Category: Review Sunday

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Kelly reviews Midnight Ink by Rylon, Bristol, Rothman, Forte, Alexander, Bradley, Ryan & Carr

midnight inkTITLE: Midnight Ink
SERIES #: Box Set
AUTHOR: Rylon, Bristol, Rothman, Forte, Alexander, Bradley, Ryan & Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: November 19, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
One tattoo shop in one infamous city sets the stage for 8 stories about resolutions, kink, love and ink. Get ready to let the good times roll!

Report For Booty by Jayne Rylon
When Burke Levine got marching orders, he couldn’t bear to make his girlfriend Chavon White a military widow. Years later, discovering his name tattooed on her perfect ass via a New Orleans’ artist’s portfolio confirms his epic mistake. Will Midnight Ink’s New Year’s Eve party grant them a second chance?

Picture Her Bound by Sidney Bristol
She’s a police officer desperate enough to break the rules. He’s the bounty hunter standing between her and ruin. Picture Her Bound is —the first book in the brand new Bayou Bound series from Sidney Bristol—a story of right, wrong and binding pleasures.

Not So Over Eli by Robin L. Rotham
Paramedic Bart Rigger finally has the life he wants rather than the one his father dictated, thanks to hot new fiancée Rhonda Giannetti. But a whirlwind trip to New Orleans puts it all at risk when he’s forced to confront unresolved feelings for his first love, tattoo artist Elijah Bell.

Inked Memories by PG Forte
All Sophie wants is a tattoo to commemorate her battle with cancer. What she gets is celebrity tattoo artist Declan Ross, the same sexy bad-boy who used to rock her world. This time, they’ve both got scars and it’s still the ones you can’t see that are the hardest to cover.

To The Bone by RG Alexander
Etta Santos has one resolution—to cover up the last visible evidence of her past. When Christie Ryder, sexy musician and new owner of Midnight Ink, pursues her, he seems too good to be true. His music touches her soul, but can she risk trusting another bad boy with her heart?

Dangerously Inked by Eden Bradley
When the tattoo artist Finn Carter lined up for his visit to New Orleans turns out to be the mysteriously alluring sub he played on New Year’s Eve at The Bastille, the city’s BDSM club, more than his skin will be marked forever—and Rosie is just the woman to bring this playboy to his knees.

Ink Inspired (Montgomery Ink 0.5) by Carrie Ann Ryan
In Carrie Ann Ryan’s Ink Inspired, the prequel to her upcoming Montgomery Ink series, Ice Princess Shea Little wants ink and a change. Shepard Montgomery not only wants to ink her, but get through that icy exterior. Together, they’ll heat up the streets of New Orleans…and each other.

Blank Canvas (Big Easy #1) by Mari Carr
Disillusioned by divorce, Jennifer’s about to discover her wild side, starting with a tattoo from Caliph. And continuing with submission, spankings, wax play…all under the skilled hands of her wickedly sexy tattoo master

REVIEW:
One tattoo shop in one infamous city sets the stage for 8 stories about resolutions, kink, love and ink. Get ready to let the good times roll!

Report For Booty by Jayne Rylon: This was an okay novella for me. I liked the back story of Burke & Chavron. But I never felt really connected to these two.

Picture Her Bound by Sidney Bristol: This was a good story. Jacques & Odalia make a good couple. And seem to work very good together.

Not So Over Eli by Robin L. Rotham: Just as a warning to anyone that might be offended this story is a m/m/f. I liked this story but didn’t love it. I like Eli. I liked Rhonda. And I liked them together but there was something about Bart that I just didn’t connect with.

Inked Memories by PG Forte: This was a very good story of reuniting of love. Delcan & Sophie were the best of friends but grew apart.

To The Bone by RG Alexander: This was a very sweet story with a bit of a paranormal twist. I am still trying to figure out Manny. But other then that I really enjoyed Christie (yes the guys name Christie, nickname for Christopher) & Etta’s story.

Dangerously Inked by Eden Bradley: This was just an okay story for me. I really liked Rosie in the other stories and did like her in this one too. And I liked Finn, but there was something about this story that didn’t grab me and completely suck me in. I think that maybe it is my lack of understand of the whole pain & BDSM world.

Ink Inspired (Montgomery Ink 0.5) by Carrie Ann Ryan: Loved!!! Shepard Montgomery is yummy. I love his determination and gentleness with Shea. I would have loved to see more of them and hope that Carrie Ann will have them stop by a lot in the future books of the Montgomery Ink series.

Blank Canvas (Big Easy #1) by Mari Carr : I liked Jennifer & Caliph’s story. I enjoyed that Jennifer was giving a second chance at happiness. But now I want to know what happens in the future with these two.

Disclaimer:
This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly & Kimberly review Sweet Revenge by Rebecca Zanetti

sweet revengeTITLE: Sweet Revenge
SERIES #: Sins Brothers
CHARACTERS: Matt Dean & Laney Jacobs
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: December 3, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The One Man She Can’t Have

Matt Dean was born to fight…and kill. A member of a secret black-ops military unit, he and his brothers were genetically engineered by the government to be the perfect soldiers with an expiration date. Now, with time running out, he’s gone rogue in a relentless quest for the one person who can save them. His mission leads him to Charmed, Idaho…and to a beautiful woman with eyes like emeralds and a body made for pleasure.

The One Woman He Can’t Resist

Laney Jacobs knows the mysterious, handsome stranger is trouble from the moment he walks into her bar, looking for a job. She’s spent years running from her own past—the last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement. But Matt’s strong arms offer her protection, and his gentle touch promises passion unlike anything she’s ever known. As lethal forces surround them, revealing explosive secrets about Matt’s past and putting everything—and everyone—he holds dear in danger, can he save them all before time runs out?

KELLY’S REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Matt Dean has always protected those he love. He stood up for his brothers when he was little. He fight to keep them safe from everything and everyone. But failing his youngest brother has been the hardest then he has ever had to go through. But he still has two brothers left that need him. The need him to complete his latest mission in order to save them all. But oh the wicked twists of fate are about to bring dear old Mattie to his knees.

Laney is a woman who knows that it is just a matter of time before he past catches up with her. A past that she doesn’t ever want to relive. But when a tall, dark and very dangerous man finds his way into her life, for just one moment she let’s her guard down. In that moment everything changes, and not all of the changes are for the better.

Loved this books. Loved Mattie & Laney. Loved that Emery…. well you will just have to read and find that out. This was a great second book in Rebecca’s Sins Brothers series. I am so looking forward to Nate’s book and uncovering all the dark secrets that this brother holds.
If you have not read book 1 Forgotten Sins, I would highly suggest that you do. While I think you could read Sweet Revenge and be okay. I really think that you need to know the Gray Brother’s history and to do that you need to read Forgotten Sins.

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
4.5 HEARTS So loved this book. I have read every Rebecca Zanetti and I fall in love with her heroes in each book and Matt was no different. There is something about this man. He has a sweetness that he doesn’t know he has and is the type that would die to protect his loved ones. Laney is different but for some reason I liked her. She is tough but so broken that you feel for her. They actually make a great couple.

You can never go wrong with a book from Zanetti. She pulls you into her world in a matter of moments whether it is her paranormal, cowboy romance or romantic suspense. She is a powerhouse that has come on the scene and I know she has a bunch of great books left to write. I can’t wait for her next book!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Behind The Scenes by Trish Jensen

Behind the ScenesTITLE: Behind The Scenes
CHARACTERS: Tanya & AJ
AUTHOR: Trish Jensen
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/11/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Together they might produce a hit TV show. If they don’t kill each other while falling in love.
Tanya Pierce’s TV-executive uncle has tapped her to host a reality show about beauty makeovers. Tanya runs an acclaimed beauty spa in a small California town—definitely outside the Hollywood spotlight, just the way publicity-shy Tanya likes it. Her partner will be AJ Landry, a sexy producer known for creating hit programs—and for distrusting women, like his ex-wife, who are looking for a meal ticket to television fame and fortune.
When Tanya and AJ meet, sparks fly. Get ready for a rollicking story filled with humor, wit, and dizzying romance.

REVIEW:
An adorable quick read. Tanya is just such a character. She is fun and sarcastic and just the kind of girl you would want to be friends with. AJ is sweet. I wouldn’t say he is a favorite lead alpha but he is sweet and charming and the books is great.

This is a great book to have hanging around for the time you need a book to grab, enjoy and be done with.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews Full Throttle by Erin McCarthy

full throttleTITLE: Full Throttle
SERIES #: Fast Track #7
CHARACTERS: Rhett Ford & Shawn Hamby
AUTHOR: Erin McCarthy
PUBLICATION DATE: December 3, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Easing into the turns…
As one of only two girls on the tween racing circuit, Shawn Hamby has always run with a fast crowd. But now at thirty-two, she doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. And she definitely doesn’t need a man bossing her around off of the track…

Putting the pedal to the metal…
But after a silly girls’ night at a fetish club, Shawn can’t get Rhett Ford out of her mind. He’s younger than her, and he’s her best friend’s brother-in-law, which should be red flags. Rhett is looking for someone to lead in bed, but he can’t imagine that Shawn would ever submit to him. Boldly surrendering is more her style. And with Rhett behind the wheel, it’s going to be one wild ride

REVIEW:
4.5 HEARTS A fault book club trip to a fetish club leads to Shawn being whisked out on the dance floor and sends her heart racing until her girlfriends drag her out of the arms of one very hot man.
A condition of her grandpa’s will that will force her to grow up or lose everything she loves, her dirt track.
And proposal “Will you marry me?” is not the first question a girl normally asks on a first date. Is this a first date? But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Loved this story. Love Rhett & Shawn. They are just to cute together. This was my first Fast Track novel and I am super excited to backtrack and read the first 6 books. If you are a fan of Erin’s Fast Track series you will love Rhett & Shawn’s book!! Can’t wait to see who is next

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Penguin Group Berkeley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews Hot Pursuit by Jo Davis

hot pursuitTITLE: Hot Pursuit
SERIES #: Sugarland Blue #2
CHARACTERS: Taylor Kayne & Cara Evans
AUTHOR: Jo Davis
PUBLICATION DATE: December 3, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In Sugarland, Detective Taylor Kayne is always ready with quick wit and a quicker smile. But he’s about to meet a woman who will make him want to take his sweet time….

Taylor is a laid-back, smart-aleck kind of lawman. He’s also a man’s man, as well as every woman’s private fantasy. But years ago, he was part of a botched hostage situation that ended with him being hailed as a tough-as-nails hero—even though the pain, fear, and shame from that terrible day still haunt his every moment.

Cara Evans couldn’t care less about Taylor’s pain. In the moment he became a so-called hero, she lost someone she dearly loved. Yet neither of them is prepared for the instant, undeniable attraction that flares between them—or the danger that’s soon hot on their heels.

REVIEW:
Book 2 in the Sugarland Blue series thoughts back into the world of Sugarland police force. Hot Pursuit we get to learn more about the Taylor and the demons that chase him. As a young cop Taylor was put into an unwinnable situation. But after leaving LA and trying to start over Taylor thought things might be getting better, even if his nights are still plagued with nightmares.
Cara is a woman out for revenge. She wants the man responsible for her sister’s murder to pay for his crime. Revenge is all she can think about for the last four year. Cara had made this man a monster in her mind. An unfeeling, uncaring, unthinking monster. When Cara finally finds her mark she realizes that the man she has hated for 4 years is anything but the monster she made it out to be.
Theses two are a great couple. Things move really fast for them. But when it is right it is right. But with a threat from the past stalking them at each moment their time together maybe too short to really explore what they might have.
Another good book for Jo Davis. I am loving the Sugarland series. I can’t wait to see what or who Jo is going to give us next.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Christmas in Tahoe by Elisabeth Barrett

christmas in tahoeTITLE: Christmas In Tahoe
CHARACTERS: Ann & Chase
AUTHOR: Elisabeth Barrett
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/11/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Silicon Valley actuary Ann Smith is an expert at calculating probabilities, but lately the odds haven’t been in her favor. Two years ago her fiancé died a week before their planned Christmas wedding, leaving Ann heartbroken and alone. When a friend suggests heading up to Lake Tahoe for a long Christmas weekend of skiing, wine, and relaxation, Ann thinks it might be just the thing to help get her life back on track. But Ann’s plans go awry when her friend cancels at the last minute, and Ann ends up driving to Tahoe with Chase Deckert, a sexy snowboarder who pushes all her buttons.

Chase Deckert is a man who lives by his own rules. A few years ago his business partner betrayed him by selling out their biomedical research for a quick profit. Chase left science far behind, and now spends his days snowboarding in Tahoe, wanting nothing to do with the dog-eat-dog world of Silicon Valley. Chase has closed his mind and his heart and only believes in one thing: fate. But fate seems to be in a giving mood, because joining him for Christmas is a brave, beautiful woman who shows him the true meaning of the season and helps him rediscover a part of himself he’d long forgotten.

Fueled by the mountain scenery, the season, and their unbelievable chemistry, Ann and Chase end up learning more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined possible. Can one long, steamy Christmas help them realize they’re meant to be together? Or when the holiday is over will they be right back where they started?

REVIEW:
3.5 HEARTS This is a sweet holiday romance about a second chance at love. While sweet and sentimental I had a couple of problems with it. Ann thinks too much about the fiance’ she lost during the story. She seems to still be IN love with him. While I understand the concept of she will always love him but she needs to move on the fact that she thinks about him so much even while being in Chase’s bed it a bit much for me. And the other problem was Chase’s change of heart at the end. It seemed too quick. But then again this is a short story.

I enjoyed the romance of it. I enjoyed the way Chase was written as a caregiver who seemed to understand Ann so quickly. I enjoyed their romance in general. Will this get you into the holiday spirit? Nope. But it is a nice read (and if you are from the area as I am it was a great to know the landmarks mentioned.

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

3hearts-68-77

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kelly reviews Some Kind Of Wonderful by Beth Ciotta

Some kind of wonderfulTITLE: Some Kind of Wonderful: A Holiday Novella
SERIES #: Cupcake Lovers #3.5
CHARACTERS: Zachary Cole & Maya Templeton
AUTHOR: Beth Ciotta
PUBLICATION DATE: October 22, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Have yourself a scrumptious, small-town Christmas with this special Cupcake Lovers holiday novella, Love on a Winter’s Night!

Growing up in Sugar Creek, Maya Templeton and Zachary Cole were best friends. After high school, each went out into the world in search of adventure. Maya moved to Florida to explore her passion for baking and pastry-making, eventually establishing her own business:

Cupcakes & Dreamscapes. Zach joined the military and became a Marine Scout Sniper. Now, after years apart, they’re both going home for the holidays. They don’t seem to have much in common anymore. In fact, Zach seems to have the hots for Maya’s business partner. But when the two get stranded together during a blizzard, they are forced to reexamine their connection. Are Maya and Zach better off “just friends”—just as they were when they were young? Or could it be that true love was there all along?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This was a fun quick Cupcake Lover’s read. Maya & Zach have been friends for years. The best of friends, but never anything more. But when the holiday’s bring them back together fire works spark.
Since this is a novella I am not giving you more than that. But if you love Beth’s other Cupcake Lover’s stories you will enjoy Some Kind of Wonderful.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

3hearts-68-77

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Kimberly reviews So Irresistible by Lisa Plumley

So IrresistableTITLE: So Irresistible
CHARACTERS: Gabby & Shane
AUTHOR: Lisa Plumley
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/03/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Tantalizing. Hot. And mouthwateringly delicious. The pizzas at the Portland restaurant chain Shane Maresca is secretly priming for takeover are all that and more. Unfortunately for him, so is Gabriella Grimani, the business owner’s daughter. He had no idea who she was when they had their first X-rated one night stand. Now she’s all he can think about. For someone whose career hinges on ruthlessness, that’s a slice of disaster.

Tough, take-charge Gabby intends to put her family’s restaurants back in the black, and that means no distractions. But somehow Shane keeps getting to the part of her that no one else sees–enticing her to lean on him. To trust him. That could be the biggest mistake Gabby and her business ever made. . .or a recipe for something truly spectacular…

REVIEW:
Something was just off with this book for me. I had a hard time with the characters in the beginning even though I did eventually warm up to them. The story is a bit interesting even though it is pretty common. The writing seemed a bit off too so I had a hard time with it.

I have only read a couple of books by Plumley and I can say this was not one of my favorites. The story was so slow at least in the beginning that I found it hard to keep reading it.

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

3hearts-68-77

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Winter Romance Review! Kelly reviews Where The Heart Is by Darcy Burke

where the heart isTITLE: Where The Heart Is
SERIES #: A Ribbon Ridge Novella
CHARACTERS: Derek Sumner & Chloe English
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: December 1, 2013

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Home is more than a place . . .

Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art teacher. The simple life is all she hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can’t believe her luck. He’s laid-back and unassuming, everything she’s looking for in a man—or so he seems. It turns out he’s as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share.

Orphaned as a teenager, Derek Sumner has found a place in his best friend’s family. However, the love and support of his surrogate parents and siblings can’t erase the grief and loss he struggles every Christmas to banish. But this year he meets the fun and sexy Chloe, whose optimism and sense of joy are incredibly contagious. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

REVIEW:
4.25 HEARTS Chloe has finally gotten out from under the finger of her family. While she loves them she just can handle not living up to the expectation they put on her. Finally happy in the small down of Ribbon Ridge Chloe sees the future is going to be bright. Except that brightness seems to be coming from the fact that her house is on fire.

Derek has for a long time felt like a lone wolf. Oh he has a family that loves him, even if they are his adopted family. But something is missing in his life and he has yet to figure out what it is. But that is all going to change with a sad twist of fate. It is hard to believe that a fire could ever end in something so good, but only if Derek is willing to take that leap of faith.

This was a great novella. I really loved Derek & Chloe. Both have some baggage that they wish the didn’t, but that just made them more real. I will say that Chloe is beyond patience, more patience than I would have been. But in the end I think it was her patience that was able to finally break down the walls that surround Derek. Okay that is all you get from me. If you want to know more about what happens you will just have to pick up a copy of Where The Heart Is. I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Intrepid Reads in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts
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Kimberly reviews The Seduction Of Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden

Seduction of hypothesisTITLE: The Seduction Of Hypothesis
SERIES #: Science of Temptation #2
CHARACTERS: Lindsey & Ben
AUTHOR: Delphine Dryden
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/06/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
(1 Curious Sub + 1 Dom in Denial) – Inhibitions = 4 Naughty Nights

Wildlife biologist Lindsey thought attending a fan convention with her new boyfriend Ben was a great idea—until their relationship fizzled. Lindsey still lusts after her ex—but if he wants her, he’s going to have to prove it.

Ben will do anything to win Lindsey back, and when he sees her in her skimpy black vinyl convention get-up, he realizes what she’s been craving all along. And he is inspired to finally give in to his own dark desire to take complete sexual control…

Lindsey is surprised by her reaction to Ben’s kinky new seduction techniques, and suddenly sees the brilliant but uptight code guru in a different light. After several erotic encounters in hotel rooms and stairwells, she’s falling for Ben all over again. And wondering if the intimate connection will last once they head home…

REVIEW:
While this is the second in a series this book stands alone. This is a book of love and erotica with a science spin. This series proves nerd are sexy. Lindsey is just realizing that she has the tendency to be a sub and while she is still in love with her ex-boyfriend when she hinted about it he thought she was joking but now he realizes she is serious.

What is different about this book is the guy is not a Dom who has been living this life for a long time and turning his girlfriend on to it like so many books are now. They are both new to the experience and yet he is willing to try it and finds he likes it. I enjoyed that part of this. I liked that both were coming out of their shell at the same time. I enjoy this authors writing and if you enjoy a quick erotic romance this is the one to pick up (and don’t forget the first in the series either The Theory Of Attraction).

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews Fear For Me by Cynthia Eden

fear for meTITLE: Fear For Me: A Novel of the Bayou Butcher
CHARACTERS: Anthony Ross & Lauren Chandler
AUTHOR: Cynthia Eden
PUBLICATION DATE: November 12, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
She’s the obsession two men share: one wants her love, the other wants her life.
A shared passion for justice first brought Baton Rouge district attorney Lauren Chandler and US marshal Anthony Ross together—when each played their part in bringing down the infamous Bayou Butcher. The sparks flying between the two made it clear they weren’t just a legal dream team. Then desire had to make way for duty, and what they had was done. But it would never be over.
Five years later, it’s none other than the Butcher who gets things started again, when his shocking jailbreak reunites the lawyer and the lawman…and reignites their love. But this time, the pair is in danger of being permanently parted—by a killer with revenge on his mind, and Lauren on the top of his list. As a new wave of terror sweeps through the streets and swamps of Baton Rouge, one man will pit his boundless passion against another relentless hate, for the life of the woman who obsesses them both.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts
5 years.
5 years he has waited.
5 years he has planned and today is the day that he will finally get his revenge on those who put him here.

This was a disturbingly good story. I have often said that the mind of a suspense author is a very scary place to be. Cynthia Eden has proven that again with Fear For Me. If you have read Die For Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer, you will see a few familiar names in Fear For Me. But if you have not read Die For Me yet, I would suggest that you do. Fear For Me my hold a spoiler.
I really enjoyed this book and the twists and turns made me a little afraid to close my eyes and try to sleep. While I feel a little strange saying that I can’t wait for Cynthia’s next serial killer. I am looking forward to Scream For Me (Feb 4, 2014)

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Jennifer reviews The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

the naturalsTITLE: The Naturals
SERIES #: The Naturals #1
CHARACTERS: Cassie, Michael and Dean
AUTHOR: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/05/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides – especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

REVIEW:
Cassie lost her mother to a killer and has been haunted by that memory ever since. She also has the gift of being able to get into a person’s head and determine things about them just by looking at them. This talent gets her noticed by the FBI and they soon recruit her to be a part of a teenage task force known as The Naturals. The Naturals each have a different skill involving perception that helps agents solve cases and find the identity of killers that have eluded them. To Cassie, this means everything because there is one case that she has always wanted to find answers to, the unsolved murder of her mother and now a copycat killer is trying to finish what was started so long ago.

I loved the premise of this book when I first heard about it and The Naturals had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved Cassie and I could feel her initial apprehension about joining this group but I wouldn’t have been able to turn down an opportunity such as this either. The Naturals was an amazing thrill ride of suspense that made it hard for me to put down. I loved the dual viewpoints where the reader was able to see things through Cassie’s eyes as well as the killer’s eyes and knowing that made the book even more exciting. This was an intriguing story with engaging characters that has made me a permanent fan of of Ms. Barnes and hopeful that the sequel in this series is just as thrilling as The Naturals.

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

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