Category: Review Sunday

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Kimberly reviews The Path To Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne

TITLE: The Path To Sunshine Cove
SERIES #: Cape Sanctuary #2
CHARACTERS: Jessica & Rachel
AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/30/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
With the emotional pull of Debbie Macomber, Barbara Delinsky and Susan Wiggs, RaeAnne Thayne brings readers an uplifting, brand new story told with her trademark charm and heart.

She knows what’s best for everyone but herself…

With a past like hers, Jessica Clayton feels safer in a life spent on the road. She’s made a career out of helping others downsize–because she’s learned the hard way that the less “stuff,” the better, a policy she applies equally to her relationships. But a new client is taking Jess back to Cape Sanctuary, a town she once called home…and that her little sister, Rachel, still does. The years apart haven’t made a dent in the guilt Jess still carries after a handgun took the lives of both their parents and changed everything between them.

While Jess couldn’t wait to put the miles between her and Cape Sanctuary, Rachel put down roots, content for the world–and her sister–to think she has a picture-perfect life. But with the demands of her youngest child’s disability, Rachel’s marriage has begun to fray at the seams. She needs her sister now more than ever, yet she’s learned from painful experience that Jessica doesn’t do family, and she shouldn’t count on her now.

Against her judgment, Jess finds herself becoming attached–to her sister and her family, even to her client’s interfering son, Nate–and it’s time to put everything on the line. Does she continue running from her painful past, or stay put and make room for the love and joy that come along with it?

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts This is a RaeAnne Thayne book so of course it is a great read!!! I might have had more than a passing fan feel to this book since my son has autism. Let me explain.

Jess comes back to Cape Sanctuary where she used to live. Her sister, Rachel, still lives there but their relationship is a bit strained. And while the world sees Rachel’s life as perfect there is a lot more going on. Rachel’s son has just been diagnosed with Autism and it seems her world is unraveling and when she needs her sister the most her sister hasn’t been there. And now Jess is back and Rachel hopes she will have the sister she desperately needs. But Jess doesn’t feel the same…. Or does she? Jess is becoming more attached especially to her nephew and the relationship with her sister is slowly growing.

Now, like I said I have a son who was diagnosed with Autism but thankfully a very high functioning child on the spectrum. I remember the feeling when I was told our lives would be changed and the first person I called was my sister. I couldn’t imagine having the relationship that Jess and Rachel have.

So the story was palpable to me and is so true to life. Thayne is a master at women’s fiction and high on my recommendation to strangers list but this will be the book I recommend at the same time I recommend Thayne.

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

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Kimberly reviews Triple M Murder by Carmen Cady

TITLE: Triple M Murder
SERIES #: Jack Calloway Thriller #1
CHARACTERS: Jack Calloway
AUTHOR: Carmen Cady
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A sadistic murderer. A grieving investigator with a dark secret. A desperate race to save lives and clear his name.

Jack Calloway, a private investigator, and criminal profiler witnessed the brutal murder of his family. Years later, driven by guilt and grief, he’s pulled to find justice. Called on by law enforcement agencies across the country, Jack’s on a mission to catch violent offenders. But when a serial killer from Jack’s antebellum past catches up to him in Seattle, he finds himself in a no-win situation. The killer has deliberately set Jack up to take the fall.

Now, he must work with a forensic expert—the woman he loved and pushed away, and a lead detective who can’t stand him. As if those aren’t enough problems—Jack carries a secret that could cost him everything.

Will Jack find this killer and clear his name before it’s too late?

REVIEW:
This book was just odd for me. It’s not that I didn’t like it but I wouldn’t say I loved it. The story is interesting. And I think it had a lot of potential. But there were some things I did not like.

First the good, I liked the suspense and it kept me interested to figure out the who-dun-it. I thought the romance of the story was done well and not over the top. I thought it was right to how people would feel who once had a connection but now have to work together.

Now the other part. First I hated, HATED, the way the women are portrayed in this story. I mean seriously the sexism in the story was distracting. If it had been set a different time it would have made more sense but it is not and women are not sex objects.

There were times it felt the author was saying 15 words for 3 to fill in pages. A number of things/people were overly explained for no reason.

I will read the next in the series to see if the first was overly written to explain the new characters but I am not sure how much of a fan I will be.

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

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Kimberly reviews Destroy Me by Karen Cole

TITLE: Destroy Me
CHARACTERS: Cat
AUTHOR: Karen Cole
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/18/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
SOME SECRETS ARE BEST LEFT BURIED…

Cat panics when she sees a photofit of a murder suspect flash up on the news. It looks exactly like her, and to make matters worse, the victim is her childhood best friend, Charlie.

The following day, the police arrive at her doorstep to question her. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Charlie in years, but could the secrets of their past finally be coming back to haunt her?

Desperate to find out who gave the police her description and to protect her five-year-old son, Cat investigates. She knows she is innocent and will stop at nothing to prove it. But some secrets are best left buried…

REVIEW:
2.25 Hearts Ok this is not the book for me. I really liked the concept. You are all over the news for murder but you know you didn’t do it so how can your picture be everywhere? And to make it worse the victim was your best friend? Sounds good, right?

Not really. I never cared about Cat at all. She was harsh and brash and just unlikeable if you ask me. And the pet thing was unnecessary and I have never liked when an animal is hurt.

There was so much potential with this story. If the character had been worth our worry maybe I would have liked it more.

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

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Kimberly reviews Danger In Numbers by Heather Graham

TITLE: Danger In Numbers
CHARACTERS: Amy Larson & Hunter Forrest
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/23/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On the edge of the Everglades, an eerie crime scene sets off an investigation that sends two agents deep into a world of corrupted faith, greed and deadly secrets.

A ritualistic murder on the side of a remote road brings in the Florida state police. Special Agent Amy Larson has never seen worse, and there are indications that this killing could be just the beginning. The crime draws the attention of the FBI in the form of Special Agent Hunter Forrest, a man with insider knowledge of how violent cults operate, and a man who might never be able to escape his own past.

The rural community is devastated by the death in their midst, but people know more than they are saying. As Amy and Hunter join forces, every lead takes them further into the twisted beliefs of a dangerous group that will stop at nothing to see their will done.

Doomsday preppers and small-town secrets collide in this sultry, twisty page-turning thriller.

REVIEW:
I am a big fan of Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series and most of her other stories as well. So I am always happy to pick up a Heather Graham story. But this one was just ok for me.

I love the suspense part. And being from Florida I loved hearing all the places and lore of the state. Graham has a way of bringing you into her stories with the real history that surrounds the area she is writing about. But the romance was a bit dry in this story.

I do not know what it was but I guess I never connected with Amy or Hunter because I just wanted to get back to the meat of the story and be done with the fluff.

The religious part of the story I found interesting. I have never been fond of the cult stories but this had a bit of a different aspect to the story. The murder was one that you wanted to help Amy and Hunter find the suspect.

All in all a good story from Graham just not one of her best.

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

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Kimberly reviews Win by Harlon Coben

TITLE: Win
SERIES #: Windsor Horne Lockwood III #1
CHARACTERS: Windsor Horne Lockwood III
AUTHOR: Harlan Coben
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/16/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The new novel from Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author and creator of The Stranger on Netflix.

From a #1 New York Times bestselling author comes this thrilling story that shows what happens when a dead man’s secrets fall into the hands of vigilante antihero—drawing him down a dangerous road.

Over twenty years ago, the heiress Patricia Lockwood was abducted during a robbery of her family’s estate, then locked inside an isolated cabin for months. Patricia escaped, but so did her captors — and the items stolen from her family were never recovered.

Until now. On the Upper West Side, a recluse is found murdered in his penthouse apartment, alongside two objects of note: a stolen Vermeer painting and a leather suitcase bearing the initials WHL3. For the first time in years, the authorities have a lead — not only on Patricia’s kidnapping, but also on another FBI cold case — with the suitcase and painting both pointing them toward one man.

Windsor Horne Lockwood III — or Win, as his few friends call him — doesn’t know how his suitcase and his family’s stolen painting ended up with a dead man. But his interest is piqued, especially when the FBI tells him that the man who kidnapped his cousin was also behind an act of domestic terrorism — and that the conspirators may still be at large. The two cases have baffled the FBI for decades, but Win has three things the FBI doesn’t: a personal connection to the case; an ungodly fortune; and his own unique brand of justice.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Ok so here is the thing. This is a new series but we met Win throughout the previous books by Harlan Coben. But even though we have met him this starts a new series about him so his back stories are available. You just have a better idea of Win if you have read the other books.

Now what I will tell you about Win is he is an A$$! He is everything the stereotypical rich white man. And he cares about very little.

The one thing I enjoy about Harlon Cobin’s books is the humor. Yes there is suspense but the thing that makes his books worth reading is the humor.

I am very excited to learn more about Win and see if there is anything worthy of liking him since we now get to read from his point of view.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Search For Her by Rick Mofina

TITLE: Search For Her
CHARACTERS: The Jarrett Family
AUTHOR: Rick Mofina
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/10/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A missing daughter, a family with secrets, a race for the truth…

At a truck stop near Las Vegas, fourteen-year-old Riley Jarrett vanishes from her family’s RV, turning their cross-country dream of starting over into a nightmare.

Investigators have their work cut out for them. The massive, bustling truck plaza in the desert is the perfect place for someone to disappear—or be taken.

Detectives pursue every chilling lead as all eyes fall to the newly blended family with a tragic past. With the clock ticking down on the likelihood that Riley’s alive, suspicions run deep. Everyone—from Riley’s mom to her stepdad to her stepbrother and her ex-boyfriend—has something to hide. And their secrets could prove deadly.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts First you should know that Mofina has a unique way of writing. If you are a fan you can delve right into this story. If you haven’t read him before it may take a little time to mesh but you will not be disappointed.

This book had me wanting to stay up late and yet it was one I would fall asleep trying to figure out what was going on. Riley is a pain in the butt and so moody and as a mom of a teenager she is the poster child for teenager attitude so you would think you wouldn’t really care about her but then she is only 14 and, again, as a mom of a teenager I felt every feeling the family of Riley had.

So much happens. A number of times I thought I had it down and then the book would go a different direction. I ended up sorta figuring out who but never got the why until I was reading the ending. And those are the books I enjoy.

Another great read from Mofina. Pick it up but be ready to be entranced.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Lightning Game by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Lightning Game
SERIES #: GhostWalkers #17
CHARACTERS: Rubin & Jonquille
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Uninhibited passion meets spine-chilling danger in this thrilling GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Danger and passion fuse in this electrifying GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

GhostWalker Rubin Campo’s rough upbringing made him into the man he is today: strong, steadfast and wary of outsiders. When he and his brother return to their family’s homestead in the Appalachian Mountains, he can immediately sense that a stranger has taken up residence in their cabin—a woman who just happens to be a GhostWalker too.

Jonquille looks deceptively delicate but is clearly a fighter. She also doesn’t seem to care that Rubin could kill her where she stands. She sought him out, wanting to connect on their shared interest in electrical charges. As one of the first failed GhostWalker experiments, Jonquille can produce lightning with her body—but she can’t control it.

Their connection is magnetic, their abilities in sync. Rubin knows she’s his match, the answer to a lifetime of pain and intense loneliness. But Jonquille came to him with hidden intentions, ones that threaten to destroy their bond before it can truly begin.…

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Christine Feehan is one of my go-to’s because I know I will get a wonderful read and this books is exactly why I fell in love with her books.

This is finally Rubin’s story. Seems like we have waited forever for his story. Rubin is in team 4 of the Ghostwalkers. They are the best but they do have abilities the SEALS will never have. But while his whole team has some kind of power Rubin may be one of the rarest of all. He is a psychic doctor, of which there are only 2 in the world.

Jonquille is one of Whitney’s first orphan girls groups that he designed to be unique and she has her own powers. So when she and Rubin connect the power is unstoppable.

One of the best things about Feehan’s books is the connections everyone has. The connection between Rubin and Jonquille is intense but the connection Rubin has with his team is just as well.

I love Feehan’s books and while 17 books in the same series may seem like a lot each one is a story that should not be missed. Bring on 18!

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

TITLE: Every Last Fear
CHARACTERS: Matt Pine
AUTHOR: Alex Finlay
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Wow what a start to what I am sure will be an incredible writing career. If this isn’t made into a movie, at least a NetFlix original, I will be surprised.

Finlay really has a lot of twists and turns. I could tell you about what happens but the synopsis really does a good job of explaining what happens but what it does not do is tell you how great of a story Finlay wrote. This book has so much more than I expected. It had me not wanting to sleep so I could read more and dinners were late needing to read one more chapter.

This story has everything a fan of suspense could want. A great character, angst, surprises and so much more. If a reader is disappointed in this book I have no idea what more they could want.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews A Matter Of Life And Death by Philip Margolin

TITLE: A Matter Of Life And Death
SERIES #: Robin Lockwood #4
CHARACTERS: Robin Lockwood & Joe Lattimore
AUTHOR: Philip Margolin
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/09/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Joe Lattimore, homeless and trying desperately to provide for his young family, agrees to fight in a no-holds illegal bar bout, only to have his opponent die. Lattimore now finds himself at the mercy of the fight’s organizers who blackmail him into burglarizing a house. However, when he breaks in, he finds a murdered woman on the floor and the police have received an anonymous tip naming him for the crime.

Robin Lockwood, an increasingly prominent young attorney and former MMA fighter, agrees to take on his defense. But the case is seemingly airtight—the murdered woman’s husband, Judge Anthony Carasco, has an alibi and Lattimore’s fingerprints are discovered at the scene. But everything about the case is too easy, too pat, and Lockwood is convinced that her client has been framed. The only problem is that she has no way of proving it and since this is a death case, if she fails then another innocent will die.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the 4th in the series. I really enjoyed this read. The suspense was well written and kept me interested. This one had a bit more of a story than the last one.

I have been a fan of Margolin for a while and I think this might be one of his best in recent books.

I thought Robin was great at how she handled Joe’s case. I felt so bad for Joe. He is just a good guy trying to support his family who gets into trouble. Robin just wants to save an innocent man from the death penalty.

There are a lot of twists and suspense in this book and I recommend it to any fan of the genre.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews All Consuming by Jaci Burton

TITLE: All Consuming
SERIES #: Brotherhood By Fire #3
CHARACTERS: Kal & Hannah
AUTHOR: Jaci Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A sizzling new romance about a firefighter who reunites with an old flame and tries to rekindle the passion they once felt.

When firefighter Kal Donovan transfers to the Tactical Rescue Team, he’s determined to succeed by giving work one hundred percent of his attention. This proves more difficult at his ten-year high school reunion when he runs into Hannah Clark, his first love. She’s still the smart, funny, beautiful girl he loved in high school, but everything has changed. She’s divorced, has a son, and has zero interest in exploring an old romance.

Hannah has moved back home after a disastrous end to a marriage that never should have been. Now her only focus is getting her hair salon up and running, and making sure her son is happy. She doesn’t have time for love–especially not with Kal. She intends to look forward, not backward, and Kal is most definitely part of her past.

However as Hannah and Kal start spending time together, Hannah realizes that what she’s feeling for him isn’t nostalgia, but red-hot attraction. Kal’s intent on showing her what it’s like to be cared for, romanced, and consumed with passion–and Hannah loves it. But she wonders if she has the courage to risk her heart again, even as Kal vows not to lose her a second time.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Another great Jaci Burton book. This is the third in the series and while you do not need to read the other two books it does help to explain who Kal is.

Hannah and Kal have a past and this is their second chance at getting it right. This time Hannah has a son that is added to the mix. And, of course, the brotherhood is there to help Kal and Hannah come together as a family.

So I have liked Kal since the beginning. Kal just seems like a good all around guy. There are some characters that are written as the bad boy with a heart of gold. Not Kal. Kal is just an all around good guy who you want to be friends with because you know he will always be there for you.

Hannah is sweet and a good mom and daughter. I love the way that Kal was with Oliver.

Sweet read for any fan of the genre.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Werewolves Of London by Angie Fox

TITLE: Werewolves Of London
SERIES #: The Monster MASH #3
CHARACTERS: Petra & Galen
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/23/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In The Heat Of Battle

The hard-won cease-fire between the battling immortals doesn’t last long. In the blink of an eye, human surgeon Dr. Petra Robichaud is back on the frontlines, and starring in yet another of the oracle’s prophesies. As the only healer who can talk to the dead, Petra doesn’t have much choice about her role—even when her breathtaking ex-lover shows up at exactly the wrong time…

Two Hearts Fight To Survive

Petra may have moved on when Commander Galen left her, but she never forgot him—and the passionate moments they shared. Seeing him again is a distraction she really doesn’t need with both armies honing new weapons, and wounded all over her M*A*S*H unit. But how can she resist him? It’s now or never for the demi-god Galen to become Petra’s mate…but with the fate of humanity at stake, will their desire be worth the cost?

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the last in the trilogy and I can’t believe how sad I am about that. But I am so glad I read them back to back. They are quick reads and so fun.

Petra is back at fulfilling her prophecies at the MASH unit and I am so glad that Galen in back. I mean Marc can’t hold a candle to Galen. But I understand her reluctance I mean after all the demi-god broke her heart once. Will he do it again? Every character in this story could be a story all on their own but together they shine.

And oh how I want to tell you about Medusa’s baby shower and the laughing I did but no one should have that joy taken away from them.

I wish there was more. Maybe one day Fox will bring us back and let us know how everyone is doing.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Transylvania Twist by Angie Fox

TITLE: The Transylvania Twist
SERIES #: The Monster MASH #2
CHARACTERS: Petra & Galen
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A shaky truce. A pregnant Medusa. And a dedicated doctor who keeps legends alive.

Even during a truce, I have my hands full as a MASH surgeon to an army of warring gods—especially when Medusa herself turns up pregnant. I frankly have no idea what to expect when a Gorgon’s expecting, but I have an even bigger problem when my presumed-dead former-fiancé sneaks into my tent with enough emotional baggage to fill a tank.

He’s been fighting for the other side, which technically makes him my enemy, and now he needs me and the power I’ve kept secret for so long: I can see the dead. It’s a blessing and a curse. Literally. Because the gods will smite me in a second if they suspect.

But the other side is developing a terrible new weapon, and the only person who can stop the carnage was just murdered in a covert lab behind enemy lines. So I have no choice but to pull on my combat boots and go AWOL with my ex and a moody berserker to confront a ghost with a terrible secret.

Too bad uncovering the truth could make me enemy #1…

Warning: This book contains a Star Wars-obsessed werewolf, an adorable hellhound, demigods in peril, action, romance, and friends who put each other first—in a MASH camp where everybody knows your business.

*The core of this book was originally called Immortally Embraced, published by St. Martin’s Press in 2013. The author has rewritten it into the way she always envisioned the story to be, which means it is now a romantic comedy instead of an angsty book. Oh, and there are a lot more pet swamp lizards, too.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the second in the series and while I guess it could be a stand alone I do not recommend it. We met Petra in the first in the series and also met Galen who becomes her love interest.

In this story Galen heads back to the front lines even though the war has called a truce and he breaks her heart before he leaves. To make matters worse Petra’s dead fiance comes to tell her she has a task to do. She has to get into the enemy camp and steal a super weapon… What?

Another great read from Fox. I am so glad I am reading these back to back. I feel it has added to the story that I didn’t have to wait for book 2 and now book 3 in the series.

Petra is a great character and I really enjoy the humor that Fox brings to Petra and the other characters. Now onto book 3……

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

4 Hearts