. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. I love a thriller where I find myself changing the who-dun-it in my mind a number of times. And this one did just that.

The sisters are all grown now and have kept a lot of secrets over the years but now they are all unraveling.

Want a gripping thriller that will leave you wanting more? You have found it.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Beneath The Attic by V.C. Andrews

TITLE: Beneath The Attic
SERIES #: Dollanganger
CHARACTERS: Corrine & Garland
AUTHOR: V.C.Andrews
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/27/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Forbidden passions have shaped and haunted the Dollanganger family since their first novel—Flowers in the Attic—debuted forty years ago. Now discover how twisted the family roots truly are, and witness the clan’s origins as a result of one wild and complicated relationship. In this evocative and thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author V.C. Andrews, see Corrine Dixon as a young girl and discover the fascinating family history of the Dollanganger clan.

Two generations before Corinne Foxworth locked her children in an attic, her grandmother, a gorgeous young girl named Corrine Dixon, is swept away by the charms of rich, sophisticated, and handsome Garland Foxworth. After discovering that she’s pregnant, Garland does what appears to be the honorable thing and marries her in a huge ceremony on the luxurious Foxworth Hall grounds. Both families fervently overlook the pregnancy, happy for a suitable resolution.

Now the mistress of a labyrinthine estate, Corrine discovers that nothing is what is seems. Garland is not the man once captivated by her charms, and she’s increasingly troubled by his infatuation with memories of his departed mother.

Can Corrine survive this strange new life? Or is her fate already sealed?

Explore the origins of the legendary Dollanganger family in this page-turning, gripping gothic thriller.

REVIEW:
I am on the fence about this story. First it was interesting to take a trip into the family of the Dollanganger family. I grew up reading that series and was looking forward to understanding why the grandmother became who she was — nuts!

But hence comes the fence. This book didn’t seem to tell us anything about Corrine that we didn’t already know. There seemed to be very little insight into her life. I think there was more about the house than Corrine.

As a fan of the series it might be interesting to read but then again you can’t go in expecting too much.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Lavender & Mistletoe by Donna Kauffman

TITLE: Lavender & Mistletoe
SERIES #: Blue Hollow Falls #3.5
CHARACTERS: Avery & Ben
AUTHOR: Donna Kauffman
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This Christmas, small-town Blue Hollow Falls will work big holiday magic for two people who have researched everything but love . . .

Avery Kent needs a project. The busy brain that earned her two PhDs before the age of eighteen is fascinated by the home she’s created with her three friends in Blue Hollow Falls, but the farm and the tearoom are running like clockwork now. As the holiday season approaches, it’s time for Avery to dive into one of her last uncharted research topics: love. Not for herself, of course; for her friend, Chey! But a closer look at the handsome young veterinarian Avery has chosen for this romantic equation has her wishing for gifts she never thought she wanted . . .

Another former child prodigy, Ben Chandler is more like Avery than she ever imagined. His intellect is a perfect match for hers—and everything else about him attracts her in ways that send delicious tingles down her spine. But a relationship? That’s something Avery will need to analyze—unless her friends can help Ben convince her that romance is more magic than science, and that a good old-fashioned kiss under the mistletoe is the perfect way to open her heart to the possibility of the greatest gift of all . . .

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts What a great novella. With only 140-ish pages this is a quick read that will easily put you in the Christmas spirit.

Avery and Ben are just adorable. And visiting Blue Hollow Falls is like coming home and perfectly in time for the holidays.

Grab a hot cocoa, start a fire and snug up under a comfy blanket…. That and this book is all you need to enjoy a night reading.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Forgotten Child by D.E. White

TITLE: The Forgotten Child
CHARACTERS: Holly Kendal
AUTHOR: D.E. White
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/27/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Lights blinded her in an eerie white flash. She yanked the wheel as she felt the impact from the car behind her. There was a sharp pain, and then a bang in front of her, and after that nothing but darkness.

Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.

When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.

To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.

Milo isn’t the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.

And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is.

For fans of Mel Sherratt and K.L Slater, The Forgotten Child will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page!

REVIEW:
So here I am on the fence for a recent book. I liked the story but it wasn’t what I expected. I had this idea of the book based on the synopsis but while this was a background story it was not the main one.

The story is more about the strained relationship of Holly and her husband, her family and her past. And of course let’s throw some organized crime into it.

I think the story could have been good if my mind wasn’t so set on what the book promised but did not deliver.

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

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Kimberly reviews Child’s Play by Danielle Steel

TITLE: Child’s Play
CHARACTERS: Kate, Tamara, Anthony & Claire
AUTHOR: Danielle Steel
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/08/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The lessons our children teach us are the hardest ones. What do we do when our children don’t pursue our hopes for them? In this riveting new novel, Danielle Steel explores how families can evolve and grow in unexpected ways.

A senior partner at a prestigious New York law firm, Kate Morgan couldn’t be prouder of her three grown children. Tamara, Anthony, and Claire all went to great schools, chose wonderful career paths, and would have made their father proud. A single mother for years after the death of her husband, Kate keeps a tight rein on her family, her career, and even her own emotions, never once asking herself if she truly knows her children . . . or if her hopes for them are the right ones, and what they want. She is about to find out.

During one hectic summer in Manhattan, Kate’s world turns upside down. One child has been keeping an astonishing secret while another confesses to an equally shocking truth. A wonderful match and picture-book wedding are traded for a relationship that shakes her to her core. A totally inappropriate love affair and an out-of-wedlock baby complete the chaos. Challenged as a mother and as a successful independent woman herself, Kate struggles to keep up with a dizzying and escalating chain of events, and begins to realize that she has a part to play in the chaos. Because Kate too has kept secrets from her children.

Sometimes the surprising choices our children make are the right ones . . . better than what we wanted for them. More often than not, parenting is about letting go of our dreams and embracing theirs.

REVIEW:
What I think I liked best is that the man character is older and a self-reliant as well as competent. What she also is, is a single mom of 3 adult “kids” who are dealing with a lot amongst themselves. As the lives of her children start to unfold, and she finds out, she questions everything she thought she knew.

Danielle Steel is one of the best at women’s lit and this is exactly why. As an older mom I really could relate to Kate. Of course, not the trauma but the worry for your own children. How you plan the future for your children as they grow and everything you teach them to have everything they need to be productive adults. But what if what you thought you accomplished wasn’t it at all.

Wonderful quick read that really keeps your attention. Another hit by Danielle Steel.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews I See You by Mary Burton

TITLE: I See You
SERIES #: Criminal Profiler #2
CHARACTERS: Zoe Spencer & William Vaughn
AUTHOR: Mary Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/03/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton comes a gritty, suspenseful story in the Criminal Profiler series.

FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.

As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.

Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed: someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing, time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills again?

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts First the obvious. Of course the story was good. It was written by Mary Burton.

Burton not only writes an incredible story but one of the things I enjoy most about her writing is I am always second guessing myself trying to figure out who-dun-it.

I enjoyed the couple of Zoe and William. They mesh together well.

Zoe reminds we a lot of the character created by Iris Johansen, Eve Duncan. If you are a fan of Eve Duncan you need to grab this series.

As I started with. Mary Burton writes books that I can’t wait to read. And you should not wait either.

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

4 Hearts

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Home For The Holidays by Terry Spear

TITLE: A Home For The Holidays
SERIES #: Silver Town Wolf #9
CHARACTERS: Meghan & Peter
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“The best of holiday romances…a howling good time.”–Long and Short Reviews for A Silver Wolf Christmas

Silver Town is howling with Christmas cheer

Gray wolves Meghan MacTire and Sheriff Peter Jorgenson plan to spend the rest of their lives together, and what better time to start forever than Christmas? But they are both harboring dark secrets that are about to surface and threaten their future together. With holiday magic in the air and all Silver Town ready to celebrate, Meghan and Peter have to conquer the past if they’re to have any hope of celebrating this Christmas together.

Silver Town Wolf series:
Destiny of the Wolf (Book 1)
Wolf Fever (Book 2)
Dreaming of the Wolf (Book 3)
Silence of the Wolf (Book 4)
A Silver Wolf Christmas (Book 5)
Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply (Book 6)
Between a Wolf and a Hard Place (Book 7)
All’s Fair in Love and Wolf (Book 8)
Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays (Book 9)

REVIEW:
Well this was a it different. Of course the whole wolf thing is there but this one had ghost. Interesting combination.

I liked the story. This has a nice holiday feel to it with a paranormal feel. I thought the couple was perfect for each other and liked with the holiday theme there was not a lot of couple drama. Mostly the couple stuck together to deal with the other issues.

Good holiday read.

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

4 Hearts

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What’s New: Kimberly reviews American Witch by Thea Harrison

 

TITLE: American Witch
CHARACTERS: Molly & Josiah
AUTHOR: Thea Harrison
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/29/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Power can change a person…

For months Molly Sullivan endures the inexplicable: electrical surges, car breakdowns, visions. She even wonders if she might be the cause… and wonders if she might be crazy. Then she discovers her husband has cheated on her. Again. Now Molly realizes she is a newly awakening witch and a woman pushed over the edge.

Revenge can shape a person…

Josiah Mason is a Powerful witch and the leader of a secret coven with a shared goal: to destroy an ancient enemy who has ruined many lives. Josiah lost years to this man, and his sole focus is revenge. He’s prepared for every contingency—except encountering a beautiful new witch who understands nothing of the immense Power building within her or the attraction she wields over him.

Danger can bring them together…

When divorcing her husband, Molly uncovers a dangerous secret he’s willing to kill to protect. She turns to Josiah for help, and they discover a connection between Molly’s husband and Josiah’s enemy.

As they work together, a spark ignites between them that threatens to become an inferno. But Molly is done compromising herself for any man, and Josiah’s mission is his top priority. And the enemy is cunning, cruel, and drawing ever closer.

As the danger escalates, so does the tension between them. Is a lasting relationship possible? Will either of them live long enough to try?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This was a cute read. Molly is married but finds her husband is cheating on her and when she meets Josiah her true power within herself comes out.

There is a romance that blooms while she learns what her powers are about.

But there is more than just magic between them so the danger takes the two of them on a magical ride and of love and intrigue.

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 Wedding In December by Sarah Morgan

a wedding in decemeberTITLE: A Wedding In December
CHARACTERS: The White Family
AUTHOR: Sarah Morgan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This funny, charming and heartwarming new Christmas novel is USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan at her festive best!

In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland.

Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans…

Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived—how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget!

REVIEW:
This story is about romance but I think it is more about the love of family. Rosie doesn’t always make the best decisions and is a bit impulsive so when she tells her family she is getting married to get boyfriend of only a few months the family worries.

Her older sister, Katie, is protective of Rosie since she has medical issues. Katie has even gone into medicine because of her baby sister. But the best man has her mind heading where it shouldn’t.

And then there is Maggie, the girls mom. She is separated from her husband but hasn’t told the girls yet and of course the happy occasion of a wedding doesn’t need to be spoiled by the news of divorce. But Maggie is finding she needs to figure out what her next chapter of life is. Her girls are grown and don’t need her the same way anymore, so what now?

I found myself wanting to attend the wedding and help the family out as if I was one of them. When you want to crawl into a book I think that says a lot about it. There is so much to this story about finding love but also finding yourself.

What a great book to put you into the Christmas spirit. Perfect to light a fire and enjoy a glass of egg nog.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Viking’s Witch by Kelli A Wilkins

vikings witchTITLE: The Viking’s Witch
CHARACTERS: Rothgar & Odaria
AUTHOR: Kelli A Wilkins
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/01/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Scotland, 803 A.D.

About to be burned at the stake by her fellow villagers, Odaria does what any betrayed witch facing certain death would do. She calls down a curse. Within seconds, rampaging Norsemen raid the village, capturing everyone except her.

But her reprieve is short-lived, and Odaria lands in the clutches of the Norse leader Rothgar. Can she remain true to herself and fight her growing attraction to this domineering man, or will she fall under his influence and be used for his ambitions?

After Rothgar witnesses Odaria’s powers firsthand, he strikes a bargain with her. The raven-haired beauty will use her magical abilities to help him with his quest in exchange for safe passage off the isle. But can this cunning woman be trusted, or is she using him to exact vengeance on her village?

Together they must fight bloodthirsty villagers, battle a mutinous band of Norsemen, find a missing Norse ship, and learn to trust each other . . . before time is up.

REVIEW:
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR FEATURED TOMORROW!

3.75 Hearts This book is a bit different. At least in my opinion. The author contacted me to review the story which I was happy to do since it sounded out of the norm.

In this story Odaria is a witch who is ready to be burned at the stake. She is saved by a Viking who is looking for a Prince. Once she is in the nest of the Viking’s she is expected to use her powers to get Rothgar what he wants.

I liked that this was not a love at first sight kind of love. There is a lot of conflict between the two but the sexual chemistry is hot and can not be denied.

As I said this story was a bit different than I am used to. I am not one that reads the Pirate bodice ripper novels. But I found myself liking this story.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts