Review Sunday – Page 31 – Books-n-Kisses

April 24, 2019April 23, 2019

Kelly reviews A Few Pecans Short Of A Pie by Molly Harper

TITLE: A Few Pecans Short of a Pie
SERIES #: Southern Eclectic #2.5
CHARACTERS: Kyle Archer & Margot Cary
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi
PUBLICATION DATE: February 10, 2019
RUN TIME: 2 Hours & 49 Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sexy school principal Kyle faces the biggest challenge of his career: getting his (pregnant) event planner girlfriend Margot down the aisle before the baby arrives!
Readers first fell in love with big city event planner Margot in the first Southern Eclectic novel, Sweet Tea and Sympathy, as she discovered a long-lost branch of her family—the McCreadys, of McCready’s Bait Shop & Funeral Home. To Margot’s surprise, she’s taken a liking to life in small-town Georgia…helped along by a romance with the hot elementary school principal.
The two of them have been taking it slow—or they were until Margot gets pregnant! Kyle wants to make an honest woman of her, but Margot’s still trying to proceed with caution. After all, she was the best event planner in Chicago before she ever came to Lake Sackett—her wedding has to be perfect, and perfect includes not having the baby halfway down the aisle.
With her trademark witty prose and warm hearted storytelling, Molly Harper’s newest glimpse of the McCready family will be perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Amy E. Reichert.

REVIEW:
I love when we get to go back and revisit characters and see how they are doing. A Few Pecans Short of a Pie gives us a update on how Kyle, Margot (bk 1 Sweet Tea and Sympathy) and the girls are all doing.
How Margot is dealing with small town politics about small town weddings, being pregnant, a step mom to two little girls. Of course Kyle is there with her ever step of the way being the amazingly sweet soon to be husband and dad.
I really enjoyed this novella of Kyle and Margot. And super excited for the next installment of the McCready clan. Bring on Duffy!!!

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

April 18, 2019April 13, 2019

Kimberly reviews Missing Daughter by Rick Mofina

TITLE: Missing Daughter
CHARACTERS: Karen & Ryan Lane
AUTHOR: Rick Mofina
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/19/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Families with nothing to hide don’t have so many secrets

Life can change in an instant. For Ryan and Karen Lane, it happens on the morning they discover their twelve-year-old daughter’s window open, their beloved Maddie missing from her bed.

Police investigate. Suspicions swirl. A teenage boy admits he was outside her bedroom window the night she disappeared. A halfway house for convicts recently opened in the neighborhood. The Lane family is thrown into turmoil, then detectives turn their sights on them.

No one is ruled out. Not Karen, with her tragic past, who argued with her daughter. Not Ryan, with his violent streak. Not Maddie’s thirteen-year-old brother, Tyler, who heard voices in her room the night she vanished.

Days, weeks, months, then agonizing years go by without answers, the Lanes fearing that Maddie is gone forever…until a stunning twist shocks everyone, plunging the family deeper into a world of buried secrets whose revelations threaten the very foundation of their lives.

REVIEW:
I really enjoy reading Rick Mofina’s books. I have been a fan for a while. I also enjoyed this story as well. The writing was a bit different for Mofina but it was interesting. The book is very long but the read is pretty quick. Some sections go slower than others but mostly it is an easy read.

There are two sections to the book which have a huge time lapse of about 4 years. That was a bit surprising but to be honest I enjoyed the second sections more than the first. It seemed to go by quicker and it made figuring out the “who-dun-it” easier for me.

If you are a fan of suspense then this is a great book to pick up.

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

April 16, 2019April 13, 2019

Kimberly reviews Darkness Returns by Alexandra Ivy

TITLE: Darkness Returns
SERIES #: Guardians Of Eternity #13
CHARACTERS: Chiron & Lilah
AUTHOR: Alexandra Ivy
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/16/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
More powerful than ever, the Guardians of Eternity are facing their greatest challenge yet: a war within their ranks. Their future is in the hands of one rebel vampire, who must choose between loyalty and love . . .

Blessed with an even more compelling allure than most vampires, Chiron has made a fortune in the human world, creating an empire of resorts and casinos. Since the betrayal and imprisonment of his master, he has existed outside the order of the Guardians, trusting no one. But now, the new vampire king has given him a peace offering: a scroll that could free his master. Following the relic’s magic leads him to a demon hotel deep in the Everglades, a lush paradise owned by a mysterious and
mesmerizing woman . . .

As far as Lilah knows, she’s lived her entire life within the confines of her enchanted estate. Memories of her own past are elusive and cloaked in shadows. Even Chiron can’t figure out exactly what she is, and if her intoxicating beauty is his destiny or an illusion drawing him ever closer to his demise—or perhaps to an even more tormenting choice, between his master and his mate . . .

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts Oh Alexandra how I love your writing! And your characters!

Chiron is a vampire who is looking for his master and Lilah has lived her entire life hidden away and which Chiron walks into her life she finds herself mesmerized. And aren’t we always mesmerized by Alexandra’s characters too?

Oh the romance (and sex) is delicious in this book, as with all of Alexandra’s stories. And which is my favorite character? Levet! But of course!

This is lucky #13 in the series and lucky for us we get to read it! But I suggest reading the series first… And why wouldn’t you want to since Alexandra is one of the best in the paranormal romance field.

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

April 15, 2019April 13, 2019

Kimberly reviews The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz

TITLE: The Forbidden Door
SERIES #: Jane Hawk #4
CHARACTERS: Jane Hawk
AUTHOR: Dean Koontz
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/11/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When this relentless rogue FBI agent comes knocking, her adversaries will have to answer—with their lives—in the latest thrilling Jane Hawk novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Corner.
“We’re rewriting the play, and the play is this country, the world, the future. We break Jane’s heart, we’ll also break her will.”
She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal.
But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now.
As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.

REVIEW:
This is the fourth in the series and I really believe Koontz is back to the way he used to write.

Let me first say that you really need to read these in order. Yeah I guess you could read them out of order but I believe you will lose a bit of who Jane Hawk is.

The story is fast paced and makes you want to read it in one sitting. The suspense is infectious and heart pounding.

Koontz at his best… again.

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

April 8, 2019April 7, 2019

Kimberly reviews Dark Sentinel by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Dark Sentinel
SERIES #: Dark #28
CHARACTERS: Lorraine & Andor
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/04/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In an explosive novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, a human woman ignites the desire of her Carpathian lifemate–and of an ancient vampire with a score to settle.

After the devastating loss of her entire family, Lorraine Peters heads to the woods searching for peace of mind and anything to quell the anger in her soul. Instead, she stumbles upon a scene of horrific violence, as one man lies helpless in the face of three attackers.

Andor Katona’s existence has been a harsh one, living for centuries as a monk in the Carpathian Mountains. Unable to find his lifemate, he almost welcomes his release from a colorless and unfeeling world at the hands of the vampire hunters who have mistaken him for their prey. That is, until a whirling ball of fury bursts onto the scene, determined to save him.

In one glimpse, in one breath, Andor recognizes Lorraine as his lifemate, but it will take more than their telepathic connection to convince her of their immortal bond. Lorraine is a lethal combination of cunning and courage. So much so that she captures the attention of a master vampire, one who has already lost what was once irreplaceable to him. One who will strike with deadly precision at Andor and his ancient Carpathian comrades in a war to end all wars. . .

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts It is hard to believe that after 27 stories Feehan can come up with something new and different to write about and yet she does in this story. And then some!

Feehan is one of the queens of paranormal in my opinion. She easily draws you into each character and their story.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good vampire story? Well if it is not your genre of choice turn away now but if it is then pick up this series. I want to say these stories are not a stand alone. They really need to be read in order to understand exactly who and what is going on.

This is just another great story in this great series.

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

April 3, 2019April 2, 2019

Kimberly reviews Avoiding The Badge by Dorothy F Shaw

TITLE: Avoiding The Badge
SERIES #: Arizona K9 #1
CHARACTERS: Rayna & Derek
AUTHOR: Dorothy F Shaw
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/04/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

Rayna Michaels may be a veterinarian, but she knows a little something about the human heart—especially when it comes to worried pet owners. Law enforcement’s bonds with their K9 partners are legendary, and Derek Hansen is a perfect example—he’s had his dog Axle in more times than she can count in the last few months. And Derek’s sculpted muscles and heart-stopping smile would be truly irresistible, if only he wasn’t an officer of the law…

Derek can’t get Rayna’s stunning face and no-nonsense smarts out of his mind. Any excuse to see her will do, until he works up the nerve to ask her out. He’s not sure where her resistance to cops comes from, though he’s more than willing to prove he’s one of the good ones. But when casual dating turns into explosive lovemaking, Derek knows he has to come clean about his past before the woman he loves finds out what he’s been hiding and turns tail to run…

REVIEW:
This is a new series from a new to me author. Not knowing what to expect from this author I was hoping to find my new “go to” but I just didn’t. The story was fine if not a bit unoriginal. The problem was I never really connected with the characters. They never really seemed to bloom as characters.

I will try the next in the series just to see if the story improves as it goes.

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

March 29, 2019March 24, 2019

Kimberly reviews Waiting For You by Claudia Connor

TITLE: Waiting For You
SERIES #: The McKinney Brothers #5
CHARACTERS: Nora & Zach
AUTHOR: Claudia Connor
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/15/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When ER nurse Nora Sellers is hurt in a hospital scuffle, firefighter Zach Walker blames himself. Blaming himself is nothing new. He’s been blaming himself for years for the trauma his baby sister endured as a teenager. Though with his happy–go–lucky attitude no one would know it. He’s good at his job, he’s a good brother, and a good friend, but Zach decided long ago he wasn’t husband and father material.

Even so, when Zach learns Nora is a single mother with a house that needs his help, he can’t walk away. After a few days with Nora and her ten month old son, he knows he doesn’t want to.

But Nora’s wary. She learned at a young age that the only person she can count on is herself. Now with a baby, a job, and a fixer–upper house, the last thing Nora wants is a sexy firefighter, making her heart flutter. But Zach is more than what he seems, and the more she gets to know him the harder he is to resist.

She’s been brave all her life. Can she be brave one more time and take a chance of a lifetime with her heart?

REVIEW:
Oh Claudia does it again! Claudia is easily in my top dozen favorite authors and probably in my top three for contemporary romance. When she set her heart to a story you can read every drop of love she puts into it. Zach and Nora’s story is no different.

I love the way Claudia writes single parent stories mainly because of the love that the children bring to her books. And Will just is adorable. You can imagine this sweet 10 month old right in your living room.

Claudia never disappoints. When I fell in love with Matt in Worth The Fall I knew I would love every one of the men Claudia introduces us to and I haven’t been wrong yet.

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

March 28, 2019March 24, 2019

Kelly reviews Closer Than You Think by Darren O’Sullivan

TITLE: Closer Than You Think
CHARACTERS: Claire Moore
AUTHOR: Darren O’Sullivan
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/15/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’s watching. She’s waiting.
The unmissable new thriller from Darren O’Sullivan, author of Our Little Secret and Close Your Eyes.
Having barely escaped the clutches of a serial killer, Claire Moore has struggled to rebuild her life. After her terrifying encounter with the man the media dubbed The Blackout Killer, she became an overnight celebrity: a symbol of hope and survival in the face of pure evil. And then the killings stopped.

Now ten years have passed, and Claire remains traumatised by her brush with death. Though she has a loving and supportive family around her, what happened that night continues to haunt her still.

Just when things are starting to improve, there is a power cut; a house fire; another victim found killed in the same way as before.

The Blackout Killer is back. And he’s coming for Claire . . .

REVIEW:
The suspense was delightful in this story. I found myself wrapped into the world of Claire. Every moment she dealt with her grief was palatable. And when the past comes back to haunt her it goes from grief to trauma in no time flat.

I found this book a quick read with a lot of edge of your seat moments. The thing that I enjoy most in suspense is not knowing who-dun-it but I figured this out pretty quick. Maybe half way through or a bit more but I wanted to continue to read to make sure I was right but also see how Claire managed.

O’Sullivan does a great job in this story and was one I would highly recommend.

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

March 27, 2019March 24, 2019

Kelly reviews My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

TITLE: My Lovely Wife
CHARACTERS: Millicent & Husband (aka Tobias)
AUTHOR: Samantha Downing
PUBLICATION DATE: March 26, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts What the actual………

Holy crow this book is crazy!

Millicent and her husband only know to us as Tobias are sick and twisted people. As this story goes on the level of twistedness elevates to a level I would have never ever expected! I am still trying to figure out what the heck I just read.

I don’t want to say to much and five you any kind of clues or hints. But if you are looking for a sick twisted love story you need to pick up a copy of My Lovely Wife.

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

March 26, 2019March 24, 2019

Kimberly reviews The Witch’s Kind by Louisa Morgan

TITLE: The Witch’s Kind
CHARACTERS: Barrie Anne & Charlotte
AUTHOR: Louisa Morgan
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/19/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From the author of A Secret History of Witches comes an absorbing tale of love, sacrifice, family ties, and magic, set in the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of World War II — perfect for fans of Practical Magic, The Witch’s Daughter, and A Discovery of Witches.

Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar — two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret.

But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne’s long-lost husband — who is not quite the man she thought she married.

Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves — and the child they think of as their own — from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family…

For more from Louisa Morgan, check out A Secret History of Witches.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This book has a bit of everything. If you can think it up in the paranormal (ok maybe more fantasy) world then it is in this book.

There is a time jump between present day and WWII era and I have to say while it worked in both times the present day was a bit more enjoyable to read about. Usually in time travel I enjoy the olden era better but this one seemed to have more enjoyable times in present day.

I enjoyed the writing and the characters mostly. Some were a bit overboard but still an enjoyable fantasy read.

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

March 25, 2019March 24, 2019

Kimberly reviews The Cliff House by RaeAnne Thayne

TITLE: The Cliff House
CHARACTERS: Beatriz & Daisy
AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/26/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Three women—two sisters and their aunt—and the cliff house on the northern California coast that served as a beacon to them all…

After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from them—a secret that will change their family forever.

Bea thought she’d sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she’s beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea’s ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down.

Then there’s Daisy—sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She’s never taken a risk in her life—until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances.

In this heartwarming story, Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home.

REVIEW:
WOW this is a heart wrenching story. Not because of anything happening but the emotions that each woman and their relationships with men and each other produces.

There is Bea and Daisy who lived with their aunt, Stella, after their mom died and then went into foster care for a bit. I really enjoyed the foster care aspect of this story. As someone who took my best friends son in when his dad died I felt so much of what Stella felt and know the feelings that Bea and Daisy feel. I also like that the story doesn’t put the foster care system in a horrible light.

But I also enjoy the relationship the women have together. There is so much in their hearts and in the past that they have to deal with and not get over but move on from. So when the men comes into the lives they begin to open their hearts up even more.

I enjoyed the background characters and found myself interested in all three women and their romance.

Yet another incredible story from Thayne!

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

March 22, 2019March 19, 2019

Kimberly reviews The Trial Of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson

TITLE: The Trial Of Lizzie Borden
CHARACTERS: Lizzie Borden
AUTHOR: Cara Robertson
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/12/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The remarkable new account of an essential piece of American mythology—the trial of Lizzie Borden—based on twenty years of research and recently unearthed evidence.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden tells the true story of one of the most sensational murder trials in American history. When Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892, the arrest of the couple’s younger daughter Lizzie turned the case into international news and her trial into a spectacle unparalleled in American history. Reporters flocked to the scene. Well-known columnists took up conspicuous seats in the courtroom. The defendant was relentlessly scrutinized for signs of guilt or innocence. Everyone—rich and poor, suffragists and social conservatives, legal scholars and laypeople—had an opinion about Lizzie Borden’s guilt or innocence. Was she a cold-blooded murderess or an unjustly persecuted lady? Did she or didn’t she?

The popular fascination with the Borden murders and its central enigmatic character has endured for more than one hundred years. Immortalized in rhyme, told and retold in every conceivable genre, the murders have secured a place in the American pantheon of mythic horror, but one typically wrenched from its historical moment. In contrast, Cara Robertson explores the stories Lizzie Borden’s culture wanted and expected to hear and how those stories influenced the debate inside and outside of the courtroom. Based on transcripts of the Borden legal proceedings, contemporary newspaper accounts, unpublished local accounts, and recently unearthed letters from Lizzie herself, The Trial of Lizzie Borden offers a window onto America in the Gilded Age, showcasing its most deeply held convictions and its most troubling social anxieties.

REVIEW:
As someone who has always been fascinated by this story I found this book very interesting. This is not the story of Lizzie exactly but the trial itself and how exactly the trial went to find her innocent.

I learned a number of things that I did not know before reading this.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in knowing about this subject.

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